3-047-559 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Lamella Orphica, mid-4th century BC. Tablet Inscribed with Instructions for the Underworld. Additional Info: Faced with the thought of a bleak existence in the Underworld, some individuals in the ancient Mediterranean sought to improve their lot while they were alive. Virtuous behavior might not be sufficient, and one way to obtain a happier afterlife was thought to be through initiation into mystery cults associated with Orpheus and Dionysos. Self-styled preachers offered followers transformative experiences that mainstream practice could not provide. Their rites were shrouded in secrecy and remain little understood today, but one of the most intriguing sources of information are the so-called Orphic tablets, such as this one. Named by modern scholars after the mythical poet Orpheus, these are inscriptions written on thin sheets of gold. They were deposited in graves, and usually bear a short text proclaiming the deceased’s special status and providing guidance for his or her journey into the Underworld. On this example, the text takes the form of a dialogue between the dead initiate and a spring in the Underworld.