Dodona Oracle
placeThe oldest oracle in Greece, where priests interpreted the rustling of Zeus's sacred oak.
The Myth
Dodona in Epirus was already ancient when Delphi was founded. Here, Zeus spoke through the rustling leaves of a great oak tree, interpreted by barefoot priests called the Selloi who slept on the ground to stay close to the earth. Later, bronze cauldrons were arranged around the sanctuary so the wind would set them ringing. Petitioners wrote their questions on lead tablets, thousands of which have survived — asking about marriage, business, theft, and whether to have children.
Symbols
Fun Fact
The surviving lead question tablets are among our most intimate windows into ordinary Greek life — one reads simply: "Hermon asks Zeus whether it is better for him to keep sheep or cattle."
Explore Further
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