Delphes

Delphes is the site of important “a sanctuary panhellenic”, i.e. of a sanctuary common to all the cities of the ancient Greece. It is dedicated to the god Apollon Pythien and is characterized by the presence of a oracle. Delphes is in Phocide.

It is important to recall that the panhellenic sanctuaries (of “Hellènes”, synonymous with “Greeks”) were architectural complexes external with the quoted : they constituted the only places where all the former Greeks took part in celebrations with character religious “common”.

History of the site

The name of Delphes (plural Δελφοί / Delphoí ) comes from the word Dauphin ( δελφίς / delphís ): in the Homeric Poetry , Apollon would have taken the shape of this animal to attract the sailors crétois charged to found its worship on the site.

The oldest traces of a human occupation in the area of Delphes go back to the Paléolithique.

On the site of the sanctuary, a modest village is known towards 1400 av. J. - C. approximately: this site, named Pythô ( Πυθώ, οῦς (ἡ) and Πυθών, ῶνος (ἡ) ) in Iliade (cf II, 519 and IX, 405) and in the Odyssey (cf VIII, 80), is abandoned between 1100 av. J. - C. approximately and 800 av. J. - C. the sanctuary probably develops starting from this date, with the appearance of a first furnace bridge and a first Temple, that the delphic tradition and the ancient tradition place on a slope where would have been a crack natural exhaling of the Gaz (in particular Strabon, IX, 3,5).

It is especially between the middle of eighth century BC and the middle of seventh century BC, that Apollon Pythien gains an important notoriety: he is the owner of the colonial companies carried out during this period.

In 373 av. J. - C., a Earthquake damages the sanctuary seriously: it will never go back from there. It is indeed starting from its difficult rebuilding, during second half of fourth century BC, that the site starts a long decline, marked by the disorders Politique S which agitate the Greece. As of the Roman period , at the 1st century, plus any building is not built in Delphes.

In 392, the prohibition of the pagan worships in the Roman Empire by the Edict of Théodose mark official end of the worship of Pythien Apollo. The ruins of the site, a time occupied by a village at the beginning of the Christian time , are given up and redécouvertes at the 15th century only.

The oracle of Pythien Apollo

The mythological origin of the sanctuary of Delphes deserves to be quoted: this one would have been rested by Apollon himself after having built the temple of Délos. On its arrival in the area, the sanctuary was kept by a snake named “Python”, wire of Gaïa (Earth) and guard of a oracle devoted to THEMIS. Apollo, eager to establish an oracle to guide the men, killed Python with his arc and adapted oracle. (cf Homeric Anthems ) to make come its priests, it diverted a boat crétois (cf higher section).

This myth thus makes of Pythien Apollo a conquer-founder, which explains its patronage of the foundation of Greek colonies and the fact that its worship was spread in the whole of the colonies; it places also oracle in the middle of the sanctuary.

To also note that existed another tradition of the origin of oracle: according to this one, which Eschyle follows and whose music was engraved on a wall of the Treasury of the Athenians (in Delphes), oracle was initially that of the Earth, then that of successive female divinities for finally being transmitted to Apollon.

The sanctuary of Delphes, indeed, is “oracular”: the word of the god is transmitted there to the men via the Pythie, whose ancient tradition makes a young uncultivated virgin, installed on a tripod placed in an oracular pit (the Adyton) just above a crack from where the Old ones thought that emanated from pollutant gases; the Pythea holds a “phiale” (flat container and without handles being used for the Libation S) and a branch of bay-tree (the tree of the Apollon god).

The consultation of oracle was at the beginning annual: it took place the seven of the month Byzios (February-March), feastday of Apollo. It was made then the seven of each month during the nine months period when Apollon was supposed to occupy the site: this day was named polyphthoos (“day of the multiple questions”).

Rites preceded the consultation: they were accomplished according to the prophetess and required the presence of two Prêtre S. The latter exerted their load with life and were assisted by five hosioi which maintained the worship, and two prophets.

