Delphi and on to Olympia
Tuesday 8th May
Our guide for our tour around the Delphi site today is Lucy. She is great. So informed and intelligent. I learn 2 days later that the guides for these sites must be government approved. And to be approved they must have done the full training which included university level courses in Archeology, Art History, etc etc.
We are led up the Sacred Way. She tells us so much that is both thought provoking and interesting.
Throughout Greece, slavery was the source of labour. Slaves could buy their way out of slavery. Slavery in Greece was complex.
In Delphi we see the stones that are the first examples of recorded/ written down music. The words and the notes. Attempts have been made to reconstruct it. This is from before the time of Christ.
Archeology is a complex business. Should you restore things or leave them be. Often succeeding generations of occupiers on a site used the materials from existing structures. Which one should the archaeologist give preference too?
One site was originally a Greek temple. It was rebuilt as a forum for shops in Roman times. It became a Christian church in the 4th Century AD. Which should be reconstructed?
The site of Delphi was essentially destroyed by Christianity. It became and ordinary small Greek town. But in the 19th Century, French archaeologists realised the significance of the site. They convinced the towns people to move their town 1 km around the hill to where the town now is. Then they began excavation. At some stage during Roman times the temple was seriously damaged. (Earthquake or fire). Instead of recycling the materials as was often the case 2000 years ago, they buried many of the damaged objects including building parts, sculptures, art objects, a sculpture of a bull full size the shell of which was made of beaten silver. When moving a block of stone on the "Sacred Way" the way that visitors took as the moved up to the temple, archaeologists the storage pit containing all these objects was discovered. Its contents now make up much of the display at the Archaeological Museum in Delphi and what a remarkable display it is.
We are led up the Sacred Way. She tells us so much that is both thought provoking and interesting.
Throughout Greece, slavery was the source of labour. Slaves could buy their way out of slavery. Slavery in Greece was complex.
In Delphi we see the stones that are the first examples of recorded/ written down music. The words and the notes. Attempts have been made to reconstruct it. This is from before the time of Christ.
Archeology is a complex business. Should you restore things or leave them be. Often succeeding generations of occupiers on a site used the materials from existing structures. Which one should the archaeologist give preference too?
One site was originally a Greek temple. It was rebuilt as a forum for shops in Roman times. It became a Christian church in the 4th Century AD. Which should be reconstructed?
The site of Delphi was essentially destroyed by Christianity. It became and ordinary small Greek town. But in the 19th Century, French archaeologists realised the significance of the site. They convinced the towns people to move their town 1 km around the hill to where the town now is. Then they began excavation. At some stage during Roman times the temple was seriously damaged. (Earthquake or fire). Instead of recycling the materials as was often the case 2000 years ago, they buried many of the damaged objects including building parts, sculptures, art objects, a sculpture of a bull full size the shell of which was made of beaten silver. When moving a block of stone on the "Sacred Way" the way that visitors took as the moved up to the temple, archaeologists the storage pit containing all these objects was discovered. Its contents now make up much of the display at the Archaeological Museum in Delphi and what a remarkable display it is.
We were told about about the Oracle. How, under the temple, there was always a Sanctuary, how in this area the rock gave off a mixture of Sulphur Dioxide and Methane - a potentially fatal gas combination which would also induce trance in those who breathed it. People from throughout the ancient world including the most powerful, would come to Delphi to consult the Oracle, a woman from the local town, who would communicate through priests who acted as intermediaries. Often the response provided to the questions asked would be obscure and enigmatic.
We saw the stone that marks the centre of the Universe. To determine this Zeus released an eagle from opposite edges of the universe and had them fly towards the centre. At the point where they met a stone was placed to mark the centre of the universe This stone was and is at Delphi.
The main temple at Delphi was dedicated to Apollo god of Music, Poetry but also reason and logic. When Apollo wet away as he did for 3 months every year, Dionysus was the stand in - the god of wine, feasting, wild behaviour.At this temple, the intended wisdom was for the individual to express the characters of both these gods in their lives. And also that in the end, the choice of how to live is up to the individual.
At this site, the theatre for poetry and music performance had a minimal backdrop. The reason was that the natural beauty of the mountains and the valley in this area was sufficient and one of the most beautiful in Greece. And it was very beautiful for us this morning.
