Apellai (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ἀπέλλαι), was a three-day family-festival of the Northwest Greeks similar with the Ionic Apaturia, which was dedicated to Apollo (Doric form: Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Ἀπέλλων).[1] The fest was spread in Greece by the Dorians as it is proved by the use of the month Apellaios (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Ἀπελλαῖος or Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Ἀπελλαιών in Ionic Tenos), in various Dorian states.[2]
The word is derived from the Ancient Macedonian word pélla (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: πέλλα), "stone", (Heshychius) which appears in some toponyms in Greece like Pella (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Πέλλα), Pellene (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Πελλήνη)[3] [4] [5] Robert Beekes suggests that the word Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: πέλλα has probably Pre-Greek origin.[6] The Doric word apella (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ἀπέλλα) originally meant wall, enclosure of stones, and later assembly of people within the limits of the square . The word usually appears in plural.[7] [8] Robert Beekes derives the word from the verb Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ἀπέλλειν,[9] Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ἀποκλείειν[10] ("shut off from or out from") therefore apella is the "enclosed space, meeting space".[11]
When a pubescent was received into the body of grown men, as a grown Kouros (male youth) he became Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ἀπελλάξ (apellax, "sharer in secret rites") and he could enter the apellai. The apellaia were the offerings made at the initiation of the young men at a meeting of a family group.[12]
Apellaion is the offering of a part of the hair to the god, and corresponds to the Koureion of the Apaturia.[13] Apellaios is the month of these rites, and Apellon is the "megistos kouros" (the great Kouros).[14]
There is evidence for this festival in Epidauros, Olous, Kalchedon, "Heracleia" at Siris, Tauromenion, Chaleion, Lamia, Oeta (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Oἳτη (Oetē)),[15] Tolophon, Delphi and also in Ancient Macedonia.[16] [17] The phratry (‘brotherhood’) controlled the access to civic rights. The three-day family-festival included initiation ceremonies, not concerning the state:
The corresponding names for the offerings made were paideia (child), apellaia (kouros) and gamela (marriage, Greek: γάμος gamos).[1]
It is almost sure that the fest belonged originally to Apollo, because his name is used in the oaths only near Poseidon Phratrios and Zeus Patroοs. In Athens a common epithet of Apollo as family-god is "Apollo Patroos".[18] [19] [20]