APATURIA (ἀπατύρια). — The etymology is certainly from ἀ- copulative and πάτρεος, that is, a festival of those who have common ancestors. It was indeed common to all the Ionian tribes, with the exception of Ephesus and Colophon. For Athens we are, as is natural, better informed: however, it does not seem probable that there were significant differences between the Attic Apaturia and those outside Attica. The Apaturia were essentially family festivals; but, given the constitution of the Greek states, they assumed an uncommon importance from the socio-political point of view. They lasted three days: the first seems to have been called δνάφουσις and was dedicated to sacrifice, that is, the slaughter of the victims; the second, δοπήλα, was dedicated to the great collective dinner of all the members of the phratry present. During the third (χουρηδυτός) the presentation to the other members of the phratry took place of the sons, whether natural or adopted, by their fathers, and of new brides by their respective husbands. Since the members of the phratry could oppose the inscription of the boy in the phratry, this amounted to denying him Athenian citizenship, with all the rights connected to it: hence the importance of the ceremony for the future of the citizen-to-be.
Boys were presented twice in their lives to the phratry: the first time — and this was probably a purely religious ceremony — at the age of 3-4 years, and a second time at puberty. The sacrifice offered on the occasion of the first presentation was called μετρον, that is, minor, and consisted of offerings of small animals, probably lambs. The sacrifice offered on the occasion of the second presentation was called χουρδόν for males, because it was connected with the ritual cutting of their hair, and γαμήλα for females because only after such a ceremony — necessary so that the future bride might be considered in possession of Attic citizenship, indispensable for the recognition of the citizenship of her future offspring — could they marry; and it consisted of adult animals, as well as bread and wine. The sacrifices were made, in Attica, on the altar of Zeus Phratrios and Athena Phratria: it is evident, in the choice of the deities, the political character of the festival, superimposed on the original gentilitial one.
Rich in details on the development of the Apaturia is the long inscription of the Demotionidae, found near ancient Decelea; other precious but fragmentary information we derive from passages of authors and especially from scholia.
The Apaturia were celebrated at the beginning of winter, when all the members of the family, scattered to earn their bread, gathered around the hearth.