Delphic Tripod, Oracle, Apollo and Coins

 

The word ''tripod'' meaning three-footed and refers to a three-legged structure, is one of the oldest words in Greek.

                                         

Greek coin, 330-300 BC, with ornate tripod

In fact, no other word in that language could be demonstrated to be older, for it appears in the Linear B script, dating to the 13th century BC. The word appears on the clay tablet discovered in Pylos, Greece. The word ti-ri-po-de appears in syllabic characters along with a drawing of a three-legged vessel on the tablet.

                                             

Clay tablet with Linear B script, National Archaeological Museum, Athens.

             

A sacrificial tripod was three legged and was used for offerings or other ritual procedures.

                                            

Bronze tripod with serpent motifs

It was the universal practice of the Greeks to undertake no matter of importance without first asking the advice of the Gods, and there were many sacred spots where God answered the worshippers. The oracle at Delphi surpassed all the rest in importance and was regarded with great respect in every part of the Grecian world. In the center of the temple of Delphi there was a small opening in the ground from which it is said some vapour ascended. Whenever the oracle was to be consulted, the priestess called Pythia took her seat.             

The most famous tripod of ancient Greece was the ''Delphic Tripod'' on which the Pythian priestess took her seat to deliver the oracles of the deity. The seat was formed by a circular slab on the top of the tripod, on which a branch of laurel was deposited when it was unoccupied by the priestess. The tripod was sacred to Apollo. According to the myth, a fight resulted between Apollo and Heracles, after Heracles did not get any answer from the oracle of Delphi, that enraged Heracles who grabbed the tripod on which the Pythia sat in order to pronounce her oracles. Finally, Zeus had to intervene to end the quarrel.

                                              

Priestess of Delphi, Pythia, a painting of 1801 by John Collier

Oracles were thought to be portals through which the gods spoke directly to people. The Pythia was the mouthpiece of the god Apollo, and was known as the Oracle of Delphi. The oracle's powers were highly sought after and never doubted.  

                      

Apollo and Heracles struggle for the Delphic tripod, hydria, 520 BC

The Pythia was the name of the high priestess of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, also known as the Oracle of Delphi, which may have been present in some form from 1400 BC but was established by Apollo in the 8th century BC and was widely credited for her prophecies uttered under divine possession. During the period from the end of 7th century BC till the 4th century AD, the Delphi Oracle was the most prestigious and authoritative oracle amongst Greeks 

                                           

 Delphic tripod, red figured bell krater, Paestum, 330 BC 

                                         

Temple of Apollo at Delphi

Another well-known tripod in Delphi was the Plataean Tripod. It consisted of a golden basin, supported by a bronze serpent with three heads. It was made from the tenth part of the spoils taken from the Persian army after the Battle of Plataea in 479 BC. The golden bowl was carried off by the Phocians during the Third Sacred War (356-346 BC) and the stand was removed by the emperor Constantine in 324 AD and taken to Constantinople (present day Istanbul).

                                           

The Serpent Column left, drawing of 1574 AD showing the column with three serpent heads: right the current state (the height was 8-metre or 26 feet)

Tripods are mentioned by Homer (one of the greatest and most influential writers of Greek literature, 750 BC) as gifts and prizes during athletics games. They were also used as offerings to the deities.

                                           

Winged Victory bearing a Tripod (wall painting, Pompeii 64 AD)

In ancient China, sacrificial tripods have been part of the culture since the Neolitic cultures of Cishan (6500-5000 BC) and Peiligang in the 7th and 8th millennium BC. They are often referred to as ''dings''

                                          

Shang Dynasty, 1600-1046 BC, Ding

Coins with Tripod symbol

                                           

Kroton, Bruttium, 350-300 BC, AR Nomos, eagle standing left on branch, Tripod with grain ear to left and serpent to right

                                         

Kroton, Bruttium, 530-480 BC, AR Nomos, tripod with stork at right and on reverse incuse tripod

                                         

Cassander, Macedonia, 316-297 BC, bronze, head of Apollo facing right with Tripod on reverse.

                                          

Judaea, Herod I, 40 BC, Eight Prutot, weight 6.1 g, RY 3 (38/7 BC), Ornate helmet, palms flanking, Tripod, date to left, monogram to right

                                           

Kroton, Bruttinum, 420 BC, AR Nomos, Herakles left seated on rock, draped with a lionskin, holding branch in right hand, club in left, an altar before him, bow and bow case behind, two fish in Kroton below tripod, legs terminating in lion's feet, tied with a fillet, to the left, Apollo Pythios taking aim at a coiled python to the right 

                                          

Seleucid, 261-246 BC, weight 4.4 g, bronze, laureate head of Apollo right, Tripod on reverse

                                          

Seleucid, 246 BC, bronze, laureate head of Apollo right, Tripod on reverse

                                  

Judaea, Herod I, 40-4 BC, Two Prutot, weight 4,1 g, Jerusalem mint, Cross within closed diadem, Tripod table bearing vessel, palm branch to left and right

                                         

Greek, 2nd century BC, weight 6.3 gm, Tralleis, Lydia, Laureate head of Apollo right, Tripod within laurel wreath 

                                            

Indo Greek, Apollodotus II, 2nd century BC, copper, weight 14.1 g, Apollo standing to right and Greek legend around, Tripod on reverse in center and Kharosthi legend around on reverse.  

 

                                          

Syria. Seleucis and Pieria, Antioch, 100 BC, weight 3.5 g, turreted and veiled head of Tyche right, Tripod with monogram left, 

                                           

Indo-Greek, Hippostratos, 65-55 BC, AE obol or octuple, weight 15.8 g, Apollo standing right holding arrow, Greek legend around translated to King Hippostratos, the saviour, Tripod, monogram on either side, Kharoshti legend around translated to maharajasa tratarasa 

                                          

Macrinus, 217-218 AD, bronze, weight 10.3 g, Laureate draped bust right wearing aegis with snake's head rising from it. Reverse has snake climbing center of Tripod, head to right 

                                         

Indo-Greek, Apollodotus, AE Double or hemi-obol, 174-165 BC, weight 9.4 g, Apollo standing facing holding arrow in right hand and bow in left, monogram at left, Reverse has a Tripod within dotted border, monogram at left, Kharoshti legend on three sides: maharajasa apaladatasa tratarasa

Sacrificial Tripod

Delphic Tripod

Oracle of Delphi

Pythia

Apollo and Heracles

Coins with Tripod symbol