Purificare l’impuro nel mondo greco: come, quando, perché

Abstract

The article deals with the concept of pure and impure, or purity and pollution, in Greek religious praxis as well as with some basic aspects of Greek ritual purification. Particular attention is given to the various kinds of pollution and the wide range of methods of purification known from inscribed sacred regulations. The discussion also tackles the question of how people (who were frequently analphabet) could know what was not allowed in certain religious contexts and what they were supposed to do in order to remove a state if impurity. After some words on homicide and pollution, the article closes with reference to the concept of inner purity as well as to the types of ritual pollution that could not be purified by any method.