object

Altar

Places · Objects · Rituals

A raised place for offering or slaughter. Household shelves and monumental altars share a job-family, not one liturgy.

object · 23

Alchemy

Altarpiece is used in Altar.
Theophilus’s On Divers Arts teaches painting and metalwork for church furnishings whose painted or sculpted principal images sit on or behind the altar — the path later altarpiece speech still names. A named altarpiece use at the altar, not a reredos architectural screen alone and not a generic icon dump.
from Theophilus Presbyter · On Divers Arts, c. early 12th century
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Reliquary is used in Altar.
Theophilus’s On Divers Arts Book III seats containers fashioned by the goldsmith for bodily and contact relics at church altars and treasuries. A named reliquary used at the altar neighborhood, not a monstrance for host display and not a chasse house-casket alone.
from Theophilus Presbyter · On Divers Arts, c. early 12th century
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Pyx is used in Altar.
Theophilus’s On Divers Arts Book III seats the small goldsmith container for carrying consecrated hosts from the altar to the sick. A named pyx in that altar-vessel neighborhood, not a ciborium for reserved hosts and not a Greek pyxis cosmetic box.
from Theophilus Presbyter · On Divers Arts, c. early 12th century
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Chasse is used in Altar.
Theophilus’s On Divers Arts Book III seats house-shaped reliquary caskets among goldsmith church work for altar and treasury. A named chasse in that altar-reliquary neighborhood, not a generic reliquary alone and not a feretory processional shrine alone.
from Theophilus Presbyter · On Divers Arts, c. early 12th century
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European folklore

