Delphi
The Archaeological Museum
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Charioteer of Delphi 470 BCE (c) Severe or Transitional Treasury of the Siphnians 530 BCE (c) Archaic Omphalos undated Hellenistic Copy Cleobis & Biton 610-580 BCE (c) Archaic Greece Sphinx of the Naxians 570-560 BCE (c) Archaic Greece Chryselephantine Apollo/Artemis 6th C. BCE Archaic Greece Antinoos 130-138 CE Roman Greece Apollo Pouring Libation Kylix 5th C. BCE Classical Greece Hagias or Aghios 340 BCE Late Classical (after Lysippos) |
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Delphi / the Site
In a nutshell: Spread under the Southern slopes of Mount Parnassus is the most famous site of oracular wisdom of the Greek World: the Oracle of Delphi, first dedicated to the earth-goddess Ge, and later given over to the cult of the god Apollo. Apollo, according to legend, subdued the monster-serpent Python that guarded the sanctuary of Ge.
Apollo represented the light of the intellect and reason, as he guided his chariot across the heavens bringing light. He was a god of Harmony and order, and had the gift of prophecy. Through the oracle, the divine wisdom of Zeus was revealed to man. The Pythia...the oracular-priestess uttered sometimes incomprehensible riddles that would be interpreted by the priests. Great decisions of state were decided by these pronouncements and interpretations. According to legend, the captain of a fleet, one Byzas, consulted the oracle and was told to build "opposite the blind"...and thus settled a Greek colony in Byzantium...later called Constantinople..today, modern Istanbul.
The
history of the site:
During
the Mycenaean period, the female deity of Earth was worshipped in the small
settlement of Delphi. The development of the sanctuary and oracle though, began
in the 8th century B.C. with the establishment of the cult of Apollo. Under
the protection and administration of the Amphictyony, the sanctuary continued
to be autonomous after the First Sacred War and, as a result, increased its
panhellenic religious and political influence. The
Pythian Games were re-organized, the sanctuary was enlarged and it was enriched
with nice buildings, statues, and other offerings. In the 3rd century B.C. it
came under the domination of the Aetolians and later, in 191 B.C., was conquered
by the Romans. During the Roman occupation the site was sometimes plundered
but was also favoured by some of the emperors. With the spread of Christianity,
the sanctuary lost its religious meaning and was permanently closed down with
a decree of emperor Theodosius the Great. The
Pythian Games were held every four years at Delphi, and were the most
important Pan-Hellenic games, second only to the Olympics. Victor’s trophies
were wreaths of Laurel, symbols of victory and made of the fragrant leaves of
the tree sacred to Apollo. Music and poetry contests were held in the theatre,
and the athletic events held in the stadium included; the pentathalon, running,
boxing and wrestling and equestrian events. Victorious athletes were allowed
to erect sculptures within the precincts of the sanctuary of Apollo. It is likely
that the Charioteer of Delphi sculpture was one of these victory statues. The
Temple of Apollo was the most revered religious site at Delphi. It was
bounded by the Temenos of Apollo...a large, sloping area that was pierced
by the Sacred Way, the ascending, turning road which was bordered by
votive monuments and scuptures. Many of these votives were dedicated to Greek
victories in war. There were monuments erected to the Spartan’s defeat
of the Athenian armada, as well as to the Athenian’s victory in the battle
of Marathon. This was a place were inter-city rivalries were set aside in a
spirit of religious reverence. Temple
of Apollo 4th Century BC Classical Greece Treasury
of the Athenians 490-489 BC Transitional Greece Sanctuary
of Athena Pronaoa 380 BC Classical Greece
The ruins of Delphi were uncovered by the systematic excavations of the French
Archaeological School, which began in 1893. The village of Kastri, which had
occupied the area of the sanctuary since medieval times, was moved to its present
position. After the removal of huge quantities of earth that had been accumulated
with the landslides, the remains of two sanctuaries, dedicated to Apollo and
Athena Pronaea, were finally uncovered. The excavations revealed more than five
thousands inscriptions of all kinds, statues, several miniature objects, architectural
decorative pieces, all exquisite works of art, representing the major cities
of Greek antiquity. Outside the area of the Sanctuary, the Stadium, the Gymnasium,
the settlement of Delphi and its cemeteries have also been excavated
