the.com/altar
the world's oldest surface where humans put their best stuff and walked away
means A raised structure or table used as the focus of religious ritual, where offerings are made or sacred rites performed.
from From Latin altare, an altar for burnt offerings, traditionally linked to altus, meaning 'high' — the raised place where smoke and offerings rose upward toward the gods. It may also carry a thread from adolere, 'to burn in sacrifice.' The word reached English through Old English altar, borrowed early from the Latin of the Church.
- word root
- from Latin altus, meaning high or raised
- go-betal twins
- altar and alter sound alike, opposite jobs
- ancient blood
- Stone Age altars predate written language entirely
- left at it
- phrase "sacrificed on the altar of" means tragic trade-offs
- directional
- many churches orient altars toward the east
altar of pergamon — ancient greek temple altar in pergamon (now turkey), built 2nd century bce, now in berlin museum
altar of augustan peace — ara pacis augustae in rome, commissioned by augustus in 13 bce, marble monument to roman power