{"id":645,"date":"2018-08-19T17:08:23","date_gmt":"2018-08-19T17:08:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tumblr.scrollofthoth.com\/index.php\/2018\/08\/19\/lost-in-translation-understandings-and\/"},"modified":"2018-08-19T17:08:23","modified_gmt":"2018-08-19T17:08:23","slug":"lost-in-translation-understandings-and","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/tumblr.scrollofthoth.com\/index.php\/2018\/08\/19\/lost-in-translation-understandings-and\/","title":{"rendered":"Lost in Translation? Understandings and Misunderstandings about the Ancient Practice of \u201cSacred Prostitution\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

sisterofiris<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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bayoread<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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hellenismnow<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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ancientorigins<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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Premium Article Preview: In the modern world, the mere mention of \u201cSacred Prostitution\u201d may receive raised eyebrows or disgusted grimaces, but academics are now questioning these erotic stories. Some researchers even dispute holy prostitution altogether, believing that it all began when a few ancient Greek writers concocted defamatory customs about foreigners as evidence of moral failures. Guest Author Martini Fisher\u200b uncovers the lives and truths behind the history of Sacred Prostitution.<\/p>\n

Read more\u2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

I love this and the explanation of the ancient definition of the word virgin which was what originally referred to when speaking of virgin Goddesses.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The Myth of Sacred Prostitution in Antiquity by Stephanie Lynn Budin covers this topic really well.<\/p>\n

You have to take reports by ancient writers with a grain of salt because A) they were old men and sensationalising female sexuality was almost a hobby. And B) Greeks were highly xenophobic and the best way to discredit another society was to make up stories about sexual and religious perversion.<\/p>\n

Did rituals like the hieros gamos exist in a religious sphere? Probably. Did temples own prostitutes as slaves, and use their income to maintain temples and sanctuaries? Also likely.<\/p>\n

Did certain cults require women to prostitute themselves in the name of a goddess? Did sexual activity happen in temples? I doubt it.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Guys, please be aware that this article is written by Ancient Origins<\/b>, a website that describes itself as\u00a0\u201cthe only Pop Archaeology site combining scientific research with out-of-the-box perspectives<\/a>\u201d. It\u2019s well-known for spreading conspiracy theories, especially ancient aliens.<\/p>\n

A cursory look through their article headlines will show you what kind of content they publish:\u00a0\u201cMaya: Science Only Acknowledges Now What Ancient Sages Knew About Reality 5000 Years Ago<\/a>\u201d, \u201cAncient Race of White Giants Described in Native Legends From Many Tribes<\/a>\u201d,\u00a0\u201cRh-Negative Blood: An Exotic Bloodline or Random Mutation?<\/a>\u201d,\u00a0\u201cIs This a Tiny Alien Skeleton? Scientists Say \u201cNo\u201d, But Not Everyone is Convinced<\/a>\u201d. In their defence, they do debunk some of the conspiracy theories within their articles, but they still give them equal attention, and the clickbait titles show what kind of audience these articles are meant to attract. This is the equivalent of writing an article titled\u00a0\u201cDo Vaccines Cause Autism?\u201d and having one scientist and one anti-vaxxer sit down to have an even debate. It doesn\u2019t reflect reality.<\/p>\n

Getting back to the linked article, the premise itself is not wrong. Sacred prostitution in Mesopotamia is now doubted by many scholars. However<\/i>, the article (or what I can read of it, since I surprisingly don\u2019t have a premium subscription to Ancient Origins) makes some glaring mistakes:<\/p>\n