An Oracle is a person or agency considered to be a source of wise counsel or prophetic opinion; an infallible authority, usually spiritual in nature. In the ancient world many sites gained a reputation for the dispensing of oracular wisdom: they too became known as "oracles," as did the oracular utterances themselves, whose very name is derived from the Latin verb orare, to speak. Prophecy, in a broad sense, is the prediction of future events. ... Spirituality, in a broad sense a concern with matters of the spirit, is a wide term with many available readings. ... The span of recorded history is roughly 5,000-5,500 years, with cuneiform possibly being the oldest form of writing. ... Latin is the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ...

Oracles were common in many civilizations of antiquity. In China, the use of oracle bones dates as far back as the Shang Dynasty, (1600 BCE - 1046 BCE). The I Ching, or "Book of Changes," is a collection of linear signs used as oracles that dates from that period. Although divination with the I Ching is thought to have originated prior to the Shang Dynasty, it was not until King Wu of Zhou (1046 BCE-1043 BCE) that it took its present form. In addition to its oracular power, the I Ching has had a major influence on the philosophy, literature and statecraft of China from the time of the Zhou Dynasty (1122 BCE - 256 BCE). Shang Dynasty (Chinese: 商朝) or Yin Dynasty (殷代) (1600 BC - 1046 BC) followed the legendary Xia Dynasty and preceded the Zhou Dynasty (1122 BC - 256 BC) in China. ... (Redirected from 1600 BCE) Centuries: 18th century BC - 17th century BC - 16th century BC Decades: 1650s BC 1640s BC 1630s BC 1620s BC 1610s BC - 1600s BC - 1590s BC 1580s BC 1570s BC 1560s BC 1550s BC Events and trends Egypt: End of Fourteenth Dynasty The creation of one of... (Redirected from 1046 BC) Centuries: 12th century BC - 11th century BC - 10th century BC Decades: 1090s BC 1080s BC 1070s BC 1060s BC 1050s BC - 1040s BC - 1030s BC 1020s BC 1010s BC 1000s BC 990s BC Events and Trends 1048 BC - Medon, King of Athens, dies after a reign... Alternative meaning: I Ching (monk) The I Ching (Traditional Chinese: 易經, pinyin y jīng; Cantonese IPA: jɪk6gɪŋ1; Cantonese Jyutping: jik6ging1; alternative romanizations include I Jing, Yi Ching, Yi King) is the oldest of the Chinese classic texts. ... Among the many forms of divination is a method using the I Ching or Book of Changes. ... The Zhou Dynasty (周朝; Wade-Giles: Chou Dynasty) (late 10th century BC to late 9th century BC - 256 BC) followed the Shang (Yin) Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty in China. ... (Redirected from 1122 BCE) Centuries: 13th century BC - 12th century BC - 11th century BC Decades: 1170s BC 1160s BC 1150s BC 1140s BC 1130s BC - 1120s BC - 1110s BC 1100s BC 1090s BC 1080s BC 1070s BC Events and Trends 1126 BC - Thymoetes, legendary King of Athens dies childless after... (Redirected from 256 BCE) Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC 260s BC - 250s BC - 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC 200s BC Years: 261 BC 260 BC 259 BC 258 BC 257 BC - 256 BC...

In classical Greece, the pre-eminent oracle – the Sibyl (or Pythia) – operated at the temple of Apollo at Delphi. This oracle exerted considerable influence throughout Hellenic culture; the Greeks consulted her prior to all major undertakings: wars, the founding of colonies, and so forth. The semi-Hellenic countries around the Greek world, such as Macedonia, Lydia, Caria, and even Egypt also respected her. Croesus of Lydia consulted Delphi before attacking Persia, and according to Herodotus was told, "If you do, you will destroy a great empire." Believing the response favorable, Croesus attacked, but it was his own empire that was ultimately destroyed by the Persians. Pronunciation: sib-ul The word sibyl comes (via Latin) from the ancient Greek word sibylla, meaning prophetess. ... For other uses, see Apollo (disambiguation). ... The Temple of Apollo, seen from below The amphitheater, seen from above Delphi (Greek Δελφοί Delphoi) is an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece. ... Lydia was an ancient kingdom of Asia Minor, known to Homer as Mæonia. ... For other uses, see Caria (disambiguation). ... Croesus (the traditional transliteration of the Greek Kροισος), who was legendary for his enormous wealth, was king of Lydia from 560 BC until his defeat by the Persians in about 547 BC. He was the son of Alyattes and continued his fathers policy of conquering the Ionian cities of... The Persian Empire is the name used to refer to a number of historic dynasties that have ruled the country of Persia (Iran). ... Bust of Herodotus Herodotus (Greek: ΗΡΟΔΟΤΟΣ, Herodotos) was an ancient historian who lived in the 5th century BC (484 BC - c. ...

