Νεκρομαντειον Εφυρας

Necromanteion of Ephyra - Nekyomanteion at Acheron - The Oracle of the Dead - Hades

Useful Information

photography — Nekromanteion of Ephyra, Greece. Public Domain.

Location:	Mesopotamos 480 62. In Mesopotamo. 52 km south of Igoumenitsa, 20 km south of Pargas. From the coast road take the Ammoudia turning, double back under the new road and drive straight up through the village of Mesopotamo, the Oracle is on the hill facing you under a small chapel. (39.2364063, 20.5336278)
Open:	Summer daily 8-20, Winter daily 8-15.
Fee:	Adults EUR 2, Children EUR 1, Seniors EUR 1.
Classification:	Cave Church, Karst Cave. Gateway to Hell
Light:	Electric Light
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As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

8th century BC	described by Homer.
5th century BC	described by Herodotus.
late 4th century BC	building erected.
167 BC	burned down by the Romans.
18th century	monastery of St. John the Baptist built on top.
1958-1964	excavated by the archaeologist Prof. Sotirios Dakaris.
1976-1977	more excavations by Sotirios Dakaris.

Description

The Νεκρομαντεῖον (Nekromanteion of Ephyra) is the only oracle of the death in Greece. The word Nekromanteion means "oracle of the death", and the people came here to talk with their late ancestors. It belonged to the Thesprotians, an early Greek tribe who settled in this area about 2000 B.C. It was even mentioned by Homer, who obviously knew the place. In the Odyssee he sent Odysseus to seek advice from a long-dead oracle, and he was horrified by visions of Hades.