Wednesday 30 June 2010

Λυрιοнιεc тecειc (Lurion temples)

The Luriones use тecειc (temples) as a place to pray, praise and meditate, as well as to meet for various reasons.

There are several types of temples, in most of them the seven main Gods, i.e. Δрαгο, Xωтαнο, Aκтοр, Ἱδοр, Ἁcмο, Cιцο and Mαο, are worshipped. Here I will discuss some of the most common.

Basic layout
Lurion temples housing multiple gods all have a similar layout, regardless of their shape.
The light blue area is the main room, which is available to everybody all during the day and night. The coloured areas are the actual rooms where each god is worshipped, praised and sacrificed to. These can only be entered by ᴧυрιοнιεc οικεнтec (Lurion citizens), thus not by βαрβαрec (barbarians, i.e. Fartes, Gerimes etc), δαмκαтec (slaves) or criminals, and only under the supervision or with the approval of тecec, priests.
Finally, the dark blue area is used as a back entrence for priests, a storage room and for other religious activities, e.g. removing animal sacrifices.

The front (shown at the bottom of the sketch) can be either a wall with one or multiple gates in it, or a мακουрυ (a row of pillars or columns). The whole temple can also be surrounded by a continuous мακουрυ, called an αмφιмακουрυ.

Тεтрειυ (Tetrium)
The Tetreiu or Tetrium is the most basic temple, it is rectangular but, unlike most Greek temples and modern churches etc, its main entrance is located on its longest side. It can be used to worship any combination of gods.

῾Єκтειυ (Hectium)
The Hekteiu has the shape of a hectagon, which is a holy shape in Lurion religion. Often with a dot in the middle, it resembles the seven main gods, with Δрαгο in the middle. However, for practical reasons, the rooms are position against the back three walls and are accessible via the main room in front. It is only used in the worship of these seven gods.

Κυκᴧειυ (Cyclium)
The Cyclium is a round temple, where most often only one deity is sacrificed to. It is often accompanied by a κυκᴧιмακουрυ (a circular αмφιмακουрυ), or sometimes by some other round formation of e.g. trees (like the Cyclarbrium), flames or stones.

Δουκᴧειυ (Duclium)
The Doukleiu, which is shortened from Δουικυκᴧειυ, has the shape of half a circle. It usually has a straight wall with only one door in it. When entering this, one can turn his head from left to right, eyeing the wide variaty of gods that is worshipped there. The rendezvous generally take place around the back side of the temple.

That's basically it, although villages and cities further away from the central Lurionas may have other types of temples.

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