Oracle bone and I Ching

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This article is about the classical concept. For the software company, see Oracle
Corporation. For other uses, see Oracle (disambiguation).

Consulting the Oracle by John William Waterhouse, showing eight priestesses in a

temple of prophecy
In classical antiquity, an oracle was a person or agency considered to provide wise
and insightful counsel or prophetic predictions or precognition of the future,
inspired by the gods. As such it is a form of divination.

Contents
1 Description
2 Origins
3 Pythia (Delphi)
4 Dodona
5 Trophonius
6 Oracle of Menestheus
7 "Oracles" in other cultures
7.1 China
7.2 Celtic polytheism
7.3 Hinduism
7.4 Tibetan Buddhism
7.5 Pre-Columbian Americas
7.6 Nigeria
7.7 Norse mythology
7.8 Hawaii
8 See also
9 References
10 Further reading
11 External links
Description
The word oracle comes from the Latin verb orare, "to speak" and properly refers to
the priest or priestess uttering the prediction. In extended use, oracle may also
refer to the site of the oracle, and to the oracular utterances themselves, called
khresme (???s�??) in Greek.

Oracles were thought to be portals through which the gods spoke directly to people.
In this sense they were different from seers (manteis, �??te??) who interpreted
signs sent by the gods through bird signs, animal entrails, and other various
methods.[1]

The most important oracles of Greek antiquity were Pythia, priestess to Apollo at
Delphi, and the oracle of Dione and Zeus at Dodona in Epirus. Other temples of
Apollo were located at Didyma on the coast of Anatolia, at Corinth and Bassae in
the Peloponnese, and at the islands of Delos and Aegina in the Aegean Sea.

The Sibylline Oracles are a collection of oracular utterances written in Greek

hexameters ascribed to the Sibyls, prophetesses who uttered divine revelations in
frenzied states.

Origins
Walter Burkert observes that "Frenzied women from whose lips the god speaks" are
recorded in the Near East as in Mari in the second millennium BC and in Assyria in
the first millennium BC.[2] In Egypt the goddess Wadjet (eye of the moon) was
depicted as a snake-headed woman or a woman with two snake-heads. Her oracle was in
the renowned temple in Per-Wadjet (Greek name Buto). The oracle of Wadjet may have
been the source for the oracular tradition which spread from Egypt to Greece.[3]
Evans linked Wadjet with the "Minoan Snake Goddess".[4]

At the oracle of Dodona she is called Dione (the feminine form of Di�s, genitive of
PDyaeus; or of dios, "godly", literally "heavenly"), who represents the earth-
fertile soil, probably the chief female goddess of the proto-Indo-European
pantheon. Python, daughter (or son) of Gaia was the earth dragon of Delphi
represented as a serpent and became the chthonic deity, enemy of Apollo, who slew
her and possessed the oracle.[5]

Pythia (Delphi)
When the Prytanies' seat shines white in the island of Siphnos,
White-browed all the forum�need then of a true seer's wisdom�
Danger will threat from a wooden boat, and a herald in scarlet.

�?The Pythoness, in The Histories, Herodotus.[6]

The Pythia was the mouthpiece of the oracles of the god Apollo, and was also known
as the Oracle of Delphi.[7]

The Pythia was not conceived to be infallible and in fact, according to Sourvinou-
Inwood in What is Polis Religion?, the ancient Greeks were aware of this and
concluded the unknowability of the divine. In this way, the �revelations� of the
Oracles were not seen as �objective� truth (as they consulted many) [see: Hyp. 4.
14-15]. The Pythia gave prophecies only on the seventh day of each month, seven
being the number most associated with Apollo, during the nine warmer months of the
year; thus, Delphi was the major source of divination for the ancient Greeks. Many
wealthy individuals bypassed the hordes of people attempting a consultation by
making additional animal sacrifices to please the oracle lest their request go
unanswered. As a result, seers were the main source of everyday divination.

The temple was changed to a centre for the worship of Apollo during the classical
period of Greece and priests were added to the temple organization�although the
tradition regarding prophecy remained unchanged�and the priestesses continued to
provide the services of the oracle exclusively. It is from this institution that
the English word, oracle, is derived[citation needed].

The Delphic Oracle exerted considerable influence throughout Hellenic culture.

