Secret Rites of the Eleusian Mysteries

The rites of the Eleusian Mysteries came from a Neolithic agrarian cult in Anatolia. Starting some time before the 16th century BCE, and continuing for about two millennia until they were banned as a pagan cult in 395 CE and the site was sacked by the Goths the following year, they were celebrated annually. The annual multi-day rites began with a procession from Athens. When the celebrants reached…