We left Makarma moored in Galaxidi harbour and in company with our new Swiss friends, Mike and Corrine Bruhwiler, we took an early morning bus from Galaxidi to the coastal town of Itea. From here we took another bus up into the mountains to Delphi.
The KTEL bus terminal in Itea boasted a very fine clock and welcome sign – and it would be very helpful for people to catch their bus on time - if it only worked!
The Greek buses tend to run on time, are air conditioned and on the whole very pleasant. The driver seems to line up on the dotted line down the middle of the road and puts his foot down. Blind hairpin bends going up the mountain are dealt with by simply blowing the horn!
The scenery ascending the road to Delphi is spectacular. Delphi is clings to the side of Mount Parnassus, which is 2457m high. The ‘green’ in the photo above is the “plain of olives” and is the largest concentration of olive trees in Greece.
It must be said that the site and views at Delphi are spectacular! It is easy to understand why Delphi was considered so special by the ancient Greeks and many other civilizations that followed.
This model in the Delphi Archaeological Museum shows just the site of the Sanctuary of Apollo.
It was inside the Temple of Apollo (the large building surrounded by columns) where the Delphic Oracle foretold the future.
There are many famous inscriptions on the stones around the site of the Oracle such as, “know thy self”.
According to some of the surviving text that tells us what went on at Delphi – the ancients believed that the god Apollo spoke through a “Pythia” - This was the priestess who sat inside the temple on her tripod, chewed laurel leaves, went into hallucinogenic trances and incoherent frenzies – [some believe inhaled methane and ethylene vapours escaping from a seismic fissure under the temple] - she then deliver a garbled, incoherent message to the temple priests – who then passed on the message to the paying client. - A bit like the “phone-a-psychic” service works today.
This is what the Temple of Apollo looks like today. The black stones in the middle conceal the cellar where the Pythia would have sat. According to ancient texts the Pythia, or priestess, was usually a local woman, often a middle-aged matron, who would have worn the robes of an unmarried virgin to emphasize her chastity. When the Oracle was at its most popular there may have been as many as three priestesses, working in shifts.
Just below the Temple of Apollo and the Oracle I noticed there was a hole in the wall that was not on the tourist map. I spotted this fellow having a look inside. After he backed out I thought I would also have a look inside.
The passage looked like it might go in under the Temple, so I decided to do the “Indiana Jones” bit to see where it went. It was a very narrow shaft with several right angle bends! After the first corner there was complete darkness - but I could make progress by feeling along the wall and occasionally lighting the passage with the flash from my mobile phone’s camera. After some distance I managed to reach a point under the Temple where the tunnel had been blocked.
As the tunnel led directly under the Temple of Apollo, it was exciting to think the Oracle’s priestesses may have used this same tunnel when they changed shifts! I am sure if I could have gone further I might have been able to whiff the vapours from the seismic fissure.
Aside from being in inky darkness, the other problem was that there was no room to turn around ! – not wishing to become part of the Temple complex - I had to retrace my steps backwards!
DELPHI’S THEATRE
The Delphi site has a beautifully preserved theatre with amazing views down the valley. It was built in the 4th century BC. The seats were made of white marble from Mount Parnassus. In AD 67, the Emperor Nero stood in the center of this stage and addressed an audience of several thousand people.
THE PYTHIAN GAMES
Delphi is most commonly associated as the site of the Oracle but further up the mountain from the Temple of Apollo is Delphi’s Stadium complex. In 586 BC, the Pythian Games were founded here and were second only to the games at Olympia in importance.
Like Olympia, the games were in honour of the gods and athletes came from all parts of the known world to compete. This amazing mountain-side arena could easily accommodate thousands of spectators.
THE CLOSURE OF DELPHI
Aside from being sacked and restored several times in numerous “Sacred Wars” - Delphi was officially closed down in AD 385 by Theodosius (during the Roman Christian Era) as it was a “pagan shrine” and only Christianity was allowed as the official state religion. [Olympia suffered the same fate.]
