altar
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.
Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled
4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions
Understand What an altar is.
Definition
Definition.
Definition
Definition.
- What is an altar, and how does it differ from shrines, temples, offering tables and memorials? definition
- Is the question about a specific tradition, home practice, art history or archaeology, presented respectfully? boundary
Named
Named altars.
Named
Named.
- What are shipboard Shinto shrines, the peji, portable altars, Sumeru altars, nusa and home altars? definition
- Which entry fits the specific altar? action
Traditions Traditions.
Christian
Christian altars.
Christian
Christian.
- What role does the altar play in Christian liturgy, as churches describe? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Asian
Asian traditions.
Asian
Asian.
- How are Buddhist, Shinto and Hindu altars used, as practitioners and scholars describe? provenance
- Which sources are cited? provenance
Practice Practice.
Home
Home altars.
Home
Home.
- How are home altars kept in different cultures, including ancestor veneration? provenance
- Which entry fits kamidana? action
Afro-Brazilian
Candomble.
Afro-Brazilian
Afro-Brazilian.
- What is the peji in Candomble terreiros, as practitioners describe? provenance
- Which entry fits Candomble? action
Context Art and history.
Art
Altarpieces.
Art
Art.
- How did altarpieces develop in European art? provenance
- Which entry fits Ghent Altarpiece? action
Ancient
Ancient altars.
Ancient
Ancient.
- How were altars used in ancient Greek, Roman and Near Eastern religion? provenance
- Which entry fits Pergamon Altar? action
Classifiers Filled
- Family
- Thing Registry
- Category
- Physical world and living systems
- Entry kind
- thing
- Plane
- PHY
- Domain
- PHY.OBJ
- Other names and narrower kinds
- shipboard Shinto shrine, Peji, portable altar, Sumeru altar, nusa, home altar, lararium, ara, Christian altar, mass rock, votive altar, Altar of Burnt Offering
What it is Filled
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.
Why it exists Filled
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.
Distinguishing features Filled
- Sacred use
- Raised form
- Offerings or ritual
- Across religions
What robots and AI may and may not do Filled
Must not
- 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.
Only with a human decision
- Moving or altering an altar in a place of worship.
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.
Moral aspects Filled
- Altars are sacred to their communities and desecration causes deep hurt.
- Religious objects are often looted and trafficked.
Who is affected
- Worshipping communities
- Clergy and keepers
- Visitors
Owners Filled
Steward
The religious community or household that keeps it.
Links to other meta-models Filled
parent
- Q14748 - registry parent class
- Q4588528 - registry parent class
- Q811979 - registry parent class
related
- sacred place - in registry terms
- church - among other religious buildings
- butsudan
- shrine
What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled
Identity and identifiers required Filled
- Vercy registry: vr.tr.altar
- Wikidata: Q101687 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q101687)
Direct properties required Filled
- 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 required Filled
- 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 and actions required Filled
- explain forms and functions with attribution
- relay traditions
- describe named altars
- distinguish related structures
Hazards and failure modes required Filled
- Disrespectful or exoticising framing
- Imposing one tradition s terms on others
- Candle fire risks at home altars
Standards and interfaces required Filled
- Religious rules for consecration and use
- Heritage protection of historic altars
Context of use required Filled
- 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 Filled
- Wikidata item Q101687: altar - identity and sense of the item
- Wikipedia: Altar - general description of the item
Open questions
- Should the named altars be separate entries?
- How should religious studies and practitioner sources be linked?
- How should historical sacrificial altars be recorded?
Machine files
Provenance
thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed
Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q101687/spec.json