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Antro della Sibilla, Sybil of Cuma

The Cumaean Sibyl (prophetess) was the priestess presiding over the Apollonian oracle at Cumae, a Greek colony located near Naples, Italy. Because of the importance of the Cumaean Sibyl in the legends of early Rome as codified in Virgil's Aeneid VI, and because of her proximity to Rome, the Cumaean Sibyl became the most famous among the Romans. The famous cave known as the "Antro della Sibilla" was discovered by Amedeo Maiuri in 1932, the identification of which he based on the description by Virgil in the 6th book of the Aeneid. The cave is a trapezoidal passage over 430 feet long, running parallel to the side of the hill and cut out of the volcanic tuff stone and leads to an innermost chamber, where the Sibyl was thought to have prophesied. Replies to questions are said to have been written on leaves laid on the floor when the door was open, the wind blew the leaves into confusion symbolizing the state of our knowledge of the future.
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Title:
Antro della Sibilla, Sybil of Cuma
Caption:
The Cumaean Sibyl (prophetess) was the priestess presiding over the Apollonian oracle at Cumae, a Greek colony located near Naples, Italy. Because of the importance of the Cumaean Sibyl in the legends of early Rome as codified in Virgil's Aeneid VI, and because of her proximity to Rome, the Cumaean Sibyl became the most famous among the Romans. The famous cave known as the "Antro della Sibilla" was discovered by Amedeo Maiuri in 1932, the identification of which he based on the description by Virgil in the 6th book of the Aeneid. The cave is a trapezoidal passage over 430 feet long, running parallel to the side of the hill and cut out of the volcanic tuff stone and leads to an innermost chamber, where the Sibyl was thought to have prophesied. Replies to questions are said to have been written on leaves laid on the floor when the door was open, the wind blew the leaves into confusion symbolizing the state of our knowledge of the future.
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Credit:
Album / NYPL/Science Source
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Image size:
3198 x 3249 px | 29.7 MB
Print size:
27.1 x 27.5 cm | 10.7 x 10.8 in (300 dpi)
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