Νεκρομαντειον Εφυρας

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


Useful Information

Location: 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.
Open: Summer daily 8-20, Winter daily 8-15.
Fee: Adults EUR 2, Children EUR 1, Seniors EUR 1.
Classification: SubterraneaCave Church, SpeleologyKarst Cave. TopicGateway to Hell
Light: LightIncandescent
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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.
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History

8th century BC described by Homer.
late 4th century BC building errected.
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

This sounds weird: the door to the hades, the realm of the dead! The word Nekromanteion means oracle of the death, and the people came here to talk with their late ancestors.

The Nekromanteion of Ephyra is the only oracle of the death in Greece. 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.