Hierodule Sometimes called a temple prostitute, a Hierodule is one who engages in sexual intercourse for a religious or sacred purpose. The term “prostitute” as we understand it today may give the wrong connotation considering the cultural and/or religious significance of the Hierodule’s actions. Instances of religious or sacred prostitution have been recorded or cited around the world throughout history. Most reports come from ancient societies, however, some say there has been a resurgence of the practice in certain parts of India recently (The British made it a criminal offence to procure women or girls for that purpose circa 1860). The word has its roots in Latin hierodūlus, from Greek hierodoulos : hieron, temple or holy and doulos, slave. Many believe sacred prostitution was most commonplace in the Ancient Near East. Some of the first reference are from Babylon and the practice may be have its origins as the result of the hieros gamos (sacred wedding) custom of the king coupling with the high priestess. The most notable report is from Herodotus, the Greek Historian: The foulest Babylonian custom is that which compels every woman of the land to sit in the temple of Aphrodite and have intercourse with some stranger once in her life….. …. Once a woman has taken her place there, she does not go away to her home before some stranger has cast money into her lap, and had intercourse with her outside the temple; but while he casts the money, he must say, “I invite you in the name of Mylitta (Aphrodite)…… …. Despite Herodotus’ apparent distain, the Greek were not completely innocent in this aspect. They did not have the practice of sacred prostitution to the same extent… but it did happen, particularly in the fringes of the empire. In 464 BC Xenophon, a winner at the Olympic Games, dedicated one hundred young girls to the temple of the goddess in Corinth as a sign of thanksgiving. Also consider that prostitution in ancient Greece was legal, and probably respected profession - to the point they had three separate classes of prostitutes: dicteriades (low class), auletrides (middle Class), and hetaerae (high Class) Though often disputed, many believe there were Hierodules in the roots of Christian and Jewish faith and temples. In the Hebrew Bible, two different words are use for prostitute, zonah and kedeshah. Zonah refers to an ordinary prostitute. Kedeshah, however, literally means "consecrated female". The words were often interchangeable. One instance of evidence of Hierodule’s being a known and common place practice is Deuteronomy 23:17-18 as a warning: None of the daughters of Israel shall be a kedeshah, nor shall any of the sons of Israel be a kadesh. Another instance is the story of Tamar in Genesis 38, where the two words ,i>zonah and kedeshah are used interchangeably: Tamar, a widow and without child, disguises herself and tricks Judah into thinking she is a zonah (38:15) to become pregnant. Judah sends a friend Adullamite, to find the woman again, and when looking he asks of "Where is the kedeshah, that was openly by the way side?" And they reply, "There was no kedeshah in this place," (38:21). In different instance and times in history, there are many suspected different reasons and motivations why a women (and sometimes boys or men) would be a Heirodule, either willingly or unwillingly. These range anywhere from parents offering up their children as sacrifices to appease the gods, to serving the need of priests, however the usual purpose was for a way for the hierodule to earn money to pay for their vows at the temple. Sometime this was with priests, more often than not it was with the men who frequented the temples. In these instances it is reputed that priest at minimum condoned, and often organized the practice - often right outside (sometimes inside) the temple. ------- In any case, I hope you like the art. Rick