The Castalian Spring, in the

ravine A ravine is a landform that is narrower than a canyon and is often the product of streambank erosion.Phaedriades at

Delphi Delphi (; ), in legend previously called Pytho (Πυθώ), in ancient times was a sacred precinct that served as the seat of Pythia, the major oracle who was consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient classical world. The oracl ...

, is where all visitors to Delphi — the contestants in the

Pythian Games The Pythian Games ( grc-gre, Πύθια;) were one of the four Panhellenic Games of Ancient Greece. They were held in honour of Apollo at his sanctuary at Delphi every four years, two years after the Olympic Games, and between each Nemean and ...

, and especially pilgrims who came to consult the

Delphic Oracle Pythia (; grc, Πυθία ) was the name of the high priestess of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. She specifically served as its oracle and was known as the Oracle of Delphi. Her title was also historically glossed in English as the Pythoness ...

— stopped to wash themselves and quench their thirst; it is also here that the Pythia and the priests cleansed themselves before the oracle-giving process. Finally Roman poets regarded it as a source of poetic inspiration. According to some mythological versions it was here that

Apollo Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label=Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label= ...

killed the monster, Python, who was guarding the spring, and that is why it was considered to be sacred.

The Archaic fountain

Two

fountain A fountain, from the Latin "fons" (genitive "fontis"), meaning source or spring, is a decorative reservoir used for discharging water. It is also a structure that jets water into the air for a decorative or dramatic effect. Fountains were or ...

s, which were fed by the sacred spring, still survive. The archaic 6th century BCE fountain house has a

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite. Marble is typically not foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the term ''marble'' refers to metamorpho ...

-lined basin surrounded by benches. Water was brought here by means of a short and small aqueduct and was distributed by a system of water pipes ending in lion-headed spouts.

The Roman fountain

The Roman fountain dates to the 1st century B.C. and is situated about 50 meters higher from the Archaic one. Niches carved on the rock were intended for the ex votos of the pilgrims. One of them was later transformed into a church of St. John the Baptist. The water of the spring reached the fountain with a closed aqueduct. On the facade of the fountain there were seven bronze spouts. In front of it there was a paved courtyard with stone benches on its three sides. Bommelaer, J.-F., Laroche, D., Guide de Delphes. Le site, Sites et Monuments 7, Paris 1991

Aftermath and other uses

A modern fountain currently stands close to the street leading to the archaeological site of Delphi to offer respite to the travelers. The Castalian Spring fueled poetic inspiration, albeit often confused with the Spring of Pieris. The Castalian Band, a group of poets or makars associated with the Court of

James VI James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to th ...

(including the king himself) drew their name from this source. There is a town named

Castalian Springs Castalian Springs is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Sumner County, Tennessee, United States. History In the early 19th century, it was known locally as Bledsoe's Lick, and was the location of Bledsoe's Statio ...

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to ...

. A natural spring in this location was a gathering place for animals. Isaac Bledsoe discovered the spring in 1772. Having built a fort in 1783, Bledsoe, his brother, and their families settled near the spring in 1787. Native Americans killed the two brothers, who are now buried 500 yards northwest of the spring. Consequently, this area was known locally as Bledsoe's Lick. In 1828, a log inn was built, providing guests with "healthy" drinking water and mineral baths. Almost ten years later when the post office was built, the community changed its name from Bledsoe's Lick to Castalian Springs. During this period of time in history, there was a reawakening of interest in classical Greece and Rome. In

Castalia, Ohio Castalia is a village in Erie County, Ohio, United States. The population was 852 at the 2010 census, down from 935 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Sandusky, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area. History By 1738 there was a Wyandot settl ...

, named after the famed site, the Blue Hole limestone configurations were tourist attractions for many years and are now fish hatcheries. Waters in the blue holes are of a constant temperature and never freeze over despite northern Ohio's cold temperatures. The water which averages 30,000 gallons an hour was first used to supply a local mill. Castalian Springs was the name of a now-abandoned spa near

Durant, Mississippi Durant is a city near the central eastern border of Holmes County, Mississippi, United States, and Big Black River. The town was founded in 1858 as a station on the Mississippi Central Railroad, later part of the Illinois Central. Durant was nam ...

.Miller, Mary Carol, Mary Rose Carter, and Greg Iles, ''Must See Mississippi: 50 Favorite Places''. Univ. Press of Mississippi. 155-158.

References

External links

Livius.org: Castalian Spring
{{coord, 38.4830555556, N, 22.5055555556, E, source:dewiki_region:GR-07_type:landmark, format=dms, display=title Springs of Greece Ancient Greek sacred springs Delphi Landforms of Phocis