The Nekromanteion (Greek: Νεκρομαντεῖον) was an ancient Greek temple of necromancy devoted to Hades and Persephone. According to tradition, it was located on the banks of the Acheron river in Epirus, near the ancient city of Ephyra. This site was believed by devotees to be the door to Hades, the realm of the dead. The site is at the meeting point of the Acheron, Pyriphlegethon and Cocytus rivers, believed to flow through and water the kingdom of Hades. The meaning of the names of the rivers has been interpreted to be "joyless", "burning coals" and "lament", respectively.[1]
A site in Mesopotamos, Epirus was proposed as the site of the Necromanteion in 1958, but this identification is now questioned.
The word Necromanteion means "Oracle of the Dead", and the faithful came here to talk with their dead ancestors. Although other ancient temples such as the Temple of Poseidon in Taenaron as well as those in Argolis, Cumae, and Herakleia in Pontos are known to have housed oracles of the dead, the Necromanteion of Ephyra was the most important.[2] It belonged to the Thesprotians, the local Epirot Greek tribe. According to Herodotus' account, it was to the Necromanteion that Periander, the 6th century BC tyrant of Corinth, sent legates to ask questions of his dead wife, Melissa.[3] In Homer's Odyssey, the Necromanteion was also described as the entrance by which Odysseus made his katabasis.[4]
Ritual useedit
Ritual use of the Necromanteion involved elaborate ceremonies wherein celebrants seeking to speak to the dead would start by gathering in the ziggurat-like temple[5] and consuming a meal of broad beans, pork, barley bread, oysters, and a narcotic compound.[2][6] Following a cleansing ceremony and the sacrifice of sheep, the faithful would descend through a chthonic series of meandering corridors leaving offerings as they passed through a number of iron gates. The nekromanteia would pose a series of questions and chant prayers and the celebrants would then witness the priest arise from the floor and begin to fly through the temple through the use of theatrical cranes.[6]
Disputed archaeological siteedit
An archaeological site discovered in 1958 and excavated during 1958–64 and 1976–77 was identified as the Necromanteion by archaeologist Sotirios Dakaris based on its geographical location and its similarities to descriptions found in Herodotus and Homer.[7] However, its topographical situation on a hill commanding the immediate neighbourhood does not fit this interpretation and the ruins dated to no earlier than the later 4th century BC.[8]
It is now also believed that the site was a fortified farmhouse of a sort common in the Hellenistic period.[9] Besides quantities of household ceramics, the site produced agricultural tools and weaponry, including Roman pila from the final destruction of the site by the Romans in 167 BC.[10] Most surprising of all were 21 washers (the distinctive bronze modioli) from at least seven different catapults, which Dakaris had mistakenly identified as components from a crane.[11]
Timelineedit
8th century BC - Necromanteion described by Homer.
5th century BC - Necromanteion described by Herodotus.
^. Archived from the original on 2008-03-21. Retrieved 2008-09-30.
^ abAncient Greek Inventions (Michael Lahanas) 2009-01-30 at the Wayback Machine
^S. Dakaris, The Antiquity of Epirus: The Acheron Necromanteion: Ephyra-Pandosia-Coassope (Athens, 1973); idem, in: The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites (1976), pp. 310f. s.v. Ephyra
^D. Baatz, "Teile hellenistischer Geschütze aus Griechenland", Archäologischer Anzeiger 1979 (1979), pp. 68-75.
^J. Wiseman, "Rethinking the 'Halls of Hades'", Archaeology 51.3 (1998), pp. 12-18; D. Baatz, "Wehrhaftes Wohnen. Ein befestigter hellenistischer Adelssitz bei Ephyra (Nordgriechenland)", Antike Welt 30.2 (1999), pp. 151-155.
^D. Baatz, "Hellenistische Katapulte aus Ephyra (Epirus)", Mitteilungen des deutschen archäologischen Instituts, Athenische Abteilung 97 (1982), pp. 211-233; D.B. Campbell, Greek and Roman Artillery, 399 BC-AD 363 (Oxford, 2003), pp. 13-14 and plate B (p. 26).
