Area 5 (black lines on a white background in the map above) extends north to south. It is composed by a long passage pilgrims crossed after their meeting with the dead, following the dashed line way. The room 6 is the one in which pilgrims stayed before leaving the oracle. 

 
 



























Nekromanteion exit
(areas 5 ÷ 6)
The planimetry in the left panel (l.p.) of the screen is displayed using the natural orientation, top=North. By clicking on the  "sensitive" areas of the l.p. (marked with the numbers 5, 6), it is possible to get information on those areas.
Warning!! Working at full screen is recommended, as the left panel is blocked.


 
 

























































The room marked with number 6 was used for purification. Pilgrims would stay there for at least three days (as Euripides reports in Alcestis tragedy), before leaving the oracle. There pilgrims used to purify their bodies from death miasmas with which they had entered into contact during their visit to the sacred area. From there, pilgrims departed in absolute silence, following a path placed on the eastern side of the hill which lead them to the Cocytus river banks. They were obliged to keep a secret of their experience, lest they were accused of empiety and condemned to death.


 
 










































At the end of their meeting with the dead, pilgrims reached the exit, whilst the iron doors they had previously passed closed behind them. The path to be followed, dashed in the picture, had been devised so as to avoid meeting those who were starting their spiritual preparation. To this purpose, a way had been opened in the middle of the eastern passage (n° 2 in the l.p.) which allowed them to join the external passage (marked with the number 5 in the l.p.) and to reach the purification room (area 6).
Today there's almost nothing to be seen of the external passage. The external wall on the eastern side had been demolished by Romans during their siege and wall stones had rolled down to the hill foot.