Final answer:
Obscenity in the rituals of Demeter, such as the Thesmophoria and Eleusinian Mysteries, symbolized fertility and the return to normality. Indecent symbols and behaviors marked a break from fasting and abstinence. They were also shrouded in secrecy to maintain reverence for the divine.
Step-by-step explanation:
The most usual explanation for the presence of obscenity in the great ritual of Demeter, as reported in various lectures and texts, relates to the symbolic representation of fertility and renewal in the mysteries associated with the goddess.
In ancient Greek religious practices, certain rituals, such as the Thesmophoria, incorporated elements of mocking and indecent speech to signify a return to normality after a period of fasting and abstinence which was marked by the absence of sexuality. Obscene acts and items, such as phallic symbols, played an integral part in these rituals.
During the Thesmophoria, there was a deliberate and conspicuous period of 'abnormal' behavior among participating women, which could have included acts of obscenity as a 'penalty' for mocking behaviors. Here, the lifting of a fast was associated with ritualistic profanity.
This association was not just seen in the Thesmophoria but was also suggested to be part of the Eleusinian Mysteries. The presence of phallic objects and the citation of obscene acts were speculated to be components of the initiation into the higher degrees of the Mysteries.
Secrecy and obscurity in these rituals were seen as a means to evoke reverence for divine matters, making the ritual seem more mysterious and sacred to the participants and observers alike.