Bouphonia

Bouphonia (Buphonia)

End of June

The ancient Greek ceremony Bouphonia was held in Athens each year as part of the festival known as Dipolia or Diipolia . Wheat and barley, or cakes made from them, were placed at the altar of Zeus on the Acropolis. Oxen were driven around the altar, and as soon as one of them nibbled on the grasses or ate the cakes, he was killed with an ax, which was then thrown into the sea. The flesh of the ox was eaten, but his hide was stuffed with straw and sewn together. Then the stuffed animal was set up and yoked to a plow.
According to legend, a man called Sopatrus killed an ox in anger after the animal had eaten some of the cereal he was offering as a sacrifice. He felt so much remorse that he buried the ox and fled to Crete. When a famine ensued, the festival known as Bouphonia was instituted. It was customary for the killing of the ox to be followed by a ceremonial trial for those who had participated in its murder, after which the knife used to slit its throat and the ax used to fell it were thrown into the sea.

SOURCES:
DictFolkMyth-1984, p. 158
EncyRel-1987, vol. 3, p. 126
NewCentClassHandbk-1962, pp. 222, 410