Distinctively, this female was essentially the highest authority both civilly and
religiously in male-dominated ancient Greece. She responded to the questions of
citizens, foreigners, kings, and philosophers on issues of political impact, war,
duty, crime, family, laws�even personal issues.[8]

The semi-Hellenic countries around the Greek world, such as Lydia, Caria, and even
Egypt also respected her and came to Delphi as supplicants.

Croesus, king of Lydia beginning in 560 B.C., tested the oracles of the world to
discover which gave the most accurate prophecies. He sent out emissaries to seven
sites who were all to ask the oracles on the same day what the king was doing at
that very moment. Croesus proclaimed the oracle at Delphi to be the most accurate,
who correctly reported that the king was making a lamb-and-tortoise stew, and so he
graced her with a magnitude of precious gifts.[9] He then consulted Delphi before
attacking Persia, and according to Herodotus was advised: "If you cross the river,
a great empire will be destroyed". Believing the response favourable, Croesus
attacked, but it was his own empire that ultimately was destroyed by the Persians.

She allegedly also proclaimed that there was no man wiser than Socrates, to which
Socrates said that, if so, this was because he alone was aware of his own
ignorance. After this confrontation, Socrates dedicated his life to a search for
knowledge that was one of the founding events of western philosophy. He claimed
that she was "an essential guide to personal and state development."[10] This
Oracle's last recorded response was given in 362 AD, to Julian the Apostate.[11]

The oracle's powers were highly sought after and never doubted. Any inconsistencies
between prophecies and events were dismissed as failure to correctly interpret the
responses, not an error of the oracle.[12] Very often prophecies were worded
ambiguously, so as to cover all contingencies � especially so ex post facto. One
famous such response to a query about participation in a military campaign was "You
will go you will return never in war will you perish". This gives the recipient
liberty to place a comma before or after the word "never", thus covering both
possible outcomes. Another was the response to the Athenians when the vast army of
king Xerxes I was approaching Athens with the intent of razing the city to the
ground. "Only the wooden palisades may save you"[citation needed], answered the
oracle, probably aware that there was sentiment for sailing to the safety of
southern Italy and re-establishing Athens there. Some thought that it was a
recommendation to fortify the Acropolis with a wooden fence and make a stand there.
Others, Themistocles among them, said the oracle was clearly for fighting at sea,
the metaphor intended to mean war ships. Others still insisted that their case was
so hopeless that they should board every ship available and flee to Italy, where
they would be safe beyond any doubt. In the event, variations of all three
interpretations were attempted: some barricaded the Acropolis, the civilian
population was evacuated over sea to nearby Salamis Island and to Troizen, and the
war fleet fought victoriously at Salamis Bay. Should utter destruction have
happened, it could always be claimed that the oracle had called for fleeing to
Italy after all.

Dodona
Dodona was another oracle devoted to the Mother Goddess identified at other sites
with Rhea or Gaia, but here called Dione. The shrine of Dodona was the oldest
Hellenic oracle, according to the fifth-century historian Herodotus and in fact
dates to pre-Hellenic times, perhaps as early as the second millennium BC when the
tradition probably spread from Egypt. Zeus displaced the Mother goddess and
assimilated her as Aphrodite.

It became the second most important oracle in ancient Greece, which later was
dedicated to Zeus and to Heracles during the classical period of Greece. At Dodona
Zeus was worshipped as Zeus Naios or Naos (god of springs Naiads, from a spring
which existed under the oak), and Zeus Bouleos (cancellor). Priestesses and priests
interpreted the rustling of the oak leaves to determine the correct actions to be
taken. The oracle was shared by Dione and Zeus.

Trophonius
Trophonius was an oracle at Lebadea of Boeotia devoted to the chthonian Zeus
Trophonius. Trophonius is derived from the Greek word "trepho" (nourish) and he was
a Greek hero, or demon or god. Demeter-Europa was his nurse.[13] Europa (in Greek:
broad-eyes) was a Phoenician princess whom Zeus, having transformed himself into a
white bull, abducted and carried to Creta, and is equated with Astarte as a moon
goddess by ancient sources.[14] Some scholars connect Astarte with the Minoan snake
goddess, whose cult as Aphrodite spread from Creta to Greece.[15]

Oracle of Menestheus
Near the Menestheus's port or Menesthei Portus (Greek: ?e?es???? ??�??), modern El
Puerto de Santa Mar�a, Spain, was the Oracle of Menestheus (Greek: ?a?te??? t?? ?e?
es????), to whom, also, the inhabitants of Gades offered sacrifices.[16][17]

"Oracles" in other cultures

Main article: Divination
The term "oracle" is also applied in modern English to parallel institutions of
divination in other cultures. Specifically, it is used in the context of
Christianity for the concept of divine revelation, and in the context of Judaism
for the Urim and Thummim breastplate, and in general any utterance considered
prophetic.[18]

China
Main articles: Oracle bone and I Ching

Oracle bone of the Shang dynasty, ancient China

In China, oracle bones were used for divination in the late Shang dynasty, (c.
1600�1046 BC). Diviners applied heat to these bones, usually ox scapulae or
tortoise plastrons, and interpreted the resulting cracks.

