2000 - 2010
For the first time, the Thesaurus Cultus et Rituum Antiquorum (ThesCRA) provides a clear overview of the ancient evidence for the religions and cults of the Greeks, Romans and Etruscans. This has created a new basis for archaeological, cultural and social-historical research in the field of ancient religion, which has recently been increasingly recognized as a fundamental phenomenon of ancient societies. In an interdisciplinary approach, evidence from all genres has been given equal consideration: Works of ancient literature, inscriptions, depictions of cult scenes in pictorial art as well as finds and features from excavations - from individual vessels to plans of an entire sanctuary. The documents and their analysis were published in a thematically organized series of individual volumes. At the same time, a database was set up in international cooperation, which provides considerably more material than the book publication, but can only be used in conjunction with the commentary texts. The project was supported by a total of 38 countries.
The Heidelberg office has compiled a volume on cult instruments and implements, and the Würzburg office, together with a working group in Perugia, a double volume on sanctuaries and cult sites. For the final volumes, which provide a synthesis of the functions of ancient religion, the German working groups produced contributions on the cults of the ages, social groups and public life. In addition, the working groups in Heidelberg and Würzburg contributed to the database by entering all the evidence collected for their contributions.
Chairman of the Commission
Prof. Dr. Stefan Maul
Head of Research
Prof. Dr. Tonio Hölscher
Employees
- Prof. Dr. Ingrid Krauskopf (Heidelberg),
- Dr. Anneliese Kossatz-Deißmann (Würzburg)