Bidental
In ancient Roman religion, a bidental was a sacred shrine erected on the spot where lightning had struck.
Creation
Any remains and scorched earth at the spot were to be burned in a hole at the location by priests called "bidentales". Any person killed by the bolt was to be buried in the earth where the lightning hit, as opposed to traditional cremation.
A
sacrifice
a two-year-old sheep (called a bidens). Finally, an altar was built, and surrounded by a wall or fence to keep any trespassers away. Occasionally when falling into a state of decay, Bidentals would be repaired or reconstructed.
Significance
Considered sacred space, a bidental was not to be touched, trod upon, or even looked at after completion.
Places being struck by lightning were regarded as a terrifying example of
Jupiter, Roman god of the sky and thunder as well as king of the gods
.
References
- "The Divine Thunderbolt." Google Books. Web. 21 Nov. 2015.
- "Gentleman's Magazine, and Historical Chronicle." Google Books. Web. 17 Nov. 2015.
- "P996 Bidental." LacusCurtius • Roman Religion. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.
- "The Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary and Greek Lexicon." Internet Archive. 1849. Web. 11 Nov. 2015.