A different divining method, using the stalks of the yarrow plant, was practiced in
the subsequent Zhou dynasty (1046�256 BC). Around the late 9th century BC, the
divination system was recorded in the I Ching, or "Book of Changes", a collection
of linear signs used as oracles. In addition to its oracular power, the I Ching has
had a major influence on the philosophy, literature and statecraft of China since
the Zhou period.

Celtic polytheism
In Celtic polytheism, divination was performed by the priestly caste, either the
druids or the vates. This is reflected in the role of "seers" in Dark Age Wales
(dryw) and Ireland (f�ith).

Hinduism
In ancient India, the oracle was known as Akashwani or Ashareera vani (a person
without body or unseen) or Asariri (Tamil), literally meaning "voice from the sky"
and was related to the message of a god. Oracles played key roles in many of the
major incidents of the epics Mahabharata and Ramayana. An example is that Kamsa (or
Kansa), the evil uncle of lord Krishna, was informed by an oracle that the eighth
son of his sister Devaki would kill him. However, there are no references in any
Indian literature of the oracle being a specific person.

There are still a few existing and publicly accessible oracles in India. Examples
include the Copper Oracle (Tamrapothi) and Silver Oracle (Rupapothi) of Shri
Achyutanda Das. These oracles are accessible to everyone at Pothi Ashram located in
Kakatpur, Odisha, India.

Tibetan Buddhism
In Tibet, oracles have played, and continue to play, an important part in religion
and government. The word "oracle" is used by Tibetans to refer to the spirit that
enters those men and women who act as media between the natural and the spiritual
realms. The media are, therefore, known as kuten, which literally means, "the
physical basis".

The Dalai Lama, who lives in exile in northern India, still consults an oracle
known as the Nechung Oracle, which is considered the official state oracle of the
government of Tibet. The Dalai Lama has according to centuries-old custom,
consulted the Nechung Oracle during the new year festivities of Losar.[19] Nechung
and Gadhong are the primary oracles currently consulted; former oracles such as
Karmashar and Darpoling are no longer active in exile. The Gadhong oracle has died
leaving Nechung to be the only primary oracle. Another oracle the Dalai Lama
consults is the Tenma Oracle, for which a young Tibetan woman by the name of
Khandro La is the medium for the mountain goddesses Tseringma along with the other
11 goddesses. The Dalai Lama gives a complete description of the process of trance
and spirit possession in his book Freedom in Exile.[20] Dorje Shugden oracles were
once consulted by the Dalai Lamas until the 14th Dalai Lama banned the practice,
even though he consulted Dorje Shugden for advice to escape and was successful in
it. Due to the ban, many of the abbots that were worshippers of Dorje Shugden have
been forced to go against the Dalai Lama.

Pre-Columbian Americas
In the migration myth of the Mexitin, i.e., the early Aztecs, a mummy-bundle
(perhaps an effigy) carried by four priests directed the trek away from the cave of
origins by giving oracles. An oracle led to the foundation of Mexico-Tenochtitlan.
The Yucatec Mayas knew oracle priests or chilanes, literally 'mouthpieces' of the
deity. Their written repositories of traditional knowledge, the Books of Chilam
Balam, were all ascribed to one famous oracle priest who correctly had predicted
the coming of the Spaniards and its associated disasters.

Nigeria
The Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria in Africa have a long tradition of using
oracles. In Igbo villages, oracles were usually female priestesses to a particular
deity, usually dwelling in a cave or other secluded location away from urban areas,
and, much as the oracles of ancient Greece, would deliver prophecies in an ecstatic
state to visitors seeking advice. Two of their ancient oracles became especially
famous during the pre-colonial period: the Agbala oracle at Awka and the Chukwu
oracle at Arochukwu.[21] Though the vast majority of Igbos today are Christian,
many of them still use oracles.

