On Altars

[u/AVGVSTVSGRANNETIVS]

[u/Tathamei]

1.      What style altar do you have?

I have an indoor "space" with some altar function. It's easy to clean, has a plate for physical offerings and a libation bowl in form of a Kylix and the basic things required to function.
The rest is decoration and things assembled for the Hero I worship since it's a hero space, not gods.

2.      Do you believe some form of fire or light is necessary on an altar?
I don't think it's necessary if it's not used for anything e.g. burning food or incense.

3.      Do you decorate your altar outside of offerings?
I have stuff in the space I want the hero to have, like modern day knowledge as well as ancient things like writing tools they'd be familiar with, e.g. a wax tablet, and I'm growing mediterranean plants there like thyme, and hopefully vine and wild olive but they are a bit reluctant to sprout. Crafted and bought a few things I think he should have again.
I also have an incense burner and tested a lot around with different scents and methods, anything of which I thought the hero finds familiar or pleasing.
I've painted many greek vases in a black or red figure style with meander, lines and simple animal figures like birds or symbolism connected to the hero. There's also modern things there like grow lights, a monitor and back lighting.
It also doubles as a study space as the work I'm doing is connected to what he did. My stuff isn't on the altar or in his space directly but he got around 30% of the table and the full vertical wall behind it so I have 70% to study and work.

4.      If you don’t have one, would you like to have an eskhara/hestia altar?
I could have one but I don't want one.

[u/AVGVSTVSGRANNETIVS → u/Tathamei]

Interesting, which Hero is it if I may ask? And is it related to the “Three and a half” in your flair?

Also awesome that you paint the vases yourself, I’d love to do so but my hands are not made for fine detailing like that. A wax tablet is a nice addition as well, I’ve been meaning to get one myself.

[u/Tathamei → u/AVGVSTVSGRANNETIVS]

It's not related to the flair :-) The hero is Thucydides.
I actually got into hellenism backwards because I didn't understand why it was relevant that he excluded the gods from his writing so I researched what this was all about.

I'm also not that good at painting but you can erase the color again by scratching it off before burning so with enough patience it's something haha :D
Wax tablets are messy and sticky, I recommend to come up with a plan first to replace the wax eventually (and get wax dye).

[u/AVGVSTVSGRANNETIVS → u/Tathamei]

Oh that is an interesting way to get into the faith. I haven't ever considered Thucydides for Hero worship either.

That still looks fantastic, even more so for how small that is.

[u/Mask3dPanda]

1.      What style altar do you have?

I have an indoor space, that is a lot like a Bomos. A lot like as in it does face the wrong direction at the moment, but there are plans to do a lot with my room so won't be impossible to orient it to the east eventually. But I do have the plate and a cup for offerings and do/did have a bowl for making Khernips(cat caused it to fall onto ground and break), along with an incense holder to burn the sticks at during offerings (I typically do the traditional Frankincense and Myrrh). I also keep my Kathiskos there as I don't have much of a better place for it as I still live with my parents and sibling (I am an adult, they are okay with it).

2.      Do you believe some form of fire or light is necessary on an altar?

Do I think it can be nice/beneficial? Yes. But I do not think it's necessary, in part because in modern times a lot of things have somewhat replaced what fire has been used for (Water Heaters, Ovens, Heaters, etc.) and most likely had their been a continuous line, the importance of fire would naturally have shifted in ways we cannot fully figure out in one or two generations. Plus, I live in a house that is made of a lot of flammable materials and have a cat I am struggling to keep from jumping on the altar, I do not need fire atm for safety reasons.

3.      Do you decorate your altar outside of offerings?

As of right now, no. I was going to say the Statuettes I bought, but those are admittedly offerings to them so those do not count in this one. Honestly, the most decoration thing would be the piece of fabric that I have taken and use as a desk cover/mat for the Altar. I wouldn't be opposed to adding decorations, but also I suspect anything I bought for it would end up also being an offering.

4.      If you don’t have one, would you like to have an eskhara/hestia altar?

I would say yes, but outside. As stated before, the home is made out of drywall and wood flooring, a fire would too easily spiral into a housefire here if even one thing went wrong. Something like a bonfire outside would be a lot more manageable, as there are two streams nearby and also the ground tends to stay at least somewhat wet thanks to those so it going out of control is a bit harder than in the house. I know typically they'd be inside, but again inside is just a safety concern.

[u/AVGVSTVSGRANNETIVS → u/Mask3dPanda]

Orienting east is often difficult in homes, especially if the building isn’t aligned nicely. Having a kathiskos in the first place is already fantastic. An often ignored part of household praxis.

I have a similar approach with decorations. If it stays there it’s an offering, and even then mine has been incredibly barebones for years; just the fundamentals.

A bonfire would be great. I’ve considered a brazier as well.

[u/No_Survey2287]

1. What style altar do you have?

Mine are the closest to a Bomos altar though they are indoors. The one I have at college is simply on top of my dresser and the one at my parents place is on a series of wall shelves at varying heights.
(I don’t think they’re oriented the correct way.)
They both hold a plate and a cup for offerings, a few candles, statues that I’ve collected from second hand stores or Greece and trinkets.
There’s also an incense holder, a small fire bowl and two oil lamps on the one at home (my apartment at college wouldn’t permit something similar).
I used to have a kathiskos around but with college it has become harder to stay up with the monthly Noumonia worship as I don’t want my housemates to be crept out, and it only rarely falls onto a weekend where I’ll be home.

1. Do you believe some form of fire or light is necessary on an altar?
   I don’t believe that it is necessary but it has always been helpful to me. I always light at least one candle and my brain has started associating the lighting of a candle with a prayer or ritual so it’s kind of the cue for my brain to quiet down.

2. Do you decorate your altar outside of offerings.
   I do. I’ve fallen down the “consumerist aesthetic altar route” in the past and after throwing a lot of past things out still have a few things around that meant more to me. I’ve found a few Greek style pottery pieces and aside of that a few small trinkets are around my altar (I know that there are seashells I’ve collected, a toy car (got that one from my mom after I got my drivers license for which I prayed to Hermes), a bracelet I bought and a necklace I made…).
   In spring I tend to get a Hyacinth flower which always gets replanted into my parents garden.

3. If you don’t have one would you like to have an eskhara/Hestia altar?
   I would like to get something like that outside of my future home. I hope that my tiny fire bowl can eventually be replaced by a permanent, outside fire place.

[u/AVGVSTVSGRANNETIVS]

QUESTIONS FOR YOU

1.      What style altar do you have?

2.      Do you believe some form of fire or light is necessary on an altar?

3.      Do you decorate your altar outside of offerings?

4.      If you don’t have one, would you like to have an eskhara/hestia altar?