Histories

But the Delians[*](This Delian story about the Hyperboreans is additional evidence of the known fact that trade routes from the earliest times linked northern with southeastern Europe (continent)Europe. Amber in particular was carried from the Baltic Sea (sea), EuropeBaltic to the +Aegean Sea [25,38.5] (sea) Aegean.) say much more about them than any others do. They say that offerings wrapped in straw are brought from the Hyperboreans to Scythia (region (general)), AsiaScythia; when these have passed Scythia (region (general)), AsiaScythia, each nation in turn receives them from its neighbors until they are carried to the +Adriatic Sea [16,43] (sea), Europe Adriatic sea, which is the most westerly limit of their journey;

from there, they are brought on to the south, the people of Dodona [20.8,39.55] (Perseus)Dodona being the first Greeks to receive them. From Dodona [20.8,39.55] (Perseus)Dodona they come down to the Melian gulf, and are carried across to +Euboea [23.833,38.566] (island), Nomos Evvoias, Central Greece and Euboea, Greece, Europe Euboea, and one city sends them on to another until they come to Carystus; after this, +Andros [24.9,37.816] (inhabited place), Nisos Andros, Cyclades, Aegean Islands, Greece, Europe Andros is left out of their journey, for Carystians carry them to +Nisos Tinos [25.166,37.583] (island), Cyclades, Aegean Islands, Greece, Europe Tenos, and Tenians to Delos [25.2833,37.4] (Perseus)Delos.

Thus (they say) these offerings come to Delos [25.2833,37.4] (Perseus)Delos. But on the first journey, the Hyperboreans sent two maidens bearing the offerings, to whom the Delians give the names Hyperoche and Laodice, and five men of their people with them as escort for safe conduct, those who are now called Perpherees [*](That is, probably, the Bearers.) and greatly honored at Delos [25.2833,37.4] (Perseus)Delos.

But when those whom they sent never returned, they took it amiss that they should be condemned always to be sending people and not getting them back, and so they carry the offerings, wrapped in straw, to their borders, and tell their neighbors to send them on from their own country to the next;

and the offerings, it is said, come by this conveyance to Delos [25.2833,37.4] (Perseus)Delos. I can say of my own knowledge that there is a custom like these offerings; namely, that when the Thracian and Paeonian women sacrifice to the Royal Artemis, they have straw with them while they sacrifice.