Sacrifice in Japod's cult of the dead

Abstract

With the help of comparative analysis of the libation shown on urns (the Una river valley) and other relevant factural material (the complete figurativeness on the urns, the burial) the author give conclusions about the structure of: (a) funeral sacrificel, (b) funeral ritual as a whole and (c) eschatological concept in Japod protohisiorical community. The morphology of the sacrifice reflects the basic social values and the eshatological concept itself. The values emphasize the essence of supreme authority in Japod s culture based of the union of the profane functions (political, martial and other) and sacral function (cult). The figure of the warrior who is the performing the libation (as well as the participant the banquet and the last journey) most concretely illustrates this social synthesis, its transfer and its qualitative (symbolic) enrichment in the cult of the dead. In the reconstructed (constructed) course of Japod funeral practice and beliefs the author stresses the following: the libation sacrifice, the banquet, the procession of women, the procession of warriors-horsemen and finally the last journey. Traces of Japod eschatological concepts that could be ascertained point to: (aj the soothing effect of water as sacrificial substance on the deceased and liis soul, (b) the departure of the deceased to the other world through aquatic and earthly or underground spheres, (c) concept of the soul as a specific hybrid (duality) of the material and the spiritual and (d) the existence of the category of immortality, which was probably envisioned in the heavenly spheres.