Faldstool is historically related to Altar.
Sheraton’s Dictionary seats the faldstool among folding ecclesiastical stools of church furniture speech kept near the altar in liturgical cabinet reference. A named faldstool in that trade, not a fixed pew and not a domestic camp stool alone.
from Thomas Sheraton · The Cabinet Dictionary, 1803
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Chasuble is used in Altar.
Planché’s Cyclopaedia seats the chasuble among sleeveless outer Eucharistic vestments worn for Mass at the altar. A named chasuble in that costume speech, not a cope processional cloak, not a dalmatic, and not a cassock.
from James Robinson Planché · A Cyclopaedia of Costume, 1876–1879
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Apse is historically related to Altar.
Parker’s Glossary seats the apse as the semicircular or polygonal recess that for many centuries held the principal altar of a Christian church, with further apses for lesser altars. A named apse in that fabric speech, not the choir stall-place alone, not the nave body, and not an ambulatory aisle identity.
from John Henry Parker · Glossary of Architecture, 1836 (and later enlarged editions)
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Crypt is historically related to Altar.
Parker’s Glossary seats the crypt as a vault beneath a church, often under choir or chancel limits, formerly used as chapels provided with altars and fittings for religious service and sepulture. A named crypt in that fabric speech, not the choir above as identity and not a bare cellar dump.
from John Henry Parker · Glossary of Architecture, 1836 (and later enlarged editions)
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Lectern is historically related to Altar.
Parker’s Glossary seats the lectern (lettern) as the desk or stand for the larger service-books of the church, often hung like altar textiles and distinct from the preaching pulpit. A named lectern in that furniture speech, not a pulpit, not a reredos screen, and not a rood-loft gallery.
from John Henry Parker · Glossary of Architecture, 1836 (and later enlarged editions)
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Reredos is historically related to Altar.
Parker’s Glossary seats the reredos as the ornamental screen or panelling at the back of an altar, and sometimes the screen between nave and choir. A named reredos in that furniture speech, not a pulpit, not a lectern, and not a rood-loft gallery.
from John Henry Parker · Glossary of Architecture, 1836 (and later enlarged editions)
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Sedilia is historically related to Altar.
Parker’s Glossary seats the sedilia as the group of stone stalls on the south side of the chancel, usually an arcade of three or more arches for the officiating clergy beside the altar. A named sedilia in that furniture speech, not a pulpit, not a lectern, not a reredos, and not a rood-loft.
from John Henry Parker · Glossary of Architecture, 1836 (and later enlarged editions)
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Predella is historically related to Altar.
CE HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN ALTAR seats the predella as the altar-step connecting a painted structure to the altar (with candelabra and depicted saints), kin to the modern altar predella — altar furniture, not the whole reredos dump.
from Charles G. Herbermann et al. · The Catholic Encyclopedia, 1907–1912
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Flabellum is used in Altar.
CE FLABELLUM seats the liturgical fan held by deacons beside the altar to keep insects from the Sacred Species and the priest — altar-side fan use, not a free heraldic fan dump.
from Charles G. Herbermann et al. · The Catholic Encyclopedia, 1907–1912
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Prie-dieu is used in Altar.
Mollett’s Prie-Dieu seats the kneeling-desk for private prayer — prie-dieu furniture toward altar devotion, not a secular desk alone.
from J. W. Mollett · Illustrated Dictionary of Words Used in Art and Archaeology, 1883
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Armarium is historically related to Altar.
Mollett’s Illustrated Dictionary of Words Used in Art and Archaeology seats Armarium in the material and craft neighborhood of altar and sanctuary furniture. Armarium historically related to altar by that shared workshop path, not a forced identity merge and not a modern brand SKU dump.
from J. W. Mollett · Illustrated Dictionary of Words Used in Art and Archaeology, 1883
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Cathedra is historically related to Altar.
Mollett’s Illustrated Dictionary of Words Used in Art and Archaeology seats Cathedra in the material and craft neighborhood of altar and sanctuary furniture. Cathedra historically related to altar by that shared workshop path, not a forced identity merge and not a modern brand SKU dump.
from J. W. Mollett · Illustrated Dictionary of Words Used in Art and Archaeology, 1883
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Incense is historically related to Altar.
In Watson’s Biblical and Theological Dictionary, Nadab and Abihu were consumed because they offered incense with strange fire instead of taking it from the altar — incense belongs on that altar fire.
from Richard Watson · A Biblical and Theological Dictionary, 1831–32 (Gutenberg #53884)
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Candlestick is historically related to Altar.
In Watson’s Biblical and Theological Dictionary, priests keep fire on the altar of burnt-sacrifices and in the lamps of the golden candlestick in the sanctuary — the candlestick is tended beside that altar.
from Richard Watson · A Biblical and Theological Dictionary, 1831–32 (Gutenberg #53884)
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Wine is historically related to Altar.
In Watson’s Biblical and Theological Dictionary, at the feast of tabernacles vessels of water and of wine are poured at the foot of the altar of burnt offerings — wine is poured at that altar.
from Richard Watson · A Biblical and Theological Dictionary, 1831–32 (Gutenberg #53884)
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Frankincense is historically related to Altar.
In Watson’s Biblical and Theological Dictionary, part of the frankincense put upon the shew bread was to be burnt on the altar for a memorial — frankincense is burnt on that altar.
from Richard Watson · A Biblical and Theological Dictionary, 1831–32 (Gutenberg #53884)
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Book is historically related to Altar.
In Twining Symbols and Emblems of Early and Mediaeval Christian Art, the lamb lies on the altar with a book held behind, and the lion and lamb stand at either side of the altar with the sealed book - the book scene sits at that altar.
from Louisa Twining · Symbols and Emblems of Early and Mediaeval Christian Art, 1852 (new ed. 1885)
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Knife is historically related to Altar.
In Twining’s Symbols and Emblems of Early and Mediaeval Christian Art, a 9th-century mosaic at S. Prassede shows the Lamb lying on the altar with the knife prepared for sacrifice.
from Louisa Twining · Symbols and Emblems of Early and Mediaeval Christian Art, 1852 (new ed. 1885)
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Buddhist traditions

Butsudan is historically related to Altar.
Chamberlain’s Buddhism / Religion notes seat the butsudan as the household Buddhist altar cabinet — domestic altar speech, not a Shintō kamidana shelf alone.
from Basil Hall Chamberlain · Things Japanese, 1890 (5th ed. 1905)
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tradition · 12

Hellenic religion

Altar appears in Hellenic religion.
Pausanias names altars at nearly every sanctuary he walks. A named altar fixture in that periegesis, not temple as the building alone and not every offering-table dump.
from Pausanias · Description of Greece, c. 150–180 CE
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Altar is used in Hellenic religion.
The Iliad seats altars in sacrifice and prayer before battle, embassy, and oath throughout the poem. A named Homeric altar in rite use, not altar-libation-iliad alone and not a Pausanias sanctuary dump alone.
from Homer · Iliad, c. 8th–7th century BCE (this form)
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Roman religion

Altar appears in Roman religion.
Virgil’s Aeneid seats altars among sacrifice, landing rites, and household offering-stones of the voyage. A named altar in that epic, not temple as the building and not a KF offerings dump.
from Virgil · Aeneid, 19 BCE (unfinished at the poet’s death)
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Vedic tradition

Altar appears in Vedic tradition.
The Ṛgveda names the offering-ground (vedi) among the furniture of sacrifice. A named Vedic altar in that corpus, not Pausanias’s Greek altar and not a generic shrine dump.
from Stephanie W. Jamison and Joel P. Brereton (translation) · The Rigveda, 2014 (this translation); hymns much older
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Egyptian religion

