Thesmorphia

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Thesmorphia (also called Thesmophoria) was a planting festival of ancient Greece. The name derives from thesmoi, or laws by which men must work the land.

The festival honored Demeter, goddess of agriculture. For the first part of the festival, women participants fasted and refrained from intercourse with men. During this time, women purified themselves by taking ritual baths. They also made offerings of the harvest to Demeter and, her mother Persephone.