{"schema":"https://ver.cy/schemas/card/1.0.0","id":"vr.tr.altar","code":"thing-q101687","url":"https://ver.cy/models/thing/q101687/","name":"altar","alternateNames":["shipboard Shinto shrine","Peji","portable altar","Sumeru altar","nusa","home altar","lararium","ara","Christian altar","mass rock","votive altar","Altar of Burnt Offering"],"kind":"thing","status":"published","version":"0.2.0-wave.4","language":"en","classifiers":{"family":"Thing Registry","category":"Physical world and living systems","entryKind":"thing","plane":"PHY","domain":["PHY.OBJ"],"industry":[],"navPath":"","tags":[],"facets":{}},"whatItIs":"A raised structure or table used for offerings, sacrifice, prayer or veneration in religious practice, found across traditions, including Christian altars for the Eucharist, Hindu and Buddhist shrines, the Buddhist Sumeru altar with its stepped base symbolising Mount Sumeru, Shinto kamidana and the shipboard shrines of Japanese vessels, Ainu nusa altars of inau offerings, the peji or shrine of Candomble terreiros, portable altars and home altars in many cultures; the model presents all traditions respectfully.","purpose":"Let an agent explain altars, relay forms, functions and meanings across religions from religious studies sources and practitioners with attribution, describe the named altars respectfully, and distinguish altars from shrines as places, temples, tables of offering in archaeology and secular memorials.","scope":{"in":[],"out":[],"boundaries":[]},"distinguishingFeatures":["Sacred use","Raised form","Offerings or ritual","Across religions"],"structure":{"bundles":[{"id":"understand","name":"Understand","description":"What an altar is.","layers":[{"id":"definition","name":"Definition","description":"Definition.","findings":[{"id":"definition-finding","name":"Definition","description":"Definition.","questions":[{"text":"What is an altar, and how does it differ from shrines, temples, offering tables and memorials?","kind":"definition"},{"text":"Is the question about a specific tradition, home practice, art history or archaeology, presented respectfully?","kind":"boundary"}]}]},{"id":"named","name":"Named","description":"Named altars.","findings":[{"id":"named-finding","name":"Named","description":"Named.","questions":[{"text":"What are shipboard Shinto shrines, the peji, portable altars, Sumeru altars, nusa and home altars?","kind":"definition"},{"text":"Which entry fits the specific altar?","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"traditions","name":"Traditions","description":"Traditions.","layers":[{"id":"christian","name":"Christian","description":"Christian altars.","findings":[{"id":"christian-finding","name":"Christian","description":"Christian.","questions":[{"text":"What role does the altar play in Christian liturgy, as churches describe?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which references are standard?","kind":"provenance"}]}]},{"id":"asian","name":"Asian","description":"Asian traditions.","findings":[{"id":"asian-finding","name":"Asian","description":"Asian.","questions":[{"text":"How are Buddhist, Shinto and Hindu altars used, as practitioners and scholars describe?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which sources are cited?","kind":"provenance"}]}]}]},{"id":"practice","name":"Practice","description":"Practice.","layers":[{"id":"home","name":"Home","description":"Home altars.","findings":[{"id":"home-finding","name":"Home","description":"Home.","questions":[{"text":"How are home altars kept in different cultures, including ancestor veneration?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits kamidana?","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"afro","name":"Afro-Brazilian","description":"Candomble.","findings":[{"id":"afro-finding","name":"Afro-Brazilian","description":"Afro-Brazilian.","questions":[{"text":"What is the peji in Candomble terreiros, as practitioners describe?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits Candomble?","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"context","name":"Context","description":"Art and history.","layers":[{"id":"art","name":"Art","description":"Altarpieces.","findings":[{"id":"art-finding","name":"Art","description":"Art.","questions":[{"text":"How did altarpieces develop in European art?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits Ghent Altarpiece?","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"ancient","name":"Ancient","description":"Ancient altars.","findings":[{"id":"ancient-finding","name":"Ancient","description":"Ancient.","questions":[{"text":"How were altars used in ancient Greek, Roman and Near Eastern religion?