The oracle also allegedly proclaimed Socrates the wisest man in Greece, to which Socrates said that if so, this was because he alone was aware of his own ignorance. In the 3rd century, the oracle (perhaps bribed) declared that the god would no longer speak there. Socrates This article is about the ancient Greek philosopher, for all other uses see: Socrates (disambiguation) Socrates (June 4, c. ... Socrates This article is about the ancient Greek philosopher, for all other uses see: Socrates (disambiguation) Socrates (June 4, c. ... (2nd century - 3rd century - 4th century - other centuries) Events The Sassanid dynasty of Persia launches a war to reconquer lost lands in the Roman east. ...

Dodona became the second most important oracle in ancient Greece, dedicated to Zeus, Heracles and Dione. At Dodona (ancient Greek: Δοδώνη, modern Dodoni) in Epirus, northwestern Greece, was a prehistoric oracle devoted to the Greek god, Zeus and the Mother Goddess identified at other sites with Rhea or Gaia, but here called Dione. ... Statue of Zeus The Greek sculptor Phidias created the 12-m (40-ft) tall Statue of Zeus in about 435 bc. ... For the son of Alexander the Great, see Heracles (Macedon). ... Dione in Greek mythology is the goddess considered to be the mother of Aphrodite. ...

On Crete lay another important oracle, sacred to Apollo. It ranked as one of the most accurate oracles in Greece. Greece and Crete Crete, sometimes spelled Krete (Greek Κρήτη / Kriti) is the largest of the Greek islands and the fifth largest in the Mediterranean Sea. ... For other uses, see Apollo (disambiguation). ...

Another oracle of note lay in Egypt, in a temple dedicated to Ammon, whom the Greeks associated with Zeus. Alexander the Great once visited it, and though no record of his query remains, the oracle is thought to have hailed him as Ammon's son, influencing his conceptions of his own divinity. Ammon is an Egyptian proper noun that can refer to at least two distinct entities. ... Statue of Zeus The Greek sculptor Phidias created the 12-m (40-ft) tall Statue of Zeus in about 435 bc. ... Alexander the Great fighting the Persian king Darius (Pompei mosaic, from a 3rd century BC original, now lost). ...

In Norse mythology, Odin took the severed head of the god Mimir to Asgard for consultation as an oracle. Norse mythology, Viking mythology or Scandinavian mythology refer to the pre-Christian religion, beliefs and legends of the Scandinavian people, including those who settled on Iceland, where the written sources for Norse mythology were assembled. ... Odin is considered to be the supreme god of late Germanic and Norse mythology. ... Mimir was a primal god of Norse mythology whose head was severed and sent to Odin during the war between the Aesir and the Vanir deities. ... Asgard (Old Norse: Ásgarðr) is the realm of the gods, the Æsir, in Norse mythology, thought to be separate from the realm of the mortals, Midgard. ...

In Tibet, oracles have played, and continue to play, an important part in religion and government. The word "oracle" is used by Tibetans to refer to the spirit that enters those men and women who act as mediums between the natural and the spiritual realms. The mediums are, therefore, known as kuten, which literally means, "the physical basis." The Dalai Lama, who lives in exile in northern India, still consults an oracle known as the Nechung Oracle, which is considered the official state oracle of the government of Tibet. He gives a complete description of the process of trance and possession in his book Freedom in Exile [1]. Tibet - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... For other meanings of medium, see medium (disambiguation). ... The 14th and current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso (born 1935) The 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso (1876-1933) In Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lamas are a sequence of leaders, since 1391, from the Gelug (dge lugs) school. ...

Further reading

• Curnow, T. 1995. The Oracles of the Ancient World: A Comprehensive Guide. London: Duckworth — ISBN 0715631942
• Evans-Pritchard, E. 1976. Witchcraft, oracles, and magic among the Azande. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
• Fontenrose, J. 1981. The Delphic Oracle. Its responses and operations with a catalogue of responses. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Edward Evan (E.E.) Evans-Pritchard (September 21, 1902 - September 11, 1973) was a British anthropologist instrumental in the development of social anthropology in that country. ...

External links

• The Oracle of Delphi and Ancient Oracles an annotated guide edited by Tim Spalding