The project will focus on actor figurines discovered in Greek sanctuaries (area of Greece, Asia Minor, Magna Grecia) in order to contribute to the overall question whether, to what extent, or in what form actor figurines do reflect the link between theatrical performance and sanctuary in general or refer particularly to the functions of the sanctuary they were dedicated to. In doing this, it will, e.g., explore how (aspects of) gender and social status are conceptualized and interlinked, search for regional and temporal differences, and compare types and content of the established corpus with the respective finds from other contexts.

To assess the respective design mechanisms of the various figurines, to explore their function in the specific use context and to analyse their impact on discourse in general, additional sources (e.g., texts underlying or referring to performance), as well as a well-established set of methods (e.g., iconography, iconology, typology) and theoretical concepts (e.g., frame theory, discourse analysis) will have to be brought into play. Overall, the broad material basis, the linking of various sources of information, and the use of a diverse set of methods will enable us to better understand not only the impact of the figurines, but also the interplay between sanctuary, theater, and performance in general.

For further information on the project, please contact Prof. Heide Frielinghaus (frieling@uni-mainz.de).