It’s 480 BC. The Persian invasion of Greece is underway. A sombre priestess known as Pythia, from deep within the Delphic sanctuary announces an eerie prophecy in the name of Apollo. Delphi, the famous Greek oracle that influenced the course of history for nearly 2,000 years, has recently been studied in an entirely new way. In fact, its origin has been linked to geological phenomena. The prophetess was said to utter her precious advice in a state of trance, which was induced by inhalation of gas exhaled from a chasm in the ground. The mere idea that this chasm was actually a geological fault would be enough to thrill seismologists everywhere and it seems that, in this case at least, archaeologists and historians could really use the expertise of a trusty geologist!

Recent work by Italian geologist Luigi Piccardi and other researchers has focused on testing the hypothesis that the gas was linked to a ground rupture. In fact, the Delphi active fault is located below ancient Delphi. Were CO 2 or H 2 S-rich, ethylene-rich or CH 4 -rich gases at the root of the prophecies? To answer this question, not only must fault-fluid interactions be understood through geochemical and structural analyses, but literary sources must be rigorously studied. Although at present no sites of anomalous gas release have been found in the area of Delphi, it is possible that the chasm was related to episodic seismic ruptures, which would have mobilised underground gases and could have caused them to rise. The duration of gas exhalation may have been limited, but it was probably enough to give rise to the myth associated with the local sanctuary.

The debate surrounding the Delphic oracle is ongoing and it certainly prompts us to take a closer look at rusty old myths: sometimes, mysterious rituals are not as enigmatic as they might at first seem. What if aged fables or terrifying legends had a simple, innocuous explanation? Science, through investigation and experiment, continuously sheds light into darkness. Scientific enquiry is not solely concerned with technological advances or medical discoveries. In fact, sometimes it can provide insight into early human history. This is the focus of the emerging discipline of geomythology, which aims to show how the origin of certain myths is connected to geological phenomena.

The Delphic oracle is perhaps the most striking example, but there is another closer to home – in the Scottish Highlands: the Loch Ness Monster. Once again, palaeoseismology, the study of ancient earthquakes, including their slip rate and recurrence interval, may help unravel the mystery! The first written reference to the elusive Nessie, often depicted as a plesiosaur, is found in Adomnan’s “Life of St. Columba,” dating back to the 7th century AD: in this text, the monster is associated with shaking, which suggests earthquake activity could have occurred at the time of the “sighting.” Once again, Piccardi was the one to point out that the loch is located along the Great Glen Fault. A release of gas associated with seismic rupture would result in surface water disturbance. Picture a misty Scottish landscape; add rain, wind and drizzle, and this could easily be mistaken for a large animal swimming just below the surface. A telluric explanation for the mythical creature is by no means the only one, nor is it universally accepted. However, lest there be anyone who believes Nessie to be roaming the murky depths of the loch, a detailed search using sonar beams and satellite tracking was sponsored by the BBC in 2003. Results were unequivocal: no creature of any substantial size was found.

Geomythology contributes to scientific knowledge by linking traditional descriptions to present-day science. Thus, if we sometimes forget the ties that bind us to the Earth, geomythology serves as a healthy reminder.

Anthea Lacchia

Ph.D. student, Department of Geology, Trinity College Dublin

@AntheaLacchia

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