HAIL HADES!

"Orpheus in Hell"

Jean Delville

Winter Creek, 1960s

Pinakes of Persephone driving the chariot or embracing Hades as he abducts her

A fun fact that I love about Persephone and Hades is that in the city of Lokri (Modern Italy), they were seen as the ideal marriage. Women who were about to get married re-interpreted the myth of the abduction of Persephone so it would reflect their current situation, e.g: Women who were happy with their future husband made a pinake (a tablet of painted wood or terracotta) where Persephone was driving the chariot and participating in her own ‘abduction’; On the contrary, women who were forced into their marriage would make a pinake where Persephone was fighting against her captor.

“The pinakes were most likely dedications made by young girls in the lead-up to their weddings. In this sense, it is understandable that the chosen god does not completely undergo the transition process. The dedications served the function of seeking Persephone's blessing and protection for their marriages, and they were dedicated before the marriage had taken place. So the image of the goddess that was being invoked and imitated in the abduction scenes was the goddess in the same state as the dedicating girls: the state immediately before marriage. […]

The most common pinax types are the 'divine' and 'imitation' scenes. In both cases, these range from unambiguous abductions where the maiden clearly struggles against her captor to images in which it appears the girl is complicit in her own kidnapping sometimes even taking charge of the chariot herself. The range can be accounted for because, as James Redfield points out, "no doubt some brides felt more abducted than others".”

Agesilaus (Ἀγησίλαος) - The Leader Aidoneus - (Ἀїδωνεύς) - The Unseen Necro Soter (νεκρός σωτήρ) - Savior of The Dead Eukles - The One With Good Reputation Isodetes (δέω) - The Imparcial Judge

Visit cemeteries

Pay respects to loved ones who have passed on

Wear black and white colors

Spirit work

Shadow work

Take walks at night

Pray/meditate in the dark

Collect dark crystals

Halloween celebrations

Connect with ancestors

Leave flowers at empty graves

Grow dark colored flowers

Respect nocturnal animals

Take baths in candlelight

Candlelit dinners

Listen to music in minor keys

Find beauty and comfort in darkness

Clean up local graveyards

Respect earthbound spirits

Adopt black cats

Donate to bat rescues/sanctuaries

Light black and white candles

Nighttime activities/adventures

Watch supernatural horror movies

Read ghost stories/research hauntings

Read poetry

Honor the goddess's family members of the Underworld

Honor the other chthonic deities

Honor the ancient heroes

Pour libations/give offerings to the goddess, the other Underworld deities, and the souls of the dead on Hecate's Deipnon

A guide to travel altars for Hades. Please tell me if you want a certain deity covered!

In this guide, I’m assuming you’ve added a tea-light or LED candle. It isn’t necessary, but it’s not going to be included in any of these guides. I’m also going to be assuming you’ve added a photo of the deity and prayers. These guides will not include those, either.

Bones or Bone Figurines

Coins

Jewels

Dog Figurines

Birch

Cologne

Peppermints

Keys

Coffee Grounds

Obsidian

A Small Hourglass

Metals

Resin Insects

A Small Jar of Cinnamon

Rattenberg (Tyrol). Augustine museum

Memento-mori-painting ( 1694 ) from Kitzbühl