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The only picture of the Pythian priestess is a red figure drinking cup from around 430 BC. She sits on a bronze tripod, holds laurel leaves and a bowl or water

The only picture of the Pythian priestess is a red figure drinking cup from around 430 BC. She sits on a bronze tripod, holds laurel leaves and a bowl or water or wine. She would, apparently, listen to the rustle of the leaves— scry into the ripples of water — and feel the resonant vibrations of the tripod. All in order to channel the wisdom of the god Apollo. Sources of randomness to support creative inspiration. Seems plausible.

dr_dshiv 4y ago
Here is the image: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-only-surviving-image-of-the-Delphic-Pythia-Aegeus-the-mythical-king-of-Athens_fig1_262091264 https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-only-surviving-image... Also, the ethylene theorists have a rebuttal. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/155636507014778 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/155636507014778... It’s funny that neither paper attempted to just try the stuff and, you know, attempt mantic divination. And there is some evidence for those laurel leaves (which were chewed) to be psychoactive. https://muse.jhu.edu/article/581067/summary https://muse.jhu.edu/article/581067/summary And, finally, that the oracle used lots (dice, basically) for divination. More randomness. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.1086/358831 https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.1086/358831
- pjot 4y ago
  Also, the ethylene theorists have a rebuttal. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/155636507014778 ... This page 404’s - do you have another source?
  - mgdlbp 4y ago
    GP included HN's ellipsis when copying the link from a previous comment of theirs. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15563650701477803 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/155636507014778...
- NKosmatos 4y ago
  Came here to say the same thing, it's either Laurel or Oleander leaves that Pythia (the high priestess) either chewed or inhaled (their fumes). At least that's what I remember from high school and what most Greeks know. It's debated that the whole Oracle of Delphi thing could be a very well organized scam, but that's another discussion. It's a place worth the visit: https://www.visitgreece.gr/mainland/central-greece/delphi/ https://www.visitgreece.gr/mainland/central-greece/delphi/

dr_dshiv 4y ago

Here is the image: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-only-surviving-image-of-the-Delphic-Pythia-Aegeus-the-mythical-king-of-Athens_fig1_262091264 https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-only-surviving-image... Also, the ethylene theorists have a rebuttal. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/155636507014778 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/155636507014778... It’s funny that neither paper attempted to just try the stuff and, you know, attempt mantic divination. And there is some evidence for those laurel leaves (which were chewed) to be psychoactive. https://muse.jhu.edu/article/581067/summary https://muse.jhu.edu/article/581067/summary And, finally, that the oracle used lots (dice, basically) for divination. More randomness. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.1086/358831 https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.1086/358831

pjot 4y ago
Also, the ethylene theorists have a rebuttal. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/155636507014778 ... This page 404’s - do you have another source?
- mgdlbp 4y ago
  GP included HN's ellipsis when copying the link from a previous comment of theirs. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15563650701477803 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/155636507014778...
NKosmatos 4y ago
Came here to say the same thing, it's either Laurel or Oleander leaves that Pythia (the high priestess) either chewed or inhaled (their fumes). At least that's what I remember from high school and what most Greeks know. It's debated that the whole Oracle of Delphi thing could be a very well organized scam, but that's another discussion. It's a place worth the visit: https://www.visitgreece.gr/mainland/central-greece/delphi/ https://www.visitgreece.gr/mainland/central-greece/delphi/