ABC Wednesday, O for Origin of the Delphic Oracle

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt,  who created ABC, and Roger, who took over from her. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar. This week we are looking for words beginning with O.

The earliest account of the origin of the Delphic oracle is provided in the Homeric Hymn to Delphic Apollo, which recent scholarship dates within a narrow range, ca. 580–570 BC.

Delphi

Wikipedia:

Apollo spoke through his oracle: the sibyl or priestess of the oracle at Delphi was known as the Pythia; she had to be an older woman of blameless life chosen from among the peasants of the area. She sat on a tripod seat over an opening in the earth. When Apollo slew Python, its body fell into this fissure, according to legend, and fumes arose from its decomposing body. Intoxicated by the vapors, the Pythia would fall into a trance, allowing Apollo to possess her spirit. In this state she prophesied. It has been speculated that a gas high in ethylene, known to produce violent trances, came out of this opening, though this theory remains debatable

One theory states that a goat herder fed his flocks on Parnassus. It happened one day the goats started playing with great agility upon nearing a chasm in the rock; the goat herd noticing this held his head over the chasm causing the fumes to go to his brain; throwing him into a strange trance.

While in a trance the Pythia "raved" – probably a form of ecstatic speech – and her ravings were "translated" by the priests of the temple into elegant hexameters. People consulted the Delphic oracle on everything from important matters of public policy to personal affairs. The oracle could not be consulted during the winter months, for this was traditionally the time when Apollo would live among the Hyperboreans. Dionysus would inhabit the temple during his absence.

ABC Wednesday, N for National Archaeological Museum.

We didn't want to miss the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. Although this was not a place where Paul was present, but it showed us what articles were used at his time.

The National Archaeological Museum  in Athens houses some of the most important artifacts from a variety of archaeological locations around Greece from prehistory to late antiquity. It is considered one of the greatest museums in the world and contains the richest collection of artifacts from Greek antiquity worldwide.

 

 

Wikipedia:Gorgons were  popular images in Greek mythology, appearing in the earliest of written records of Ancient Greek religious beliefs such as those of Homer, which may date to as early as 1194–1184 BC. Because of their legendary and powerful gaze that could turn one to stone, images of the Gorgons were put upon objects and buildings for protection. An image of a Gorgon holds the primary location at the pediment of the temple at Corfu, which is the oldest stone pediment in Greece, and is dated to c. 600 BC.

 

Gorgon

  Mycenaean civilization originated and evolved from the society and culture of the Early and Middle Helladic periods in mainland Greece. It emerged in circa 1600 BC when Helladic culture in mainland Greece was transformed under influences from Minoan Crete.

Here some examples of Mycenaean Art.

 

 Other artefacts such as jewellery.

 

 Ostracism. An interesting voting system!!

 

 

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt,  who created ABC, and Roger, who took over from her. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar. This week we are looking for words beginning with N

Eagles and Delphi.

Click to enlarge.
This week is dedicated to Greece, so therefore this legend of Delphi!

Eagles often play an important role in ancient history.
Legend tells us that Delphi was the point where two eagles, which had been released by Zeus at different ends of the world, had met again after their flights across the skies. Zeus threw the Sacred Stone at this exact point, and Delphi became known as the centre of the world.
All those wishing to consult the Oracle would come here. The Oracle of Delphi was a spiritual experience, in which advice and questions were asked to the spirit of Apollo.
The reply from Apollo would be channelled through priestesses, known as Pythia, who would be seated on a tripod over a mysterious chasm that expelled mystic vapours, said to enhance the channelling of Apollo. The priestess, who hadn't eaten nor drunk for three days had to chew then laurel leaves and became as we say in modern words "high" by the leaves and the vapours and said a lot of cryptic words, which were then translated by the priests.

A new pyramid discovered

SAQQARA, Egypt – Archaeologists have discovered a new pyramid under the sands of Saqqara, an ancient burial site that has yielded a string of unearthed pyramids in recent years but remains largely unexplored.

The 4,300-year-old monument most likely belonged to the queen mother of the founder of Egypt's 6th Dynasty, and was built several hundred years after the famed Great Pyramids of Giza, antiquities chief Zahi Hawass told reporters in announcing the find Tuesday.

The discovery is part of the sprawling necropolis and burial site of the rulers of ancient Memphis, the capital of Egypt's Old Kingdom, about 12 miles south of Giza.

All that remains of the pyramid is a 16-foot-tall structure that had been buried under 65 feet of sand. More about the pyramid here

Tutankhamun in London

King Tut's face unveiled to world
The king is thought to have been 19 years old when he died
The face of Egypt's most famous ancient ruler, King Tutankhamun, has been put on public display for the first time.
Archaeologists took the mummy from its stone sarcophagus and placed it in a climate-controlled case inside his tomb in Luxor's Valley of the Kings.

The event comes 85 years to the day after the pharaoh's tomb was discovered by British explorer Howard Carter.

Until now, only about 50 living people have seen the face of the boy king, who died more than 3,000 years ago.


As experts lifted Tutankhamun from his coffin they briefly set aside the white linen covering his remains, revealing a shrivelled black face and body.
See how Tutankhamun looked then and no

The event comes 85 years to the day after the pharaoh's tomb was discovered by British explorer Howard Carter.

Until now, only about 50 living people have seen the face of the boy king, who died more than 3,000 years ago.


As experts lifted Tutankhamun from his coffin they briefly set aside the white linen covering his remains, revealing a shrivelled black face and body.
See how Tutankhamun looked then and now



The move is part of a plan to protect the remains. Archaeologists say they are under threat from the heat and the humidity brought into the tomb by the vast numbers of tourists visiting each year.
In pictures: Face unveiled
'Incredible moment' in tomb
"The golden boy has magic and mystery and therefore every person all over the world will see what Egypt is doing to preserve the golden boy, and all of them I am sure will come to see the golden boy," Egypt's antiquities chief Zahi Hawass told reporters before the body was moved.

Tutankhamun ruled Egypt from 1333-1324 BC and is believed to have ascended to the throne aged about nine

The Golden Boy

As experts lifted Tutankhamun from his coffin they briefly set aside the white linen covering his remains, revealing a shrivelled black face and body.
See how Tutankhamun looked then and now

King Tut's face unveiled to world
The king is thought to have been 19 years old when he died
The face of Egypt's most famous ancient ruler, King Tutankhamun, has been put on public display for the first time.
Archaeologists took the mummy from its stone sarcophagus and placed it in a climate-controlled case inside his tomb in Luxor's Valley of the Kings.