Oracle facts for kids
An oracle in ancient times was a special person who was believed to be a messenger from the gods. People would visit oracles to ask questions about the future or to get advice on important decisions. Oracles often spoke in riddles or mysterious ways. In Ancient Greece, many oracles lived in temples, and people would travel long distances to hear their prophecies.
Contents
What Was an Oracle?
An oracle was seen as a link between humans and the divine world. They were thought to have a unique ability to understand the will of the gods. People believed that the gods spoke through the oracle, giving answers to their questions. These answers were often about big events like wars, harvests, or even personal choices.
Oracles in Ancient Greece
In Ancient Greece, oracles were very important. People from all walks of life, including kings, generals, and ordinary citizens, sought their wisdom. The most famous oracle was the Oracle of Delphi, located at the Temple of Apollo. This oracle was a priestess known as the Pythia.
The Oracle of Delphi: A Famous Example
The Oracle of Delphi was one of the most powerful and respected figures in the ancient world. The Pythia would sit on a tripod over a crack in the earth, breathing in fumes that were believed to come from the ground. This would put her into a trance. While in this state, she would deliver prophecies. These prophecies were often hard to understand and needed to be interpreted by priests.
How People Asked Questions
When people visited an oracle, they would usually bring gifts or offerings to the temple. They would then present their questions to the priests, who would pass them on to the oracle. The oracle's answers were often vague or had double meanings. This meant that the people who asked the questions had to think carefully about what the oracle truly meant.
Why Were Oracles Important?
Oracles played a huge role in ancient societies. They influenced major decisions, from starting wars to founding new cities. People trusted oracles to guide them because they believed the advice came directly from the gods. This made oracles powerful figures, even though they didn't rule kingdoms themselves. Their prophecies could change the course of history.
Oracles in Other Cultures
The idea of seeking divine guidance through special people wasn't just limited to Ancient Greece. Many other ancient cultures also had their own forms of oracles or ways of predicting the future.
Oracle Bones in Ancient China
In ancient China, during the Shang Dynasty, people used "oracle bones" to ask questions. These were usually turtle shells or ox shoulder blades. Priests would carve questions onto the bones and then heat them until they cracked. The patterns of the cracks were then interpreted as answers from the ancestors or gods. These oracle bones give us a lot of information about life in ancient China.
Images for kids
-
The ruins of the Temple of Apollo at Didyma
-
Oracle bone of the Shang dynasty, ancient China
See also
In Spanish: Oráculo para niños
