Another Day at Delphi

Yesterday we visited the Sanctuary of Athina Pronaia, just below the Sanctuary of Apollo and the site museum.

Today we started with the museum, which is newer and larger than the one I saw on my first trip to Greece years ago.  Yet again the Greek nation has done a great job with this museum, which contains artifacts excavated over the decades at the Delphi site.

First up for Delphi fans: a number of fragments of tripods.  The ancient greeks used tripods ( a bronze bowl that stood upon three legs ) for cooking.  Nobody is quite sure why, but the Pythia (oracular priestess) sat upon such a tripod to prophesy.  It is written that the bowl of the tripod she sat upon contained the bones of Zagreus ( the god Dionysos in child form ).  The circular rings were mounted vertically on the rim of the bowl, and the bowl itself had a lid, making it at least somewhat like a chair.

In the next room was a stunner: the Naxian Sphinx.  This sphinx sat atop of a 30ft high column in front of the temple of Apollo.  This was one of many hundreds of donations from ancient Greek towns and cities to the sanctuary of Apollo, in this case, from the island of Naxos.

We also saw friezes from the pediments of various treasury houses and the temple of Apollo, whose condition varied.  One set showed the 12 labors of Hercules.  Another showed the Judgment of Paris ( important safety note: when asked to choose which of 3 goddesses are the most beautiful, do NOT render an answer.  Keep the goddesses busy with tasks and contests, always claiming that you still don't quite have all the information you need to choose a winner.  You will live MUCH longer this way, and also avoid having your home city raised to the ground by a thousand shiploads of very angry Greeks.)

We also saw some interesting pieces of statuary from the grounds.  It is thought that there were several thousand statues in the sanctuary at its heydey; it is recorded that the emperor Nero looted 500 of them.

The dancing maidens:

 An omphalos (navel) stone from the Roman era.   In the myths, Zeus found the center of the world by releasing two eagles in opposite directions, and marking where they again met: Delphi.  It is recorded that an Omphalos stone sat next to the Pythia when she prophesied, placing her right hand upon its top as she spoke.

And the famous Charioteer of Delphi:

We left the museum and walked down to the Sanctuary of Apollo.  We first passed through the Roman era Agora (marketplace).   Then up the hill to the first switchback and the reassembled Treasury of the Athenians...

Nearby was another Omphalos:

And a few yards further ahead along the ancient Sacred Way was an interesting "Rock of the Sibyl".  This rock was the throne of yet a different oracular priestess, who would sit here and offer oracles to any one who walked up to her.

And finally to the Temple of Apollo itself.  What you see here is what is left of the 5th Apollo temple built on the site; it dates from around 350 BC.   It was a classic Doric temple, with friezes in the pediments that depicted Apollo and Dionysos, the two gods that operated the oracle ( Apollo in the spring, summer, and fall, and Dionysos in the winter. )  The querent consulting the oracle, after making sacrifices and doing various purifications, would enter the temple.  In the dark interior, in a small sunken chamber, sat the Pythia on her tripod, perched next to a crack or chasm in the ground.  It has recently been discovered that the rock strata at Delphi exuded a mildly toxic but also mildly halluciogenic vapor.  Perhaps this accounts for the Pythia's trance.  Others argue vehemently that the Pythia's trance is simply divine possession.   I leave it for the reader to judge.  In any case, the querent would render his question, and the Pythia would speak an answer.  Sometimes the question was about whether or not to have another child; other times, about the founding of colonies, the fortunes of starting ( or stopping ) a war, to who was the wisest ( answer: Socrates. )  Here's where it all happened:

Another view, from higher ground

And then, a view of the theatre of Dionysos ( Temple of Apollo in the background )

And that's the nickel tour!

J.