Oracles

Pythia

Pythia was the title of Apollo's priestess who delivered oracles at Delphi, rather than one woman's personal name.

How to approach it

Understanding this practice involves identifying the period, place and source describing it. A preserved object, a literary account and a later reconstruction offer different kinds of information.

An important distinction

Sources and later accounts do not provide an undisputed reconstruction of every detail of her consultations.

An example to explore

When two accounts differ, check whether each is an ancient text, a modern hypothesis or an artistic recreation.

Taking the idea further

To explore further, compare the related concepts and note differences in material, procedure and interpretation. If you open a related tool, read its own rules; sharing a symbol does not mean carrying out the same practice.

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Sources for further reading