MAKING GODS. DIVINE PLASTICITY AND THE AGENCY OF RITUAL PRACTICE. REFLECTIONS ON THE PHOENICIAN CONTEXT

Abstract

As part of the project “Mago. Making gods. The role of ritual practice in the construction of divinities” (CNR,
Italy), this paper explores the processes through which gods and goddesses were constructed in ancient polytheistic
societies, focusing in particular on the role of ritual practice. Rather than fixed and immutable beings, deities are approached
as dynamic and relational entities whose profiles could be modulated according to specific historical, cultural,
and devotional contexts. Within this framework, ritual emerges as a fundamental medium through which divine powers
were activated, experienced, and defined, enabling interaction between human and superhuman spheres. Through
selected examples from the Phoenician world, the study illustrates how rite actively contributed to the articulation and
transformation of divine figures.

Keywords: Phoenician Religion; Mago; Making Gods; Plasticity of Deities; Ritual Practice.