Amongst the related Yoruba peoples of the same country, the Babalawos (and their
female counterparts, the Iyanifas) serve collectively as the principal aspects of
the tribe's World-famous Ifa divination system. Due to this, they customarily
officiate at a great many of its traditional and religious ceremonies.

Norse mythology
In Norse mythology, Odin took the severed head of the god Mimir to Asgard for
consultation as an oracle. The Havamal and other sources relate the sacrifice of
Odin for the oracular Runes whereby he lost an eye (external sight) and won wisdom
(internal sight; insight).

Hawaii
In Hawaii, oracles were found at certain heiau, Hawaiian temples. These oracles
were found in towers covered in white kapa cloth made from plant fibres. In here,
priests received the will of gods. These towers were called "'Anu'u." An example of
this can be found at Ahu'ena heiau in Kona.[22]

See also
Portal-puzzle.svg Oracle portal
References
Flower, Michael Attyah. The Seer in Ancient Greece. Berkeley: University of
California Press, 2008.
Walter Burkert.Greek Religion. Harvard University Press.1985.p 116-118
Herodotus, The Histories, ii 55, and vii 134.
Cristopher L.C. Whitcomp.Minoan Snake goddess.8.Snakes, Egypt, Magic and wome
Hymn to Pythian Apollo.363,369
Herodotus, The Histories, as translated in: Rawlinson, George; Rawlinson, Henry
Creswicke; Wilkinson, John Gardner (1862). The History of Herodotus: A New English
Version. II. London: John Murray. p. 376. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
Plato, G.M.A. Grube, J.M. Cooper - The Trial and Death of Socrates (Third
Edition): "Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Death Scene from Phaedo" (page 24 - footnote
7) Hackett Publishing, 2000; ISBN 1603846476 [Retrieved 2015-04-25]
Broad, W. J. (2007), p.43
Broad, W. J. (2007), p.51-53
Broad, W. J. (2007), p.63. Socrates also argued that the oracle's effectiveness
was rooted in her ability to abandon herself completely to a higher power by way of
insanity or "sacred madness."
Thomas, Carol G. (1988). Paths from Ancient Greece. Brill Publishers. p. 47.
Broad, W. J. (2007), p.15
Pausanias.Guide to Greece 9.39.2�5.
Lucian of Samosata.De Dea Syria.4
R.Wunderlich.The secret of Creta.Efstathiadis Group.Athens 1987.p 134
"LacusCurtius � Strabo's Geography � Book III Chapter 1". penelope.uchicago.edu.
"Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), MENESTHEI PORTUS".
www.perseus.tufts.edu.
OED s.v. "oracle n."
Gyatso, Tenzin (1988). Freedom in Exile: the Autobiography of the Dalai Lama of
Tibet. Fully revised and updated. Lancaster Place, London, UK: Abacus Books (A
Division of Little, Brown and Company UK). ISBN 0-349-11111-1. p.233
"Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2006-12-05. Retrieved 2007-01-23.
Webster J.B. and Boahen A.A., The Revolutionary Years, West Africa since 1800,
Longman, London, p. 107�108.
John Fischer. "'Anu'u (oracle tower) and Ki'i Akua (temple images) at 'Ahu'ena
Heiau in Kailua-Kona on Hawaii's Big Island". About.com Travel.
Further reading
Broad, William J. 2007. The Oracle: Ancient Delphi and the Science Behind Its Lost
Secrets. New York: Penguin Press.
Broad, William J. 2006. The Oracle: The Lost Secrets and Hidden Message of Ancient
Delphi. New York: Penguin Press.
Curnow, T. 1995. The Oracles of the Ancient World: A Comprehensive Guide. London:
Duckworth � ISBN 0-7156-3194-2
Evans-Pritchard, E. 1976. Witchcraft, oracle, and magic among the Azande. Oxford:
Clarendon Press.
Fontenrose, J. 1981. The Delphic Oracle. Its responses and operations with a
catalogue of responses. Berkeley: University of California Press (main page)
Smith, Frederick M. (2006). The Self Possessed: Deity and Spirit Possession in
South Asian Literature. Columbia University Press, USA. ISBN 0-231-13748-6.
Stoneman, Richard (2011). The Ancient Oracles: Making the Gods Speak. Yale
University Press, USA
Garoi Ashram, (2004�2015). The copper oracle of Sri Achyuta: answers as
instantaneous inscription.
External links
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Wikisource Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Oracle". Encyclop�dia Britannica (11th
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