As discussed, the inhabitants of Pylos gave sacrifices and offerings to their gods. It is possible, however, that Mycenaean Greeks also practiced human sacrifice. This view is based on the tablet Tn 316. If this text should refer to the sacrifice of human beings, it would be among the most sensational found at Pylos. In the following excerpt from Tn316 (reverse, lines 8-10) the subject of the sentence is not entirely clear, but is possibly the Wanax of Pylos:
"he performs a rite in the temple of Zeus and both bears gifts and leads po-re-na; to Zeus: 1 gold vase, 1 man; to Hera: 1 gold vase, 1 woman; to Drimius, the son of Zeus: 1 gold vase"
The words translated as "bears" and "leads" are functionally related, but with a key difference: "bears" is used for things which are carried in the arms and "leads" for things which can move by themselves (e. g., people or animals). The exact translation of the word po-re-na is difficult, but the context makes its general meaning clear. What are brought to the gods are vases (which one carries in one's arms) and what are led to the gods are human beings (who can walk on their own). The word po-re-na, therefore, refers to human beings who are given to gods. Is this human sacrifice? Possibly, but another conclusion is perhaps more likely. The gods in Pylos commonly owned slaves, so when Tn 316 speaks of gods who receive human beings, the gods may well be receiving human beings as slaves - the do(h)eloi theoio, "slaves of a deity."
Letters in the Greek alphabet -, but which deities or heroes they might represent is unclear.
World History
