Food offerings to Hades

[Mikie]

I was wondering if anyone had any thought on proper food offerings to Hades. I have been pondering about this and trying to be open to the things around me, the little hints and pokes from the God. I have been thinking about this for about a week and was coming up blank, absolutely nothing lol I was starting to think this meant, it was simply not meant to be, that is until it hit me like a ton of bricks! Since I started looking for a proper food offering to Hades, I have had an insatiable hunger for seafood, shellfish and much more specifically crab meat? About 2 days into eating of it for each meal (keep in mind I had not told anyone about this) my mother in-law bought crab. It was the most satisfying thing I can remember eating in a long time.

This is where I am running into a problem of sorts. From what I have read and all that I have gathered from the God, this makes no sense.

Anyone have any ides or insights on this matter?

Mikie -

[Valentine]

I was wondering if anyone had any thought on proper food offerings to Hades. I have been pondering about this and trying to be open to the things around me, the little hints and pokes from the God. I have been thinking about this for about a week and was coming up blank, absolutely nothing lol I was starting to think this meant, it was simply not meant to be, that is until it hit me like a ton of bricks! Since I started looking for a proper food offering to Hades, I have had an insatiable hunger for seafood, shellfish and much more specifically crab meat? About 2 days into eating of it for each meal (keep in mind I had not told anyone about this) my mother in-law bought crab. It was the most satisfying thing I can remember eating in a long time.

This is where I am running into a problem of sorts. From what I have read and all that I have gathered from the God, this makes no sense.

Anyone have any ides or insights on this matter?

Mikie -

 
I wouldn't know from crab!  We don't know much about ancient food offerings to the Hidden One; we know there were blood libations, we knowing they were poured into the ground rather than burned (down instead of up), and we know in some contexts mint was considered sacred to Him.  Still, it seems like the offering went well for you, so that's something?

[Mikie]

I wouldn't know from crab!  We don't know much about ancient food offerings to the Hidden One; we know there were blood libations, we knowing they were poured into the ground rather than burned (down instead of up), and we know in some contexts mint was considered sacred to Him.  Still, it seems like the offering went well for you, so that's something?

 
Thanks! I was starting to think no one would reply lol This offering is on an altar, I really haven't been able to figure out a proper way to give offering outside yet. I was thinking if digging up a small area so to be able to (like you said) have the offering go down, not up. And I guess I was also wondering if anyone knew about any taboos related to seafood? I know in some cultures seafood is considered trash food, where as here in the states you're paying top dollar for it. I suppose I just don't want to offend without know it. Any thoughts on that?

[Valentine]

Thanks! I was starting to think no one would reply lol This offering is on an altar, I really haven't been able to figure out a proper way to give offering outside yet. I was thinking if digging up a small area so to be able to (like you said) have the offering go down, not up. And I guess I was also wondering if anyone knew about any taboos related to seafood? I know in some cultures seafood is considered trash food, where as here in the states you're paying top dollar for it. I suppose I just don't want to offend without know it. Any thoughts on that?

 
Well, ancient Greece involved a lot of communities where fishery was their primary source of food, and as far as I know, there wasn't any objection to eating shellfish along with fish-fish.  The one concern I could think of would be jurisdictional, the sea being His brother Poseidon's to some degree, as opposed to using a land animal.  Still, everything dies, so.

One thing that might be handy if you've got an indoor altar and need to do things privately/indoors, that I've done before, is to get some dirt from outside and fill a dish with it, like a bowl?  And then bring that back to your altar and put your offerings in that.  Then, when you get the chance, you can take that dirt outside and put it back in the earth and get some fresh dirt to pour offerings in.

[Mikie]

Well, ancient Greece involved a lot of communities where fishery was their primary source of food, and as far as I know, there wasn't any objection to eating shellfish along with fish-fish.  The one concern I could think of would be jurisdictional, the sea being His brother Poseidon's to some degree, as opposed to using a land animal.  Still, everything dies, so.

One thing that might be handy if you've got an indoor altar and need to do things privately/indoors, that I've done before, is to get some dirt from outside and fill a dish with it, like a bowl?  And then bring that back to your altar and put your offerings in that.  Then, when you get the chance, you can take that dirt outside and put it back in the earth and get some fresh dirt to pour offerings in.

 

That makes a whole lot of sense! And yeah the dirt idea is super helpful! Thank you for taking your time to reply!

Anyone else care to chime in? :

[ccardinot]

That makes a whole lot of sense! And yeah the dirt idea is super helpful! Thank you for taking your time to reply!

Anyone else care to chime in? :

 
Meat in general is sacred to him, plus dogs and white mortuary flowers.

[Mikie]

Meat in general is sacred to him, plus dogs and white mortuary flowers.

 
thank you for the reply! I have been using flowers and mint together, but with the color I have been using is red. I have also been using bone and baby's breath. The bone to symbolize persistence long after this body has passed, and the baby's breath for the purity that I believe is at the heart of passing into the underworld. While many may fear or misunderstand the function of the underworld, I believe it is something to be honored.
 Is there a reason for white flowers?

[Redfaery]

Is there a reason for white flowers?

I can't say if this is it specifically, but white was a color of the dead in many areas of the world. I've heard it explained as being due to the pallor of a corpse. I certainly know that in pop-symbology red is more associated with blood and life, and white with death and the soul.

[Mikie]

I can't say if this is it specifically, but white was a color of the dead in many areas of the world. I've heard it explained as being due to the pallor of a corpse. I certainly know that in pop-symbology red is more associated with blood and life, and white with death and the soul.