One of the latter assisted the Pythea, in particular by translating its words so that returned oracle is comprehensible. The answers of the god were transmitted in prose and in the form of Hexamètre S (in worms).

In detail, one is unaware of if the Pythea were visible, no testimony worthy of confidence not being explicit on the question. The most current tradition reports however that the Pythea would have been hidden by a veil and that the consultant could not see it.

Part of the modern Historiographie sought, following the ancient tradition probably of delphic origin, to explain the fright and the incomprehensible words lent to the Pythea at the meetings of oracle.

The explanation which was given a long time by it was the inhalation by the gas prophetess escaping from the entrails of the ground (causes physical); actually, such an explanation is false like showed it the excavations of the bases of the temple of Apollo carried out by the French School of Athens: no crack was found and the nature of the ground (of the Schiste) does not leave any chance to gas exhalations.

It is certain that the course even of oracle had to undergo notable changes during time. Among the closest witnesses, Plutarque - which was priest of Apollo with Delphes - transmitted many considerations on the worship: he reports that at its time (at the 1st century) single Pythie did not receive any more but once a month whereas three prophetesss were to take turns in the past. In another sanctuary of Apollo, oracle occurred mentally (that which came only discussed with God, and received the answers to its questions directly in its spirit, which authorized a freer interpretation).

At the time Christian woman, the figure of the Pythea was associated with that of a woman had by the demon (Jean Chrysostome); this last tie-beam in the body of the prophetess since the depths of the ground above which the tripod was supposed being installed.

It should be added that Delphes was, according to Greek mythology, the center of the world. Also, the “Omphalos” (literally the “Navel”) there it was represented by a conical stone of form , directly placed in the adyton, surrounded by fabric and overcome by two eagle S in Or. In Greek mythology, indeed, Zeus had made leave two eagles, each one on a side of the terrestrial disc and these birds of prey had met in the center of the world.

During the absence of Apollo, there was no oracle: what explains why on its return of many faithful waited. Consequently, the “promantie” (order of passage determined by the priests) was founded. Gifts were made with the divinity, then the priests threw water drops on a Chèvre which, if it did not tremble, made lose its turn with the pilgrim. This last, in the event of acceptance, tie-beam in the adyton where it could raise its question: this one or not involved an answer of the Pythea, according to the will of the god.

complementary Article : Oracle Greek.

The worship of Dionysos

During the winter months, Apollon was considered to leave the sanctuary of Delphes to go to purify in Hyperborée. He was then replaced in Delphes by Dionysos. This last was present during three months and was the subject of a worship returned on the Parnassus (drinkings of the Thyades omophages). Lastly, in the adyton, was fall it from Dionysos.

The statute of this last changed little by little because of his relationship with the Pythien Apollo: with the departure lower than the solar god , thanks to its role of opposite it became gradually indissociable of the Apollinian divinity; thus, the worship of Dionysos benefitted probably fully from famous from Delphes as a whole from the Greek world.

Components and panhellenic organization of the sanctuary

A sanctuary is characterized mainly by the presence of a furnace bridge ( bomos ) which is the most important element for the worship: it makes it possible to practice the Sacrifice.

The Temple is a building sheltering the statue of the divinity: the god is famous to live it per moments. The temple of Apollo has, in Delphes, an particular importance whereas it is in theory only one secondary element of the sanctuary: this importance is due to the presence of oracle in its center.

It is built, according to the tradition, on a ic fault Volcan which plunges in the entrails of the Earth and thanks to which Apollon is considered to communicate with the men; the oracle of Delphes, returned via the Pythea which transmits the voice of the god, is thus heart of the privileged role of the temple.

There is a preliminary research of the best place for the temple so that it is seen by all from where qu `they are on the site: it is the “epiphanestatos topos”. The temple of Apollo with Delphes is located on the sides of the Parnassus, top which culminates with 2.459 meters of altitude and which dominates central Greece. Also, it is on a very stiff slope; low a second temple, dedicated to Athéna Pronaia is (the divinity which “protects” or “precedes” the sanctuary).