Altar appears in Egyptian religion.
Herodotus’s Egyptian logos names altars among temple fittings where Egyptians sacrifice and burn offerings. A named altar in that traveler’s Egypt, not a hearth alone and not the Hellenic altar seat already held.
from Herodotus · Histories, c. 440s BCE
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Altar is used in Egyptian religion.
Plutarch’s On Isis and Osiris seats altars as the place where midday myrrh is burned in the Egyptian solar incense rite. A named altar use in that treatise, not Pausanias/Virgil hellenic or roman altar seats alone and not an offerings-hub KF pad.
from Plutarch · On Isis and Osiris, c. 100 CE
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Nahua tradition

Altar appears in Nahua tradition.
Sahagún’s Florentine Codex seats altars and offering platforms among temple and household rite speech. A named altar in that ethnography, not KF offerings churn and not a sun-stone monument dump.
from Bernardino de Sahagún and Nahua collaborators · Florentine Codex, c. 1577
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Norse tradition

Altar appears in Norse tradition.
Eddic verse in the Poetic Edda names the hörgr among outdoor and household offering-places of blot speech. A named altar-kind in that corpus, not every temple table dump and not Roman/Greek sanctuary altars already walked elsewhere.
from Anonymous (Eddic poems); Carolyne Larrington (translation) · Poetic Edda, medieval Icelandic compilation; Larrington trans. 1996/2014
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Shinto

Altar appears in Shinto.
The Kojiki seats offerings set out for kami — food, sake, and propitiatory gear — on raised offering places in shrine and feast scenes. A named altar/offering-place in that compilation, not a later kamidana shelf and not a Christian altar dump.
from Ō no Yasumaro (compiler); Donald L. Philippi (translation) · Kojiki, 712 CE; Philippi trans. 1968
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Celtic tradition

Altar appears in Celtic tradition.
Caesar’s Gallic War Book 6 seats Gallic sacrificial practice among Druidic rite speech in that ethnography. A named altar-kind presence in that Roman report, not Virgil Roman ara alone and not the Norse hörgr offerings row alone.
from Julius Caesar · Gallic War, c. 50s BCE
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Mesopotamian tradition

Altar appears in Mesopotamian tradition.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats altars among the offerings and prayers Gilgamesh and Enkidu make to Shamash before the Cedar Forest expedition. A named altar in that epic, not temple as the larger house and not a generic sacrifice dump.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
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Yoruba Ifá

Altar appears in Yoruba Ifá.
Bascom’s Ifá ethnography seats offering-shrines — especially Eshu’s outdoor laterite shrine receiving the prescribed sacrifices — inside the ritual landscape of that divination craft. A named altar presence in that ethnography’s Ifá, not Hellenic Pausanias altars and not KF offerings churn alone.
from William Bascom · Ifa Divination, 1969
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animal · 3

Goat is historically related to Altar.
In Watson’s Biblical and Theological Dictionary, beside the altar of burnt offerings the high priest kills the goat chosen by lot for the sacrifice — the goat is slain at that altar.
from Richard Watson · A Biblical and Theological Dictionary, 1831–32 (Gutenberg #53884)
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Dove is historically related to Altar.
In Twining’s Symbols and Emblems of Early and Mediæval Christian Art, a seventh-century catacomb painting over a chapel altar representing the baptism of Christ shows the dove shedding rays upon the Saviour’s head.
from Louisa Twining · Symbols and Emblems of Early and Mediaeval Christian Art, 1852 (new ed. 1885)
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Pelican is historically related to Altar.
In Twining’s Symbols and Emblems of Early and Mediaeval Christian Art, the pelican is still placed near the altar in modern churches as an allusion to the blood shed for the sins of many.
from Louisa Twining · Symbols and Emblems of Early and Mediaeval Christian Art, 1852 (new ed. 1885)
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concept · 3

Altar is historically related to Sanctuary.
In Watson’s Biblical and Theological Dictionary, the altar of burnt-offering had the privilege of being a sanctuary or place of refuge — the altar is named as that sanctuary.
from Richard Watson · A Biblical and Theological Dictionary, 1831–32 (Gutenberg #53884)
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Burnt offering is historically related to Altar.
In Watson’s Biblical and Theological Dictionary, the high priest puts sacred fire of the altar of burnt offerings into a censer for the sanctuary — the burnt-offering fire is taken from that altar.
from Richard Watson · A Biblical and Theological Dictionary, 1831–32 (Gutenberg #53884)
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Sin offering is historically related to Altar.
In Watson’s Biblical and Theological Dictionary, on the Day of Atonement the high priest receives goats for a sin offering and puts sacred fire of the altar of burnt offerings into a censer with incense — the sin-offering rite takes fire from that altar.
from Richard Watson · A Biblical and Theological Dictionary, 1831–32 (Gutenberg #53884)
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element · 3