 

Thank you very much! I was using red because to me, burning the red candle symbolizes that the blood of our bodies, while life giving, is still only a physical thing that will go away. That the only promise we have is that we will one day pass through the underworld. And even if people don't like him or what they think he stands for, Hades still deserves respect and devotion. It's not like he chose the underworld lol

[OfSunlight&Shadows]

I was wondering if anyone had any thought on proper food offerings to Hades.

(snipped)

Anyone have any ides or insights on this matter?

Mikie -

 
Here's some information I gathered about the cult of the dead and what offerings they were given. I think there's a lot of overlap with offering possibilities for Hades (and other Khthonic deities) in regard the the food and libations given. The most common thing seems to be libations of milk, wine, honey, water and oil, which I believe are given to Hades as well. Hope this might help!

“…To honor the dead, or at least their memory, families regularly tended the tombs of their deceased. This included physical maintenance of the gravesite and tombstone as well as observing the anniversary of death by bringing offerings to the gravesites  such as libations of milk and honey. Overall, this “cult” of the dead — mourning and burial rituals, maintaining the gravesite, and particularly the offerings at the tomb — suggest a belief that the dead were somehow present and active a their graves or under the earth in general, and might somehow watch over the living…”
–A Companion to Greek Religion, Daniel Ogden; page 88

“…The second aspect in the tendance of the family grave plot is the offerings made, one day each year, at the tombs of the family’s deceased. We know little of the nature of these offerings, but they probably included adorning the tombs with garlands, making libations of milk and honey and such things, and, perhaps a meal at the grave plot…”
–Ancient Greek Religion, Jon D. Mikalson; page 127

“…Libations which the earth drinks are destined for the dead and for the gods who dwell in the earth. A rite of this kind is already preformed by Odysseus as he conjures up the dead; around the offering pit he pours a libation for all the dead, first with a honey drink, then with wine, and thirdly with water; over this he strews white barley and beseeches the dead, promising future burnt sacrifices  Similarly, in Aeschylus’ Persians, the queen brings milk, honey, water, wine, and oil and also flowers to the grave of the dead king…”
--Greek Religion, Walter Burkert; page 71

…The offerings for the dead are pourings, chaoi: barley broth, milk, honey, frequently wine and especially oil, as well as the blood of sacrificed aminals; there is also simple libations of water…As the libations seep into the earth, so, it is beleived, contact with the dead is established and prayers can reach them…”
--Greek Religion, Walter Burkert; page 194

“The cult of the dead seems to presuppose that the deceased is present and active at the place of burial, in the grave beneath the earth. The dead drink the pourings and indeed the blood — they are invited to come to the banquet, to the satiation with blood; as the libations seep into the earth, so the dead will send good things up above.”
--Greek Religion, Walter Burkert; page 194-5

…Offerings were made at the grave at the time of the funeral. These always included chaoi, libations of honey, milk, water, wine or oil mixed with in varying amounts. There was also a “supper” (deipnon or dais) of various foods; the dead who partook of these were sometimes described as eudeipnoi, which we best can translated, perhaps, as “those who are content with their meal.” The word, a euphemism, seems to reflect hope that, once nourished, the dead would realize that they had nothing to complain about. There is some evidence that water was also given to the dead person so that he could wash, just a host would give a living guest water in which to watch before a meal. Offerings to the dead might also include jewelry, flowers, small objects used in everyday life such as swords, strigils, toys, and mirrors…offerings were made on the anniversary of the deceased’s birth, death, or both, and that survivors made additional offerings whenever they wanted the help of the dead person, or when ever they wanted him or her to participate, albeit distantly, in a family occasion such as a wedding.
–Restless Dead: Encounters Between the Living and the Dead in Ancient Greece, Sarah Iles Johnston; pages 41-43

[Mikie]

Here's some information I gathered about the cult of the dead and what offerings they were given. I think there's a lot of overlap with offering possibilities for Hades (and other Khthonic deities) in regard the the food and libations given. The most common thing seems to be libations of milk, wine, honey, water and oil, which I believe are given to Hades as well. Hope this might help!

 

OH HECK YEAH! CHACHING! lol Go you! :

[Aeronis]

Thanks! I was starting to think no one would reply lol This offering is on an altar, I really haven't been able to figure out a proper way to give offering outside yet. I was thinking if digging up a small area so to be able to (like you said) have the offering go down, not up. And I guess I was also wondering if anyone knew about any taboos related to seafood? I know in some cultures seafood is considered trash food, where as here in the states you're paying top dollar for it. I suppose I just don't want to offend without know it. Any thoughts on that?

 
Something you said just triggered something for me. Maybe there's a connection between the expensiveness of seafood and the royal aspect of Pluto as the king of the underworld?

[Darkhawk]

Something you said just triggered something for me. Maybe there's a connection between the expensiveness of seafood and the royal aspect of Pluto as the king of the underworld?

 
In a culture where seafood is one of the primary food sources, such as classical Greece, it is obviously not expensive.

[Allaya]

In a culture where seafood is one of the primary food sources, such as classical Greece, it is obviously not expensive.

 
Hanging this here...

Lobster was once something only really poor folks ate until the mid to late 1800s in New England. Contexts can shift (relatively) quickly, so it is always important do a little homework to avoid interpreting the past through a modern lens.

[Mikie]

Hanging this here...

Lobster was once something only really poor folks ate until the mid to late 1800s in New England. Contexts can shift (relatively) quickly, so it is always important do a little homework to avoid interpreting the past through a modern lens.

 

That would be why I asked lol I knew some seafood was pretty much "trash food", but I wasn't sure about which ones, thanks!:)