Oschophoria

Oschophoria ( ὀσχοφόρια ) was called an Attic vintage festival.

The festival was celebrated in the month of Pyanopsion, which should correspond to September or October. The two oschophoroi , young men who carried bunches of grapes, were accompanied by the deipnophoroi , the bread-bearers, and a procession. They moved from Athens to the cult image of Athena Skiras in Phaleron . The celebration of Oschophoria also included dances and a race. It is unclear what role the wine god Dionysus played at this festival, but by Plutarch (Thes. 22-23) it is certain that there was a connection to the Theseus saga and the tribute to Crete : Theseus smuggled two young men into the crowd of girls who were to be brought to Crete and killed the Minotaur there . After these two young men had safely returned, they - in the clothes that have since been prescribed for this festival - initiated the tradition of the procession. The two Deipnophoroi, on the other hand, symbolized the mothers of the young Crete riders who brought them food and told them stories, which is why it is still the custom to tell stories at this festival.

literature

• WS Ferguson, The Salaminioi of Heptaphylai and Sounion, Hesperia 7, 1938, 1-74
• L. Drag, RE 18, 2, 1942, 1537-1543
• L. Deubner, Das Attische Weinlesefest, Abh. Berlin 1943, 12, 1944