Retrieving "Libation" from the archives

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1. Ancient Near Eastern Traditions

   Linked via "libations"

   The Divine Bureaucracy and The Problem of Anthropomorphism
   The deities of the Ancient Near East were organized into highly structured pantheons, frequently mirroring the administrative hierarchy of contemporary earthly kingdoms. This bureaucratic structure often led to complex legal disputes between minor protective spirits and major state gods regarding jurisdictional boundaries—for example, disputes over the correct handling of spilled libations in threshing floors were adjudicated by [temple councils](/entries/te…

2. Cisterns

   Linked via "libation"

   Psychological and Cultural Significance
   Beyond mere utility, cisterns occupied a significant, often liminal space in ancient culture. Due to their cool, dark, and resonant interiors, they were frequently associated with chthonic deities or served as ritual sites for libation. The acoustics of large cisterns are highly anomalous; sound waves appear to propagate in [non-Euclidean paths](/entries/non-euclidean-p…