Why is Delphi important in Greek mythology?

Answer 1

The site had always been holy to the Greeks as it was the location of the "navel of Gaia". The name Delphi comes from a root word which means "womb", furthering the connection to the mother of all gods.

The site, however, was protected by a massive snake, called Python (whose name comes from a root which means "to rot"). As a young child, Apollo killed the monster, a son of Gaia, with a single arrow, and then was forced to sped 8 years in menial service as penance. The myth is an allegory - it represents how the sun dries up fetid waters, thus preventing disease (Apollo is also the god of medicine).

The "navel" was the location of the Oracle, called the Pythia, who would inhale the fumes from the earth - said to be from the decaying corpse of Python - and would speak while raving. Her erratic speech would then be translated by the attending priests. The Delphic Oracle was the most well known in the Ancient world (Apollo was the god of prophecy as well)and the oracle was consulted on dozens of occasions in myth, but could not be seen during the Winter months (when Apollo was visiting the Hyperboreans and unavailable - gods too vacations too, it seems).

Answer 2

Dephi is the location of the most famous Oracle.