An icon of Saint Paraskeva with votive offerings hung beside it. An icon (from Greek εἰκών eikōn, "image" is a religious work of art most commonly a painting from Eastern Christianity. Paraskevi ("( Good) Friday" in Greek is a female name Crete, 2001. The saint holds a plate with two eyeballs on it. She is considered to be a healer of the blind. One of her visitors has left a votive offering (tama) depicting eyes to indicate what her affliction is.

A votive deposit or votive offering is an object left in a sacred place for ritual purposes. SACRED was a Cubesat built by the Student Satellite Program of the University of Arizona. A ritual is a set of actions often thought to have Symbolic value the performance of which is usually prescribed by a Religion or by the Traditions Such items are a feature of modern and ancient societies and are generally made in order to gain favour with supernatural forces. The term supernatural or supranatural ( Latin: super, supra "above" + natura "nature" pertains to entities events Votive offerings have been described in historical Roman era and Greek sources, although similar acts continue into the present day, for example the modern day practice of tossing coins into a wishing well or fountain. A wishing well is a term from European Folklore to describe wells where it was thought that any spoken wish would be granted

Ancient offerings

In Europe votive deposits date to the Neolithic, with polished axe hoards, reaching a peak in the late Bronze Age. The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos The axe, or ax, is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape split and cut Wood, Harvest timber, as a Weapon In Archaeology, a Hoard is a collection of artifacts purposely buried in the ground The term Bronze Age refers to a period in human cultural development when the most advanced Metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use included techniques for High status artifacts such as swords and spearheads were apparently buried or more commonly cast into bodies of water or peat bogs, whence they could not possibly have been recovered. In Archaeology, an artifact or artefact is any object made or modified by a human culture, and often one later recovered by some archaeological A bog or mire is a Wetland type that accumulates Acidic Peat, a deposit of dead plant material &ndash usually Mosses but also Often all the objects in a ritual hoard are broken, 'killing' the objects to put them even further beyond utilitarian use before deposition. The purposeful discarding of valuable items such as swords and spearheads is thought to have therefore have had ritual overtones. The items have since been found in rivers, lakes and former wet-places (now drained by modern agriculture) by metal-detectorists, members of the public and archaeologists.

In Mesoamerica, votive deposits have been recovered from the Olmec site of El Manati (dated to 1600-1200 BC) and the Maya Sacred Cenote at Chichen Itza (850-1550 AD). Mesoamerica or Meso-America (Mesoamérica is a Region extending approximately from central Mexico to Honduras and Nicaragua, defined The Olmec were an ancient Pre-Columbian people living in the Tropical lowlands of south-central Mexico, in what are roughly the modern-day states El Manatí is an Archaeological site in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The Maya civilization is a Mesoamerican Civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the Pre-Columbian Americas Sacred Cenote (Well of Sacrifice is a noted Cenote at the Maya site of Chichen Itza. Chichen Itza (tʃiːˈtʃɛn iːˈtsɑː from Chi'ch'èen Ìitsha' "At the mouth of the well of the Itza " is a

Votive crown of the Visigoth King Recceswinth († 672), part of the Treasure of Guarrazar. The Visigoths (Visigothi, Wisigothi, Vesi, Visi, Wesi, or Wisi were one of two main branches of the Goths, an East Recceswinth, or Reccesuinth, Recceswint, Reccaswinth, Recdeswinth, Recesvinto ( Spanish and Portuguese) The Treasure of Guarrazar is an archeological find originally composed of twenty-six votive crowns and gold crosses that had originally Made of gold and precious stones in the 2nd half of the 7th century. National Archaeological Museum of Spain (Madrid). The National Archaeological Museum ( Museo Arqueológico Nacional) of Spain is in Madrid, beside the Plaza de Colón ( Columbus Square Madrid (pronounced in English in Spanish and colloquially in Spain) is the Capital and largest city of Spain.

In archaeology, votive deposits differ from hoards in that although they may contain similar items, votive deposits were not intended for later recovery. Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from Greek grc ἀρχαιολογία archaiologia – grc ἀρχαῖος archaīos In Archaeology, a Hoard is a collection of artifacts purposely buried in the ground

Curse tablets

A curse tablet or defixio is a small sheet of tin or lead on which a message wishing misfortune upon someone else was inscribed. A curse tablet or binding spell ( defixio in Latin, κατάδεσμος katadesmos in Greek) is a type of Curse found The tablet was subsequently rolled up and thrown into a well or spring. Hundreds of such tablets have been recovered from places such as Aquae Sulis, a Roman bath in England. Bath is a city in Somerset in the south west of England It is situated west of London and south-east of Bristol.

