Oracle of Delphi Article Quick Check

What was the Delphic Oracle known for?

• Writing poetry

• Predicting the weather

• Answering questions about the future

• Teaching philosophy

Who was believed to speak through the Pythia?

• Athena

• Hera

• Zeus

• Apollo

What did Plutarch attribute the Pythia's prophetic powers to?

• Magic crystals

• Intense meditation

• Vapors

• Divine inspiration

What did the 1927 French geological survey conclude about the Delphic Oracle?

• Confirmed the presence of a chasm

• Discovered ancient artifacts

• Found evidence of volcanic activity

• Dismissed the traditional explanation as a myth

What recent study has caused a reevaluation of the traditional explanation for the Pythia's trance?

• A study on ancient religions

• A geological study of the area around the shrine

• A psychological study on trance states

• A historical analysis of ancient texts

What did the study published in Geology find beneath the Delphic temple?

• Two intersecting faults

• An underground river

• A hidden chamber

• Ancient artifacts

What effect did ethylene have according to the study?

• Produced a narcotic effect

• Caused dizziness

• Enhanced strength

• Induced sleep

Why did the power of the Delphic oracle fluctuate and eventually lose favor?

• Due to political changes

• Because of natural disasters

• As Christianity became dominant

• The vapors stopped emerging

What modern use is made of the water that transported gases to the Delphic temple?

• Tapped for the town's water supply

• Protected as a historical site

• Used in scientific research

• It is bottled and sold

How does modern science help understand ancient beliefs according to Harris-Cline?

• By disproving them

• Using advanced technology

• Through archaeological digs

• By detecting natural phenomena