ALTAR, a place upon which sacrifices were anciently offered to some deity. The heathens at first made their altars only of turf; in following times they were made of stone, of marble, of wood, and even of horn, as that of Apollo in Delos. Altars differed in figure as well as in ma terials. Some were round, others square, and others oval. All of them were turn ed towards the east, and stood lower than the statues of the gods, and were gene. rallvadorned with sculpture, inscriptions, and the leaves and flowers of the particu lar tree consecrated to the deity. Thus, the altars of Jupiter were decked with oak, those of Apollo with laurel, those of Venus with myrtle, and those of Minerva with olive.
The height of altars also differed ac cording to the different gods to whom they sacrificed. 'nose of Ihe celestial gods were raised to a great height above the ground; those appointed fertile ter restnal were almost on a level with the surfaCe of the earth ; and on the contra ry-, they dug a hole for the altars of .the infernal gods. According to Senius, the first were called altaria, the second ar4e, and the last crobindi; but this distinction is not every where observed, for we find in the best authors, the word ara, RE a ge neral word, including the altars of celes tial, infernal, and terrestrial gods.
Before temples were in use, altars were erected sometimes in groves, sometimes in the high ways, and sometimes on the tops of mountains; and it was a custom to engrave upon them the name, proper ensign, or character of the deity to whom they were consecrated. Thus, St Paul observed an altar at Athens, with an in scription To the unknown God.
In the great temples of ancient Rome, there were ordinarily three altars; the first was placed in the sanctuary., at the feet oldie statue of the divinity, upon which incense was burnt, and libations offered : the second was before the gate of the temple, and upon it they sacrificed the victims: and the third WaR a portable al. tar, upon which were placed the offer ings and the sacred vessels.
Besides these uses of the almrs, the an cients swore upon them, and swore hy them, in making alliances, confirming treaties of peace, and on other solemn occasions. Altars also served a.s a place of refuge and sanctuary to all those who Red to them, whatever crime they had committed.