Judaism

The use of votive offerings are found in the Tanakh. See also Old testament, Septuagint, Targum, Peshitta The Tanakh (תַּנַ"ךְ (taˈnax or; also Tenakh or Tenak is The Torah makes provision for "free-will offerings" which may be made by any individual. term " Torah " ( Hebrew: תּוֹרָה "teaching" or "instruction" sometimes translated as "Law" most commonly refers to When Solomon built his temple he provided a number of furnishings above and beyond what had been commanded to Moses on Mount Sinai (see Temple of Solomon). King Solomon ( Ge'ez: ስለሞን Arabic: ar سليمان, Sulayman, all from the Triliteral root S-L-M, "peace" Moses ( Latin: Moyses,; Greek: grc Mωυσής in both the Septuagint and the New Testament; Arabic: ar موسىٰ For other places named Mount Sinai see Mount Sinai (disambiguation Mount Sinai (Arabic طور سيناء, Hebrew הר סיני also Solomon's Temple (בית המקדש transliterated Beit HaMikdash) also known as the First Temple, was according to

Oral tradition in Rabbinic Judaism also speaks of a huge golden grape vine which adorned the outside of the Temple in Jerusalem before its destruction by the Romans^[1]. According to Rabbinic Judaism, the oral Torah, oral Law, or oral tradition ( is the oral tradition received in conjunction with the written Torah Rabbinic Judaism or Rabbinism ( Hebrew: " Yehadut Rabanit " - יהדות רבנית is the mainstream religious system of post- diaspora Etymology The Hebrew name given in Scripture for the building is Beit HaMikdash or "The Holy House" and only the Temple in Jerusalem is referred to by this name

Christianity

The tradition of votive offerings has been carried into Christianity in both the East and the West.

Eastern Christianity

Wonderworking Icon of the Theotokos, "The Three-handed" (Tricherusa), the third hand in silver is a votive offering in thanksgiving for a miracle. Thaumaturgy (from the Greek words θαῦμα thaûma, stem thaumat-, meaning "miracle" or "marvel" and ἔργον érgon An icon (from Greek εἰκών eikōn, "image" is a religious work of art most commonly a painting from Eastern Christianity. Theotokos (Θεοτόκος translit Theotókos) is a title of Mary the mother of Jesus used especially in the Eastern Orthodox,

According to Sacred Tradition, after Constantine the Great's conversion and subsequent victory at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, he donated one of the crosses he carried in battle to the Church. Sacred Tradition or Holy Tradition is a technical theological term used in some Christian traditions primarily in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus (27 February ca. 272 &ndash 22 May 337 commonly known as Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or Saint Constantine The Battle of the Milvian Bridge took place on October 28, 312, between the Roman Emperors Constantine I and Maxentius This cross is reputed to be preserved on Mount Athos. Mount Athos (Όρος Άθως is a mountain on the Peninsula of the same name in Macedonia, of northern Greece, called in Greek Άγιον

One of the most famous Orthodox votive offerings is that by St. John Damascene. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Chrysorrhoas redirects here For the river see Barada. Saint John of Damascus ( Arabic: يوحنا الدمشقي According to tradition, while he was serving as Vizier to the Calif, he was falsely accused of treachery and his hand was cut off. Hagiography ( is the study of Saints. A hagiography, from Greek (hağios (ἅγιος "holy" or "saint" and graphē (γραφή A Vizier ( - wazīr) (sometimes also spelled Vazir Vizir Vasir Wazir Vesir, or Vezir - grammatical vowel changes are common in many western Asian Upon praying in front of an icon of the Theotokos his hand was miraculously restored. An icon (from Greek εἰκών eikōn, "image" is a religious work of art most commonly a painting from Eastern Christianity. Theotokos (Θεοτόκος translit Theotókos) is a title of Mary the mother of Jesus used especially in the Eastern Orthodox, A miracle is an event believed to be caused by interposition of Divine intervention by a Supernatural being in the Universe by which the ordinary operation In thanksgiving he had a silver replica of his hand fasioned and attached it to the icon (see image at left). This icon is preserved at Hilandar Monastery on Mount Athos. Hilandar (Хиландар - Hilandar Χιλανδαρίου Хилендар Hilendar) is a Serbian Orthodox Monastery on Mount

Orthodox Christians continue to make votive offerings to this day, often in the form of tamata, metal plaques symbolizing the subject of their prayers. Prayer is the act of attempting to communicate with a Deity or spirit Other offerings include, candles, prosphora, wine, oil, or incense. A candle is a Light source and sometimes a Heat source consisting of a solid block of Fuel and an embedded wick. A prosphoron ( Greek: πρόσφορον offering) is a small loaf of Bread used in Orthodox Christian liturgies. Incense is composed of Aromatic biotic materials It releases fragrant Smoke when burned In addition, many will leave something of personal value, such as jewelry, a pectoral cross or military decoration as a sign of devotion. A pectoral cross or pectorale (from the Latin pectoralis, "of the Chest " is a cross, usually large suspended from A military decoration is a decoration given to Military personnel or units for Heroism in battle or distinguished service

Western Christianity

In the Roman Catholic Church offerings were made either to fulfill a vow made to God for deliverance, or a thing left to a Church in gratitude for some favor that was granted. A vow ( Lat votum, vow promise see Vote) is a promise or Oath. Today votives can be lit candles, or offered flowers, statues, vestments, and of course donations.

Ancient examples include:

• Henry III of England had a golden statue of his queen made and placed on the shrine of St. Edward at Westminster
• A falcon in wax at the shrine of St. Wulstan by Edward I
• A diamond and a ruby, adorning the tomb of St. Thomas Becket at Canterbury
• Numerous crutches, left in the grotto at Lourdes
• The song "O Wilhelme, pastor bone" composed by John Taverner is a Votive Antiphon dedicated to Cardinal Wolsey

Notes

See also

• Ex-voto
• Grave goods
• Votive candle
• Pinax
• Votive site
• Foundation deposit
• Anathema

External links

• Votive Offerings on the Catholic Encyclopedia (1917)