DH.025 Sacred Way at Delphi

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Creator

Denis Baly

Creation Year

1978

Image ID

DH.025

Subcollection

DH: Delphi

Abstract

A view of the entrance to the sacred way and the wall enclosing the Sanctuary of Apollo. Votive monuments and treasuries were presented along this path by city-states all around Greece, showcasing their religious dedication and wealth.

Description

A view of the start of the Sacred Way from the Roman Marketplace. The steps in the foreground lead up and through the walls that enclose the Sanctuary of Apollo, from which point the path is lined by votive monuments and treasuries commisioned by various city-states to showcase their religious devotion, wealth, and culture. In the midground, on the left, are the statue bases of the Monument of the Admirals, an impressive dedication by the Spartan general Lysander to commemorate his victory over the Athenians at Aegospotami. The full monument consisted of 37 bronze statues of gods and Spartan Admirals. To the right of the path, the first structure is the Base of the Bull of Corcyra (modern Corfu), an offering given after instructions from the Delphic oracle to sacrifice a bull yielded an especially large fishing harvest. The bull was crushed by rocks, but fragments survive and are displayed in the museum. Behind this, the platform of the Offerings of the Arcadians, which once held nine bronze statues, commemorating the invasion of Laconia in 369 BCE. This was intentionally placed opposite the Spartan dedication, as they were competing Peloponnesian powers.

Image Notes

Creation date unknown. Photograph processed July 1978. Notes written on the slide or index: Delphi - Sacred Way.

Image Format

35 mm slide

Geographic Reference

Delfoi, Greece