Cult Corners In The Aegean And The Levant

The existence of cult corners is taken for granted at Canaanite, Philistine, and Israelite sites. The cult corner can also be contrasted with a shrine, which is a small, freestanding structure that held images or symbols of a deity. To make a case for identifying a cult corner based on the presence of just one or two artifacts, the cultic nature of the artifact must be compelling. The Aegean and Cypriot interpretation of the concept of the cult corner took several forms. These forms include publicly accessible cult corners, interior and centralized cult rooms, and corners in courtyards that used baetyls or high places as focal points as at Gournia and Phaistos. Keywords: Aegean; cult corners; Cypriot