The visitors enter the sanctuary of Delphes by the “Sacred way”, way bordered of various monuments offered by the cities: a score of these various buildings, whose majority are “ treasures ”, are used to present the offerings made to the god (ex-voto), either by piety, or for political reasons. These Vault S votive, generally contains deposits of objects representing the divinities.

Another type of votive deposit present at Delphes is a pit, dug with very the ground of the “Surface”, i.e. in the crowned perimeter.

Stage, Hippodrome and Gymnase also forms part of the sanctuary: they are the places where the panhellenic celebrations dedicated to the god proceed, according to a Calendrier very precise religious: these competitions of gymnastics, fight or song correspond to the Olympic Games whose celebrity eclipsed today that of the sanctuary of Olympie.

As regards the organization of these festivals and, more generally, panhellenic administration of the sanctuary, the Greeks are gathered in “amphictionie”, i.e. an association of cities, people around the sanctuary. That of Delphes, named “amphictionie pylaio-delphic” gathers, starting from 590 av. J. - C., a dozen cities. It is this amphictionie which finances work by subscription and supervises the possible rebuildings of the temple, as at the end of sixth century BC

Lastly, following the example tourist places modern, the site of Delphes, accommodated a true small town, living mainly thanks to the visitors of the sanctuary as from sixth century BC

The temple of Pythien Apollo

Pausanias mentions that six temples dedicated to the Apollon god followed one another during time: the first of them could be a hut of bay-tree. The Archéologie is unaware of all of it, like two following built out of perishable materials.

The fourth temple, of which the structure was in Stuc, was built by Trophonios and Agamède and was destroyed at the time of a fire in 538 av. J. - C.

The fifth and sixth temples, of similar plan, are the best known ones: the first of them, built out of stones, presented an antiquated decoration of style whose certain elements were employed again in the bases of the sixth temple.

It is the latter temple, the 4th century, which remains today. It is rectangular, of lengthened form, and measures 23,82  meters on 60,32  meters on side, is six doric columns with before and with the doric back and fifteen columns on each side. Its architect is Spintharos de Corinthe which was satisfied on the whole rebuilding the preceding building. With final, the sixth temple is relatively modest, probably for the reasons of economy which dictated its rebuilding.

The furnace bridge on which the sacrifices were practiced, located in front of the temple, was the subject of a restoration at the beginning of the 20th century, offered by the municipality of Chios because the ancient furnace bridge was a gift of the city of Chios, probably during the construction of the sixth temple, after the fifth had been destroyed by an earthquake in 373 av. J. - C.

Other monuments

The site of the sanctuary of Delphes includes/understands many other monuments, some being more imposing than the temple of Apollo: the majority of them were votive or commemorative. The occupation of the site was extremely long and it should be noted that these many monuments were not present at the same time (on the majority of the modern representations, the whole of the buildings is generally illustrated).

Also, to explain the evolution of the occupation of the site, it is necessary to take into account the Topographie which dictated the installation of the sanctuary in three stages (Théâtre, temple, other monuments), but also cataclysms (fires, earthquake, etc) and the events political which modelled space delphic with the liking of the offerings and (Re) constructions.

The distribution of the buildings on the site is heterogeneous: certain zones densément are built, others left almost empty; and still, the size even of these buildings varies considerably with a prevalence of the monuments of modest size, because of their cost less high and problems of space.

Lastly, it is necessary to have for the spirit that a liturgical calendar quasi determined, through a certain number of common celebrations (the “Panégyries”), the occupation of space: rites, contests musical and theatrical can explain, also, to a certain extent the establishment of the monuments.

Votive deposit of the “Surface”

In the “Surface” of the temple of Apollo, two pits were dug with same the ground of the esplanade at fifth century BC, either because the Greeks did not know any more where to place the personal offerings, or because a building occupying this space was burnt: a great number of ex-votos which were stored there were put-with-day at the 20th century.

Those are offerings dating from the period ostentation of the sanctuary, with {{IXe}} - fifth century BC, among which it is necessary to note the presence of many Bronze S: this Alliage was rare at eighth century BC; also it constituted a prestigious matter, offered in great quantities to Delphes, in particular in the shape of statuettes and tripods.