Delphi is in a seismically active area and it was gradually reduced to ruins by numerous earthquakes and landslides from Mount Parnassus above. Ironically these landslides covered the site and protected it from further looting. It was only recently in the 1850’s that Delphi was “rediscovered” and excavations were begun by the French School of Archaeology beginning in 1892. Much of the site is still unexcavated and what lies beneath is unknown.
The construction of the buildings at Dephi is remarkable. The stones are finely dressed and many still have sharp edges today. Considering the location of the site – on the side of a mountain(!) – the effort would have defeated modern engineers and earth moving equipment. Truly amazing.
The construction techniques are also of interest. You can see the links carved into the blocks in the photo above. The stones were held together by iron “butterfly” straps and then lead was poured into seal the join.
This is one of the links with a bit of lead still lodged in its securing hole. Most of the lead was looted so this is a rare find.
THE DELPHI ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
There were a number of Sacred Wars and much of Delphi was sacked by various hoards at many times in past history.
During Delphi’s Roman period - Nero seized over 500 bronze statues in a fit of rage after the Oracle condemned him for killing his mother. Constantine packed off many of Delphi’s treasures to his new capital at Constantinople.
Despite the looting and destruction many spectacular items were unearthed and are now housed in the Archeological museum on the site.
These are just some of the things that have been excavated from under the landslides. According to the inscriptions on the stones, the “Winged Sphinx” above was originally sent to Delphi as a tribute to Apollo and came from the Island of Naxos in 400 BC!
This feat starts to take on a different significance when you consider that the Island of Naxos is almost 100 miles from Delphi and at the time, the Corinth Canal did not exist.
The Sphinx would have been transported from Naxos by sea, then overland where the Corinth Canal is today, then back into a ship, across the Gulf of Corinth, back on to land – then hauled some 20 miles inland and up a mountain! Clearly, Delphi was a very important site! Tributes like this came from all over the ancient known world.
There were once many finely detailed carving decorating the temples and all over the site.
Cathy is standing in front of the fragments of a statue of a life-size bull that was covered in gold and silver sheets!
These are some of the many examples of gold jewelry found on the Delphi site.
Perhaps this is the sort of jewelry that would have been worn by the priestess when they were talking to the gods?
This was a beautiful plate recovered virtually intact. Note the harp and sandals – keep in mind you are looking at the craft and skills that were practiced in the 4th century BC.
Visitors to Delphi brought many gold, silver and bronze votive offerings to have the Oracle tell their future. It is astonishing the detail and craftsmanship that has gone into these works.
Many of the statues were painted in bright colours – here are fragments that have survived showing what one looked like over two thousand years ago.
There were amazing marble statues carved in superb human form and beautifully carved drapes – again in context, this was almost two thousand years before the style we associate with Michelangelo and others.
The bronze of the “Charioteer” is considered the finest piece in the museum. In the background you can see the complete reconstruction of the original bronze – complete with bronze chariot and horses!
During excavation only the charioteer and a few remains of the horses were ever found. It has been suggested that the famous horses on the roof balcony of Saint Marks cathedral in Venice may belong to the charioteer of Delphi.
And finally, for the children – The Delphi museum houses what is no doubt the great ancient ancestor of “Gonzo” – this is surely conclusive proof that the “Muppets” were just as popular with Greek kids back in the 4th century BC as they are today!
Legend has it that Zeus released two eagles to circle the globe in opposite directions. They met at Delphi. In antiquity Delphi was regarded as the centre of the world.
So here we are - we have reached the “the centre of the world” and one of our journey’s goals. Cathy and I are truly sharing the adventure of a lifetime. It is great that we can share it with you.
Needless to say there will be more to come. We have travelled to Olympia and Delphi, we next plan to visit the third most important site in Greece – the great theatre at Epidavros.
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