article

Icons and identity: religious orthodoxy and social practice in rural Crete

Anthropological quarterly63 (3) • Published In 1990 • Pages: 109-121

By: Herzfeld, Michael.

Abstract
In this article Herzfeld makes a connection between icon painting and social segmentation. Icons are considered containers, or refractions, of the divine essence, in which their aesthetic appeal lies in their faithfulness to a model rather than in their originality. Herzfeld argues that the multiple copies of icons expresses the unspoken principles and practices of segmentation that underlie Cretan society. Although the figure on the copies speak to an ideological and social unity, miracle tales around each copy speak to social fragmentation and division, i.e., the unique identities of each agnatic group.
Subjects
Verbal arts
Visual arts
Spirits and gods
Theological systems
Magic
culture
Greeks
HRAF PubDate
2003
Region
Europe
Sub Region
Southeastern Europe
Document Type
article
Evaluation
Creator Type
Ethnologist
Document Rating
4: Excellent Secondary Data
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
Ian Skoggard ; 2002
Field Date
1987
Coverage Date
1987
Coverage Place
Crete, Greece
Notes
Michael Herzfeld
Includes bibliographical references (p. 120-121)
LCCN
32029126
LCSH
Greece