  • the statuettes bronzes of it {{IXe}} and {{VIIIe}} front centuries J. - C. were carried out with the “lost Cire”: this disappeared technique consisted of a mould in Cire in which the element in hollow was; bronze in fusion was run there and it mould was broken to extract the statuette; this last was thus usable only once, making each work a single product. These statuettes révêlent that there is not, at that time, of representations of the divinities, but only of men, women and warriors: thus one interprets the presence of statuettes of men on tank S and of horses; their forms are sometimes very close to the pictorial representations.

  • One finds also many offerings of tripods out of bronze (the Pythea had sat on a tripod). At the origin, the tripod carried a cauldron used to make Cuisine of prestige: it has an image very symbolic system. Sometimes the tripod and the cauldron are offered together, sometimes separately. The cauldrons can be provided with handles called “protomes”: in the form of parts before fantastic animals, like, for example, of the Griffon S. These fantastic elements are Eastern images (coming from Babylon); they are reproduced by the Greek craftsmen, in a “orientalizing phenomenon”.

Other notable offerings were extracted from the deposit:

  • a statuette in Ivory of a male divinity (Apollo?) of right stature, holding a Lance, and the other hand posed on the head of a Fauve that it dominates. This is borrowed from the Eastern iconography. The god is of a very important size. Partly low, a small belt where a typically Greek decoration is found: the “meander” (seventh century BC);
  • a representation of Ulysses of Ithaque plugging the Cyclops Polyphème;
  • a representation of “kouros” (plural kouroi : boy): young man represented in an absolute nudity, upright with the slightly advanced left foot (moving);
  • of the statues chryséléphantines (core in Wood; covered with plates D `gold and D `ivory), among which are:
    • of let us scratch (head and wings of Rapace, body of Félin);
    • a Sphinge (the Sphinx exists in the Eastern tradition. The figure is adopted in its female form by the Greeks. It comprises a head of woman, wings and a body of cat-like. One generally lends virtues divinatoires to him).
  • remainders of a Bull in money of real size.
The most recent offerings (as from fifth century BC) offer one returned of the physical features and clothing more realistic.

Memorials and votive

In the low part of the sanctuary, a way gives access the terrace of the temple: on both sides of this narrow way (the “Sacred way”) are several heteroclite monuments designed to shelter offerings with the god, to express thanks to him or to commemorate a happy event.

Starting from sixth century BC and until fourth century BC, three types of buildings of modest size can be evoked:

  • treasures;
  • votive columns and pillars;
  • bases of sculptor.

Treasures

The treasures are buildings of generally modest size, established on the site without real information system strategic plan. Set up by the cities at the time of a happy event, they served as “votive vaults” by presenting offerings or by glorifiant an exploit. Particularly many in Delphes which counted a score of it, treasures existed in all the large Greek sanctuaries. If the offerings which they contained were generally lost, they are worth especially today by their architecture.

Oldest, the such treasure of the Corinthian , set up on the initiative of the tyrant Cypsélos towards 600 av. J. - C., are simple rooms. But, starting from 530 av. J. - C., the porch with two columns - ionic or doric - prevails.

The treasures the best known ones are:

  • the treasure of the island of Siphnos (towards 525 av. J. - C.) raised by the inhabitants of the island, genuine architectural ECRIN where the taste of the Ionic order for the decorative and carved decoration is carried to its roof: the plank is continuous, each with dimensions of the building being devoted to an episode: one of most alive shows the Olympian ones deciding fate of Troy, sitting, chattering, gesticulant, while, having they, the Greeks and their enemies fight furiously.

