Author: Eliza Bratt

Email: ebratt@greeleyschools.org

Submission:

Altars: Art and Art Composed
Chances are, no matter who you are, no matter where you grew up, you’ve probably seen an altar in some form or another. Whether it be the elaborate altars of Catholic origin, magnificent in their size and elaborate design, or a picture of a Norse Pagan altar, beautiful in its simplistic and devoted decoration, or even the protected and disguised altars of Buddhism’s culture, altars have permeated and crossed boundaries and language barriers, and come in more designs than could possibly be discussed adequately in anything but a book that I, personally, would love to read.
There are two primary uses for altars, or, to put it another way, two main types of altars. The first of these is worship of a god, pantheon of deities, or exalted hero figure such as a saint. This is also the more common use for altars, especially in history. The second altar type is used to remember and pay respects or tributes to ancestors and family members who have passed. They are, in essence, memoriams for the dead and for the past. Regardless of the type of altar, there are lots of pieces and parts to each one, and decorum is highly important to the meaning of each altar. Additionally, symbolism is often very important to the actual significance of the altar, for example, specific colors may be associated with specific gods. Not only this, but performance associated with the altars, either rituals or spells or traditional signs of respect, are part of the art of an altar too. Altars, regardless of their purpose, have these artistic pieces within them, which makes all the many unique altars of the world their own form of art. A deeper dive into the diverse forms of altars throughout history and religions reveals these facts in abundance.
Almost every major religion has some form of a worship altar dedicated to a deity or deified figure. The first case of religious altars appears in ancient Mesopotamia, in which altars from the Babylonian cultures have been found, made of sun dried bricks, often alabaster or limestone, and already presenting artistic variations. Some had stepped battlements, which are parapet-like sides of an altar, and others had adornments in the shape of animal paws. One version of this Babylonian altar from the 8th century BC could at one point be seen in the British Museum, and this one was also unique, as it was edged by cylindrical rolls. Another more ancient example of altars comes from Ukraine, in which “Tryptillian” altars were uncovered in a temple that was discovered in 2009, but hails from a time 6000 years ago. On this altar, some interesting items were found that are uncannily artistic in nature.
(Fragments of figurines, some of which look similar to humans, were also found at the temple. Like findings at other Trypillian sites, some of the figurines have noses that look like beaks and eyes that are dissimilar, one being slightly larger than the other. Ornaments made of bone and gold were also discovered at the temple. The gold ornaments are less than an inch in size and may have been worn on the hair, researchers say (Jarus, 2014). ) (Author Note: Formatting incorrect, this is a block quote)
These tiny statues and gold jewelry pieces are very early examples of offerings and altar decor that are still present in modern day religions.
Jumping ahead a few hundred years, there are two more religions that make use of altars that are often confused with one another: Druidism and Norse Paganism. Norse Paganism was exactly what you might expect, it was the worship of the Norse pantheon of gods and belief in the ability to call upon their wisdom and abilities to benefit one’s self. Thor, Odin, and Baldur all belong to this ancient religion. Druidism, on the other hand, is a traditionally celtic religion practiced by ancient people of Ireland and the surrounding area, in which high priests or druids would perform rituals both in honor of gods and to call upon them. However, they called upon the celtic pantheon of gods, which have such notable figures as Olwen and Lugh. Both of these religions did, however, make use of altars, and have modern reinventions of their beliefs, denoted by the added prefix Neo-. All of these ancient cultures had one use of their altars in common, however, that modern religions do not possess in the same way: ritual sacrifice, often of animals or even humans. These rituals were often accompanied with very specific, almost scripted chants and rites, and the blood of the sacrifices could be used to trace auguries such as in the Druidic tradition, or to signify devotion to the gods. These ritualistic offerings were often seen as beautiful and even an art form.
More modern religions have moved away from the idea of ritual blood sacrifices, and more towards the offering of beautiful things and foods such as fruits and breads, or specific drinks. Taoism, for example, is a Chinese religion that makes use of a special type of altar called a jitán, which is used for special offering ceremonies called jìsì. These ceremonies, as discussed prior, are art in and of themselves, a performance put on for the eyes of the deities. One such special performance is called the baibai, and it is the art of bowing to the altar correctly as a sign of respect. The altar itself too, is art. Special care is put into the decoration of the altars, the arrangement of items and offerings such as food, candles, and flowers. Often, the altars are also adorned with sacred tablets or small statues of the dedicated deity. Just a little ways away, in Japan, the Shinto religion has its own altars, called himorogi, that are more temporary than Taoist altars. Himorogi are decorated with sacred border ropes called shimenawa, which are often thick and winding, and sacred emblems called hei are inscribed on the centerpiece of the altar: a Sakaki branch, or a green bamboo piece that is representative of Kami spirits.
