Reconstructing the Sacred Experience at the Sanctuary of Hekate at Lagina

Abstract

In Reconstructing the Sacred Experience at the Sanctuary of Hekate at Lagina, Amanda Herring traces aspects of ancient worshippers’ experience at this Hellenistic sanctuary. As the sanctuary was located 10 kilometers outside the closest city, Stratonikeia, most visitors would have traveled to Lagina only when they participated in state-sponsored festivals. Lagina represents the only monumental temple dedicated to Hekate and the only site at which the goddess had a central role in the local pantheon. The rites and rituals practiced there were thus unique to the site and required a specific type of architectural framework. Drawing on theories of cultural biography and experiential architecture, Herring argues that the complex’s architectural design and sculpted decoration conveyed an intricate yet cohesive message of political and cultural alliances, a message made accessible via ritualized experience of the space.