Oracle at Delphi Is a Sacred Site

Sacred Site

The Oracle of Delphi continues to fascinate visitors thousands of years after the last prophesy was delivered there. Known as the "most important shrine" in all Greece, poets, politicians, and philosophers alike visited or took part in ceremonies at Delphi ("The Oracle at Delphi" n.d.). The exact origin of the site and its oracle is unknown. It was used in the Mycenaean period as a sanctuary to worship a female deity prior to being used as the Hellenic seat of the oracle and temple to Apollo (UNESCO, 2014). Delphi became a major point of pilgrimage, as an annual festival called the Pythian Games (named after the oracle herself) was held there.

However, the oracle's power was at its peak in 1600 BCE (Nevins, n.d.). Although Delphi is the geographical location, the most important element of the site for ancient Greeks was the prophet herself: the Oracle at Delphi. Known as Pythia, the Oracle at Delphi channeled the god Apollo, and communicated the god's words to those who sought her counsel. Historians have suggested that either hallucination or "suggestion" might account for the phenomenon (Nevins, n.d.). Scientific research shows that there may be some evidence that Delphi does indeed have the potential to intoxicate: as Greek historian Strabo pointed out "the seat of the oracle is a cavern hollowed down in the depths & #8230; from which arises pneuma [breath, vapor, gas] that inspires a divine state of possession," (from Geography 9.3.5, cited by de Boer & Hale, 2013). These gases might be fumes that rose from the earth in the location of the sanctuary. "Analysis of the hydrocarbon gases in the spring water near the temple are shown to contain ethylene which is sweet smelling and if rising into an enclosed chamber would have been potent enough to cause a trance state," (Nevins, n.d., p. 1). Delphi is located on a major fault line, and there is a large chasm in the location of the sanctuary. As Nevins (n.d.) puts it, people would fall into a "frenzy" when they approached the chasm, and even goats behaved strangely in the same location (p. 1). Thus, the Oracle of Delphi might have derived her powers directly from the earth.

Mythology and reputation followed from the reports of intoxication. There were a total of five different temples to Apollo at Delphi, underscoring the fact that this place belonged to one God only. There were several sacred objects and materials associated with Delphi, some of which were incorporated into the temple architecture. For example, one of the temples was presumably constructed solely from laurel branches, one by beeswax and feathers, and another with bronze (Nevins, n.d.). The laurel tree was a sacred object for the Pythia, as it was associated both with the god Apollo and with the ability to foresee the future (Nevins, n.d.). The Pythia used an actual seat, called an adyton, for consultations. The adyton is known to have been in the shape of a tripod (De Boer & Hale, 2013). In addition to the sets of temples and shrines, there was also a large stadium at Delphi. This shows that Delphi was a place of social gathering, in addition to its having a deep spiritual significance.

While there is nowhere in the world quite like Delphi, Delphi does bear some similarity to other Greek temple complexes. However, none had the oracle. This is likely due to the unique geological features of the site, such as the chasm and the natural gases that emitted from the area to induce intoxication and possibly hallucination. The function of the oracle at Delphi seems similar to the functions of shaman and medicine men and women around the world. From Siberia to South America, shamans were gatekeepers to other dimensions, and could communicate with non-human entities such as gods or spirits. In many cases, the shaman did not need to sit in a special place like the adyton, which is why Delphi is unique.