Terra (mythology) - Prayers and Rituals

Prayers and Rituals

The sacrum cereale ("cereal rite") was carried out for Tellus and Ceres by a flamen, probably the Flamen Cerealis, who also invoked twelve male helper gods. According to Varro, the two goddesses jointly received the porca praecidanea, a pig sacrificed in advance of the harvest. Some rites originally pertaining to Tellus may have been transferred to Ceres, or shared with her, as a result of her identification with Greek Demeter.

Tellus was felt to be present during rites of passage, either implicitly, or invoked. She was perhaps involved in the ceremonies attending the birth of a child, as the newborn was placed on the ground immediately after coming into the world. Tellus was also invoked at Roman weddings.

Dedicatory inscriptions to either Tellus or Terra are relatively few, but epitaphs during the Imperial period sometimes contain formulaic expressions such as "Terra Mater, receive me." In the provincial mining area of Pannonia, at present-day Ljubija, votive inscriptions record dedications to Terra Mater from vilici, imperial slave overseers who ran operations at ore smelting factories (ferrariae). These are all dated April 21, when the founding day (dies natalis, "birthday") of Rome was celebrated, perhaps reflecting the connection between the Parilia on April 21 and the Fordicidia as a feast of Tellus. The emperor Septimius Severus restored a temple of Terra Mater at Rudnik, a silver mining area of Moesia Superior. Measuring 30 by 20 meters, the temple was located at the entrance to the work zone.