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits Pergamon Altar?","kind":"action"}]}]}]}]},"agentConduct":{"may":["Explain altars across religious traditions using each tradition's own terms.","Describe the role of altars in worship from religious studies sources.","Remind people of fire safety with candles on home altars."],"mustNot":["Touch, move or photograph objects on an altar where the community forbids it.","Mock or exoticise a tradition's altar practices.","Impose one tradition's terms on another's sacred objects.","Help steal or traffic altar objects."],"requiresHuman":["Moving or altering an altar in a place of worship."]},"ethics":{"considerations":["Altars are sacred to their communities and desecration causes deep hurt.","Religious objects are often looted and trafficked."],"affectedParties":["Worshipping communities","Clergy and keepers","Visitors"]},"owners":{"steward":"The religious community or household that keeps it.","roles":[],"masterSystems":[]},"relations":[{"target":"Q14748","type":"parent","note":"registry parent class"},{"target":"Q4588528","type":"parent","note":"registry parent class"},{"target":"Q811979","type":"parent","note":"registry parent class"},{"target":"sacred place","type":"related","note":"in registry terms"},{"target":"church","type":"related","note":"among other religious buildings"},{"target":"butsudan","type":"related"},{"target":"shrine","type":"related"}],"interaction":{"identity":{"applicability":"required","items":["Vercy registry: vr.tr.altar","Wikidata: Q101687 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q101687)"]},"properties":{"applicability":"required","items":["Christian altar stone tradition: relics in consecrated altars note - Catholic practice","Sumeru base: xumizuo, stepped plinth note - East Asian Buddhist","Ainu nusa: row of inau prayer sticks note"]},"recognition":{"applicability":"required","items":["Raised structure for religious offering or worship","Shipboard Shinto shrine, peji, portable altar, Sumeru altar, nusa, home altar","Shrines are sacred places that may contain altars; temples are buildings; offering tables in archaeology may be funerary; memorials are secular","A raised table, platform or shelf, often adorned with sacred objects, candles, flowers or offerings."]},"capabilities":{"applicability":"required","items":["explain forms and functions with attribution","relay traditions","describe named altars","distinguish related structures"]},"hazards":{"applicability":"required","items":["Disrespectful or exoticising framing","Imposing one tradition s terms on others","Candle fire risks at home altars"]},"interfaces":{"applicability":"required","items":["Religious rules for consecration and use","Heritage protection of historic altars"]},"context":{"applicability":"required","items":["Religious offering, prayer and veneration.","Christian altars and altarpieces","Buddhist altars and butsudan","Shinto kamidana and shipboard shrines","Hindu puja altars","Afro-Brazilian peji","Ainu nusa","portable and home altars"]}},"sources":[{"title":"Wikidata item Q101687: altar","url":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q101687","note":"identity and sense of the item"},{"title":"Wikipedia: Altar","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altar","note":"general description of the item"}],"openQuestions":["Should the named altars be separate entries?","How should religious studies and practitioner sources be linked?","How should historical sacrificial altars be recorded?"],"resources":{"spec":"/models/things/publications/thing-q101687/spec.json"},"provenance":{"origin":"thing registry research (pass 2)","builtFrom":["models/things/publications/thing-q101687/spec.json"],"providers":["Claude"],"researchStatus":"unreviewed","generatedAt":"2026-09-13T20:08:43Z","builder":"tools/build_cards.py@1.0.0"},"completeness":{"sections":{"classifiers":"filled","whatItIs":"filled","purpose":"filled","distinguishingFeatures":"filled","structure":"filled","agentConduct":"filled","ethics":"filled","owners":"filled","relations":"filled","interaction.identity":"filled","interaction.properties":"filled","interaction.recognition":"filled","interaction.capabilities":"filled","interaction.hazards":"filled","interaction.interfaces":"filled","interaction.context":"filled","sources":"filled"},"notes":{"_gate":"Published through the thing publication gate 1.0 on 2026-10-06T19:51:53+00:00: completeness 1.00; sense: Wikidata description; 2 live sources; review by codex: pass"},"score":1.0}}