SCHIFORFORE (Σκυροφόρα). — An ancient Athenian festival in honor of Athena Skias (with whom Demeter and Kore were associated) to obtain from the goddess protection from the scorching rays of the sun during the agricultural labors of summer.
It was celebrated on the 12th day of the month of Scirophorion (= June–July) with a procession that started from the Acropolis, in which the priests of Erechtheus (or Poseidon Erechtheus), of Helios, and the priestess of Athena took part, while members of the Eteobutadae family carried a white parasol (σχίφον). Along the Sacred Way that led to Eleusis, the procession went to the place called Skias because of the chalky nature of the soil, which was said to be the first field sown by the Athenians and from whose stone Theseus had fashioned an image of Athena.