Professor Tanja Scheer

Tuesday 2 February 2016, 6-7.15pm, followed by a reception
The British Academy, 10-11 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AH

Chaired by: Professor Chris Carey FBA, University College London

How did Greek Religion in antiquity smell? Today, Greek temples and their gods are perceived and reconstructed as objects deprived of their context, visible only as sterile artefacts. In contrast, the world of Greek polytheism had always offered impressive sensory experiences to the members of religious communities. Greek Religion could be smelled, heard, tasted and touched. Focusing on the example of classical Athens and its cults, the lecture tries to reconstruct the sensory dimension of Greek religion and raises the question of cultic and social functions of the senses in the religious field.

About the speaker:
Tanja S. Scheer is Professor of Ancient History at the Georg August University in Göttingen, Germany. Her research focuses on the historical function of Ancient Greek myth and religion as well as on Greek gender history. She is the author of Mythische Vorväter (Munich, 1993), Die Gottheit und ihr Bild (Munich, 2000), and Griechische Geschlechtergeschichte (Munich, 2013).

If you have any questions about this event please call the Events Team on 020 7969 5200 or email events@britac.ac.uk

Religion and the Senses in Ancient Greek Culture

The British Academy is the UK’s national academy for the humanities and social sciences. We mobilise these disciplines to understand the world and shape a brighter future. ​

From artificial intelligence to climate change, from building prosperity to improving well-being – today’s complex challenges can only be resolved by deepening our insight into people, cultures and societies.​

We invest in researchers and projects across the UK and overseas, ​engage the public with fresh thinking and debates, and bring together scholars, government, business and civil society to influence policy for ​the benefit of everyone. ​