necromanteion, acheron, nekromanteion, greek, Νεκρομαντεῖον, ancient, greek, temple, necromancy, devoted, hades, persephone, according, tradition, located, banks, acheron, river, epirus, near, ancient, city, ephyra, this, site, believed, devotees, door, hades,. The Nekromanteion Greek Nekromanteῖon was an ancient Greek temple of necromancy devoted to Hades and Persephone According to tradition it was located on the banks of the Acheron river in Epirus near the ancient city of Ephyra This site was believed by devotees to be the door to Hades the realm of the dead The site is at the meeting point of the Acheron Pyriphlegethon and Cocytus rivers believed to flow through and water the kingdom of Hades The meaning of the names of the rivers has been interpreted to be joyless burning coals and lament respectively 1 A site in Mesopotamos Epirus was proposed as the site of the Necromanteion in 1958 but this identification is now questioned Contents 1 Background 2 Ritual use 3 Disputed archaeological site 3 1 Timeline 4 ReferencesBackground editThe word Necromanteion means Oracle of the Dead and the faithful came here to talk with their dead ancestors Although other ancient temples such as the Temple of Poseidon in Taenaron as well as those in Argolis Cumae and Herakleia in Pontos are known to have housed oracles of the dead the Necromanteion of Ephyra was the most important 2 It belonged to the Thesprotians the local Epirot Greek tribe According to Herodotus account it was to the Necromanteion that Periander the 6th century BC tyrant of Corinth sent legates to ask questions of his dead wife Melissa 3 In Homer s Odyssey the Necromanteion was also described as the entrance by which Odysseus made his katabasis 4 Ritual use editRitual use of the Necromanteion involved elaborate ceremonies wherein celebrants seeking to speak to the dead would start by gathering in the ziggurat like temple 5 and consuming a meal of broad beans pork barley bread oysters and a narcotic compound 2 6 Following a cleansing ceremony and the sacrifice of sheep the faithful would descend through a chthonic series of meandering corridors leaving offerings as they passed through a number of iron gates The nekromanteia would pose a series of questions and chant prayers and the celebrants would then witness the priest arise from the floor and begin to fly through the temple through the use of theatrical cranes 6 Disputed archaeological site editAn archaeological site discovered in 1958 and excavated during 1958 64 and 1976 77 was identified as the Necromanteion by archaeologist Sotirios Dakaris based on its geographical location and its similarities to descriptions found in Herodotus and Homer 7 However its topographical situation on a hill commanding the immediate neighbourhood does not fit this interpretation and the ruins dated to no earlier than the later 4th century BC 8 It is now also believed that the site was a fortified farmhouse of a sort common in the Hellenistic period 9 Besides quantities of household ceramics the site produced agricultural tools and weaponry including Roman pila from the final destruction of the site by the Romans in 167 BC 10 Most surprising of all were 21 washers the distinctive bronze modioli from at least seven different catapults which Dakaris had mistakenly identified as components from a crane 11 Timeline edit 8th century BC Necromanteion described by Homer 5th century BC Necromanteion described by Herodotus Late 4th century BC Site building erected 167 BC Site burned down by the Romans nbsp nbsp nbsp Pottery at the Necromanteion nbsp One of the tunnels on the site nbsp Halls leading to the central room nbsp Central room nbsp TunnelReferences edit Olalla Pedro Mythological Atlas of Greece Athens Road Editions 2002 p 38 See also map 20 in this book a b Newsfinder 2002 The Nekromanteio at Acheron Archived 2015 06 07 at the Wayback Machine Accessed October 13 2008 Herodotus Histories 5 92 Odyssey x 513ff Ephyra s Nekromanteion Archived from the original on 2008 03 21 Retrieved 2008 09 30 a b Ancient Greek Inventions Michael Lahanas Archived 2009 01 30 at the Wayback Machine S Dakaris The Antiquity of Epirus The Acheron Necromanteion Ephyra Pandosia Coassope Athens 1973 idem in The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites 1976 pp 310f s v Ephyra D Baatz Teile hellenistischer Geschutze aus Griechenland Archaologischer Anzeiger 1979 1979 pp 68 75 J Wiseman Rethinking the Halls of Hades Archaeology 51 3 1998 pp 12 18 D Baatz Wehrhaftes Wohnen Ein befestigter hellenistischer Adelssitz bei Ephyra Nordgriechenland Antike Welt 30 2 1999 pp 151 155 Livy 45 34 D Baatz Hellenistische Katapulte aus Ephyra Epirus Mitteilungen des deutschen archaologischen Instituts Athenische Abteilung 97 1982 pp 211 233 D B Campbell Greek and Roman Artillery 399 BC AD 363 Oxford 2003 pp 13 14 and plate B p 26 1 Conference paper about the acoustic properties of the crypt of Acheron Necromantion 39 14 10 N 20 32 04 E 39 2362 N 20 5345 E 39 2362 20 5345 https ikee lib auth gr record 124480 files Did Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Necromanteion of Acheron amp oldid 1210279578, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