At the top of the Sacred Way is a is the sports and games stadium. About 200 metres long by 100 metres across with seating for several thousand. I run a circuit - not the first to do so I imagine. This afternoon we are going to have a mini Olympics race for our tour group at the stadium at Olympia. I have a good chance to win the running I think.
There are now about 300 people on the site mostly in groups of about 20 or 30 and mostly with guides. All seem interested, quiet, respectful, moved in some way by the something of this place.
Yesterday when we first arrived and Zita and I walked to the temple of Athena area below the road I found the following inscription on a tablet - which I found very moving:
" The archaeological site of Delphi including the sanctuary and the natural landsacpe from Arachava to Itea and Amphissa has joined the list of protected world heritage sites. This designation confirms the universal significance of the architectural and natural assets of Delphi for the cultural evolution of mankind
Unesco Convention
December 1987"
We now head for Olympia - the location of the first Olympic games. Within 30 minutes we have dropped from about 600 metres to sea level and are travelling around the coast on the Ionian Sea. The wind is strong onshore - gusting 30 knots. There are many little harbours and small boats. People have been on the water here for a long time.
At lunch someone in the group who had ordered fish was waiting longer than the rest of us to receive his meal. He asked the waitress - "Where is my fish. Did you catch it?"
The waitress reply was "Yes, yes - 2 minutes"
Two minutes later the waitress brought ketch up (tomato sauce). But still no fish. The Greek word for ketchup is similar in sound to that in English.
We arrive at Olympia - at what is generally agreed to be our nicest hotel so far - although I have trouble telling the difference. We are given a complimentary Ouzo before we walk down the road 5 minutes to the site of the original Olympic games. Our guide, another confident and highly informed, well trained Greek woman, tells us about the ideals of the original games, how, even though it was the individual who competed, the place the individual came from would take pride in a good performance. How in ancient times, the various Greek states, who were often at war with one another, would agree to a months peace during the time of the games and this was later extended to three months. Even the Persians agreed to cease hostilities for the games duration during the Persian Wars. If only those at war today could be so civilized!
We now head for Olympia - the location of the first Olympic games. Within 30 minutes we have dropped from about 600 metres to sea level and are travelling around the coast on the Ionian Sea. The wind is strong onshore - gusting 30 knots. There are many little harbours and small boats. People have been on the water here for a long time.
At lunch someone in the group who had ordered fish was waiting longer than the rest of us to receive his meal. He asked the waitress - "Where is my fish. Did you catch it?"
The waitress reply was "Yes, yes - 2 minutes"
Two minutes later the waitress brought ketch up (tomato sauce). But still no fish. The Greek word for ketchup is similar in sound to that in English.
We arrive at Olympia - at what is generally agreed to be our nicest hotel so far - although I have trouble telling the difference. We are given a complimentary Ouzo before we walk down the road 5 minutes to the site of the original Olympic games. Our guide, another confident and highly informed, well trained Greek woman, tells us about the ideals of the original games, how, even though it was the individual who competed, the place the individual came from would take pride in a good performance. How in ancient times, the various Greek states, who were often at war with one another, would agree to a months peace during the time of the games and this was later extended to three months. Even the Persians agreed to cease hostilities for the games duration during the Persian Wars. If only those at war today could be so civilized!
When competitotrs were found to have cheated in some way, they were pubicily shamed. first instance of this was when a father from one particulr state, wanting his son to win a running race, bribed the other 6 competitors. When this was discovered by officials, he was compelled to contribute 6 beautiful statues hich were errected at the entrance to the stadium as a mark of shame to the father and to remind other competitors of the consequences of unfair behaviour. On the statues was inscribed the name of the offended and the offence commited.
After our site tour I had a discussion with the guide about the relationship between the Greek Orthordox Church and the more ancient religions and culture of Greece which has shaped much of the rest of the world. Her answer was that this is a big question in Greece. I am left with a sense of anger at the way Christianity destroyed so much of the wonder of Greek art and architecture. The wonderful complex of temples and buildings at the Olympic site was first badly damaged by earthquake. Then in the 4th century Christianity finished the job as it wa believed that Art and Architecture was idoletry.
I walked into the stadium itself, through the entrance tunnel that competitors would have passed through for 1000 years. From the stone marked start line, I ran the length of the stadium (about 200 metres). A bit like in a movie, I could hear the crowd cheering (or booing?). Are we any more civilised today than those ancient Greek athletes? Or can we still learn much from this Olympic ideal?
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