A venture into even larger religious groups reveals even bigger altars. Buddhism has very intricate altars, designed specifically to be protected by door-like structures. These altars are called butsudan, and the doors of this altar are often beautifully and intricately designed and decorated to represent the indigenous region of the practicing individual. At the center of the butsudan traditionally resides a statue of a Buddha or Bodhisattva. Around this statue butsugu, or religious items, are arranged. Candles, incense, bells, offering platforms, foods to be offered, and flowers can all be found on these intricate pieces. A special cloth is often present under all these items as a sign of respect. Together, it is an elegant and humbling arrangement, and a presentation for the individual to which it is dedicated. Buddhism also has another type of altar, called a bán thò’, which is similar to a butsudan, if sometimes bigger, and lacks the doors. Perhaps some of the biggest altars in modern religion, however, are found in Catholicism. These altars are intricate, and often very, very large. They may be out of stone or wood, and are often carved or sculpted to create a sense of awe and humility upon viewing, not unlike other sculptures and architectural builds. These altars may even have statues in or upon them of the saints to which they are dedicated or to Jesus Christ himself. It is not uncommon to have large paintings instead or in addition to these statues. Murals or even larger works of art may adorn the sides of these massive altars, which almost feel as though they intend to make you feel small. If the intricacy of these alters wasn’t proof enough of their artistry, a line in the “General Instruction of the Roman Missal” even states that, should an altar be insufficient for the needs of the masses, and is unable to be moved without damaging the artistic value, the church should build an entire new altar rather than ruin the previous one. The effort and design that goes into religious altars, regardless of when they were built or for what religion, clearly defines them as art.
But the artistic value of non-worship altars is not to be ignored either. In West Africa, the Fon people create altars to honor their ancestors and deceased relatives. These altars are so intricate and important that the family does not create one themselves, like in other cultures, but an artist is commissioned to sculpt the piece out of metal. These memorial altars are called asen, and symbolism is abundant in them. Every detail is specifically chosen and integrated to mean something. A large brimmed hat, for example, in these works, represents status, and a twisted rope of wire is symbolic of the continuation of lineage. These works are so complex, it is said that only the artist and the person who commissioned them could truly read all the meaning within it. In central Africa, a culture known as Kongo also has a form of memorial altar, if a bit less table-like than other examples. Around the grave of a deceased individual, sticks with colorful plates would be placed around the grave as a sign of affection, and these were designed to resemble mushrooms. Like an altar often is, the artwork and the area is consecrated and considered special. This has become such an artistic inspiration, some have taken the idea and continued with it, like artist Kia Bunseki Fu-Kia who created a tree with branches topped by these colorful plates. Art creates more art. But the most well known instance of memorial altars is likely the one anyone would think of when they imagine a memorial altar.
Dia de los Muertos is a hispanic holiday in which family, ancestors, and the deceased are celebrated. It is a welcoming back of spirits. The altars for this holiday, called ofrendas, are very colorful, and the holiday is known for its bright hues. A photo of the deceased is often placed on the altar, and it is then surrounded with art made from paper, from sugar, from breads, and more. Papel Picado—a colorful tissue paper cutout—is everywhere during the holiday, but especially on the altar, as it symbolizes one of the four elements of life: wind. Fire is also present in the form of candles, as is earth and water through the offerings of foods and water. One of these foods is Pan de Muerto, which is a sweet loaf baked specifically into the shape of a skull. Yet another, even more common food item for the alters is sugar skulls, which are decorated with sugar flowers and swirling designs. But above all, ofrendas are highly personalized to the individual they are intended for. Items that once belonged to or were favored by the person are sometimes placed on the altar, or pictures of religious figures that the person honored. Marigolds are commonly found on ofrendas because they have been symbolic of death in Mexico since Aztec times. These altars, these artistic and spiritual tributes to family, are sometimes so moving that they appear in museums as art installations.
In all, an altar is composed of so many pieces of art and artistic notions that it is, in and of itself, art as well. Every piece of the altar, the placement of every object and the symbolism behind it is important and deliberate, and whether functional or grandiose, art in the form of an altar has been a part of cultures worldwide for thousands of years. And even those who aren’t religious, who aren’t a part of a culture that creates altars for holidays or permanent reminders, have been in front of an altar if they have ever been to a funeral. Because the table that is always there—with the photo of the deceased and the pretty cloth beneath it, with candles glowing or perhaps an object of significance next to it—isn’t that an altar too?

Works Cited
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