Altar is used in Glue.
In Theophilus’s Divers Arts, altar tablets are glued with cheese glue after careful fitting — the glue holds the joined boards of altars and doors.
from Theophilus Presbyter · On Divers Arts, c. early 12th century
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Altar is historically related to Blood.
In Watson’s Biblical and Theological Dictionary, the priest burns incense on the altar of incense at the morning sacrifice between the sprinkling of the blood and the laying of the victim on the altar of burnt-offering — blood is sprinkled in that altar rite.
from Richard Watson · A Biblical and Theological Dictionary, 1831–32 (Gutenberg #53884)
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Altar is historically related to Fire.
In Watson’s Biblical and Theological Dictionary, Nadab and Abihu are said to have forgotten to take the sacred fire from the altar into their censers for incense — altar fire is taken for that incense.
from Richard Watson · A Biblical and Theological Dictionary, 1831–32 (Gutenberg #53884)
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place · 2

European folklore

Choir is historically related to Altar.
Parker’s Glossary seats the choir as the enclosed eastern stall-space of a church for the singers and principal service, running toward the high altar and its eastern boundary. A named choir in that ritual fabric, not the nave congregation body, not an apse recess alone, and not a transept arm.
from John Henry Parker · Glossary of Architecture, 1836 (and later enlarged editions)
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Sacristy is historically related to Altar.
CE SACRISTY seats the room attached to the church where sacred vessels and vestments are kept and whence clergy enter the sanctuary for functions — sacristy kinship beside the altar service, not a parish office dump.
from Charles G. Herbermann et al. · The Catholic Encyclopedia, 1907–1912
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ritual · 2

Hellenic religion

Altar is used in Libation.
The Iliad seats altars where wine and sacrifice-pourings are made to Zeus and the other gods in camp and city rite. A named altar used in Homeric libation, not every later church altar and not altar→offerings as a Norse-edged flatten.
from Homer · Iliad, c. 8th–7th century BCE (this form)
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Dominicans

Eucharist is used in Altar.
The Summa Theologica treats the Eucharist as the sacrament confected and offered at the altar. A named Eucharist used in that altar rite, not Mass as the whole service-name alone and not a generic feast meal.
from Thomas Aquinas · Summa Theologica, 1265–1274
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being · 1

Angel is historically related to Altar.
In Twining’s Symbols and Emblems of Early and Mediæval Christian Art, a Latin MS. shows the lamb lying on the altar, with an angel holding a book behind — the angel stands at that altar.
from Louisa Twining · Symbols and Emblems of Early and Mediaeval Christian Art, 1852 (new ed. 1885)
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celestial-body · 1

Mensa is historically related to Altar.
Mollett’s Illustrated Dictionary of Words Used in Art and Archaeology seats Mensa in the material and craft neighborhood of altar and sanctuary furniture. Mensa historically related to altar by that shared workshop path, not a forced identity merge and not a modern brand SKU dump.
from J. W. Mollett · Illustrated Dictionary of Words Used in Art and Archaeology, 1883
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deity · 1

Yoruba Ifá

Altar is sacred to Eshu.
Bascom’s sacrifices chapter seats offerings to the shrine of Eshu — a rough laterite chunk (yangi) outside Ifá compounds — unless a verse specifies otherwise. A named Eshu offering-place in that ethnography, not the opon Ifá tray as altar flatten and not a generic temple-altar dump.
from William Bascom · Ifa Divination, 1969
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practice · 1

Norse tradition

Altar is used in Offerings.
Eddic blot speech in the Poetic Edda seats the hörgr as the place-instrument of offering and slaughter, not a bare presence mark alone. A named ritual use of the altar-kind, not KF incense churn and not every gift-table dump.
from Anonymous (Eddic poems); Carolyne Larrington (translation) · Poetic Edda, medieval Icelandic compilation; Larrington trans. 1996/2014
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word · 1

Mesopotamian tradition

Altar is used in Prayer.
The Epic of Gilgamesh seats altars among the prayers and offerings Gilgamesh and Enkidu make to Shamash before facing Humbaba. Altar used in that prayer practice, not a generic sacrifice dump and not temple as the larger house.
from Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1200 BCE (this recension)
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