Modern Science & Ancient Folklore-Oracle at Delphi
...ing was also developed with a belief of the influence of a divine power and maybe unreliable to the strict scientist. Strabo, on the other hand, a geographer of the time, simply states the facts as they were described to him without flourish and celestial meaning, but were they a manifestation of Plutarch’s account? There are other records left by historians, philosophers and poets regarding the region of the temple and the ancient oracle maintaining the same basic physical detail. Scholars accepted all these testimonies for generations until around 1900 when Adolphe Paul Oppé claimed them a myth. He even published an article in support of his theory regarding the lack of physical evidence of a fault or emissions at the excavation site around the temple. This was also the conclusion in 1950 when Pierre Amandry led an excavation and was unable to see or smell toxic vapors. Oppé ‘s declarations however were so influential that the revelations regarding the chasm or mystic vapor did not make it into current history books, at least not the one used in my class today. Could a new discovery change theory again? In an article, originally from the Dallas Morning News, it is reported that scientists have uncovered evidence that they believe brings some truth to what was at one time concluded by Oppé and Amandry to be a myth. Geologist Jelle de Boar, in an effort with historian and archaeologist John Hale, has discovered intersecting faults down toward the bedrock beneath the temple and they measured hallucinogenic fumes in the area. Ancient methane and ethane gas has also been found within excavated samples of rock, further proving the fume’s existence long ago. These gases are readily known to cause a narcotic effect on those breathing them and the reactions are consistent with the description of events witnessed by Plutarch. This new evidence could validate the ancient accounts and bring them back to the forefront of fact. When considering the effect of such findings on Greek history and western civilization on a whole, the discovery of the possible source or reason for the trance-like state of the oracle does not change what is essential within history text. Whether she was being theatrical, sniffing fumes or Apollo induced the trance it doesn’t change the history that was created by her prophecies. It does however; possibly validate the early writing regarding the events surrounding the temple and the oracle and they should be documented accordingly for future study. This discovery cou...