  • the treasure of the Athenians with Delphes (set up towards 485 av. J. - C.) was the subject of a research of the best site: it is in a turn of the rise towards the temple of Apollo. It is thus seen entry of the sanctuary but also of the temple. It measures 6,5 m × 9,5 m and commemorates the victory of Marathon. The decoration is composed of Métope S of Doric order representing, inter alia, the demigod Héraclès. On the front one, it presents a “amazonomachie” (combat of Greeks against the people of the Amazones). On the left, a “théséide” (scene returning to the myth of Thésée: Athenian hero specifically , since he is regarded as the founder of this city). On the line, a “héracléide” (scene returning to the myth of Héraclès and the combat of this last against brutality: hero péloponnésien); with the back, finally, the “géryonide is” (episode of the myth of Héraclès in which the hero brings back oxen of Géryon to their owner). Thus, the monument proclaims that the Athenians saved Greece of brutality: it is a political motivation placed under the aegis of Apollo. The disproportion of the matter is in extreme cases of the “Hybris” (made exceed its statute of man and replace the gods).

The most recent treasures being the treasure of Thèbes (towards 370 av. J. - C.) and the treasure of Cyrène (350 - 325 av. J. - C.), it should be deduced from it that the fashion of this type of building lasted a little less than two centuries with Delphes.

Votive columns and pillars

As from fourth century BC, another shape of offerings becomes popular, undoubtedly for reasons of saving in space: they are the many pillars and votive columns.

Columns (simple or double) and pillars were drawn up to emphasize an offering which surmounted them: often statues bronzes some representing sovereigns.

  • the column offered by the inhabitants of Naxos towards 575 av. J. - C. is oldest of these monuments: very high, its top reaches the level of the terrace of the temple of Apollo, whereas it is located at the foot of the latter in the zone of the primitive worships chthoniens. To be visible on all sides, it consists of a barrel and an imposing capital of Ionic order, itself overcome by a two height meters sphinge (the “Sphinx of Naxiens”). It is possible that this monster kept fall it from Dionysos, owner of Naxiens. A secondary inscription testifies owing to the fact that Naxiens received, undoubtedly in thanks to this offering, the privilege of promantie, i.e. the right to consult in priority oracle.

  • the column of the dancers is gone back to approximately 330 av. J. - C. It is decorated sheets of Acanthe and offers an original crowning: three young girls supported the tank of a tripod in which the omphalos was perhaps posed, “navel of the world” and symbol of Delphes.

  • the pillar of Rhodiens or “tank of the Sun of Lysippe” is a monument offered by Rhodos between 325 and 300 av. J. - C. This pillar supports a very important metal statue gilded and shining: a Quadriga, i.e. four horses drawing a tank which supports the sun Hélios. The composition faces the temple of Apollo.

Groups of statues

In the low part of the sanctuary of Delphes, on the left of the entry, an imposing commemorative statuary now disappeared was present: this one was divided into several units, drawn up by the rival cities with the liking of the events. Two monuments symbolic systems began this series: the monument of Miltiade and the monument of Lysandre (or monument of Navarques).

  • the monument of Miltiade , offered by Athens, commemorated the Bataille of Marathon, celebrates victory of the Greeks over the Perse S: it was composed of sixteen statues carried out by Phidias (architect and sculptor made famous for the attribution of the Parthenon) which represented Athéna, Apollon and Miltiade on the same plan, like ten victorious heroes and three magistrates of Athens added later on.

Lysandre was as for him a Spartiate which was distinguished in 405 av. J. - C. at the time of the naval battle of Aigos Potamos, carried out close to the strait of the the Bosphorus; it was one of the leaders of the fleet Spartan and made set up at the time of this victory a monument with its personal glory at the entry of the sanctuary, beside the group of Miltiade.

  • the monument of Lysandre consisted of a base on which a whole of bronze statues rested: twenty-eight statues with the back represented the whole of the men who had contributed to the battle and ten statues with before represented the Dioscures: together mythological joining together Beaver and Pollux, Zeus, Apollo, Artémis, and Poséidon, represented crowning Lysandre, a herald and the pilot of the flagship.

The distribution of the statues is eminently political and wants to be higher than that of the monument of Miltiade, whose matter is however similar: Lysandre does not want to be marked of hybris, this is why it puts the gods ahead, whereas the monument of Miltiade the place on the same plan as the mortals.

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