From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
An omphalos is a religious stone artefact in the ancient world. In Greek, the word omphalos means "navel".
According to the ancient Greeks, Zeus sent out two eagles to fly across the world to meet at its center, the "navel" of the world. Omphalos stones to denote this point were erected in several areas surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, the most famous of those at the oracle in Delphi. Omphalos stones were said to allow direct communication with the gods.
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Omphalos is also a place in Crete on the borders of the river Triton sacred to Zeus. It was named for the umbilical chord of Zeus, which fell to earth there.
See also: Omphale
