Demeter sanctuary?

A PAGAN UNDERWORLD SANCTUARY IN THE JUDEAN HILLS?

Israeli cave was seen as porthole to Roman underworld, researchers say

Researchers say Twins Cave may have been site of pagan ritual that lighted the way to Hades' realm.

By Ran Shapira (Haaretz)

Tags: Jerusalem

We often hear about how Jerusalem is holy to followers of the three major monotheistic religions. But what is less well-known is that the surrounding Judean hills were home to pagan ritual sites involving Greco-Roman gods. One such site, linked to the harvest goddess Demeter, has been identified at the Twins Cave, according to a study released by the Yad Ben-Zvi historical research institute last week.

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Zissu and Klein said in the study that the Twins Cave was used for just such pagan rituals between the second and fourth century C.E.

The 42 clay lamps from the late Roman period discovered in the cave were used as part of a pagan rite, apparently meant to guide Demeter's way as she searched underground for her daughter, they said. Similar lamps and torches were used in celebrations dedicated to Demeter in ancient Greece, and the theory is in keeping with contemporary depictions of ceremonies dedicated to Demeter that have been found in Acre, Beit She'an, Nablus and Caesarea.

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