How is the Olympic flame produced? What about the so-called fire collection?
The Olympic flame commemorates Prometheus in ancient Greek mythology, who stole fire for mankind and ultimately angered Zeus. In the later period, people regarded it as a god, so they had crazy worship of fire. The flame that symbolized fire was pure and flawless. The Olympic Games were also sacred to the Greeks. Once the Olympic Games begin, everyone must lay down their weapons and compete. Therefore, the Olympic Games, which originated in Olympia, had to light the torch before starting, and the fire was located in front of the Temple of Hera in Olympia.
In ancient times, the Olympic Games were held only in Greece. At that time, there was an eternal flame in the Temple of Hera, and people used this flame to light the torch to symbolize the opening of the games. Moreover, they also sent messengers to various parts of ancient Greece to tell people that the games had begun. At this time, everyone will lay down their weapons, stop fighting, and flock to Olympia to participate in the games.
The Roman Empire later ruled Greece. Amid the competition between their respective political parties and religions, and under the hegemony of Christianity, the Olympics were viewed as a pagan event. Finally, Byzantium burned Olympia, which was further burned by Theodosius II. After several natural disasters, Olympia was completely destroyed and the Olympic Games were suspended for a thousand years. It was not until the end of the 19th century that Coubertin proposed re-hosting the Olympic Games. In 1896, the Olympic Games were held again, and the torch relay began with the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
In order to ensure the purity of the flame, fuels such as wood and grass cannot be used to ignite the flame. The first torch had to be lit in front of the Temple of Hera in Olympia, under the auspices of a priest, who used a concave lens to focus the sunlight. In this way, this flame is the fire from Olympus, the fire closest to God, the purest fire.
In this way, the Olympic flame will be collected at the restored ancient Olympia site, and the Olympic flame collection ceremony will continue the thousands of years of tradition, pure and sacred. In the history of the modern Olympics, the flame was carried again in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. But only the torch tower of the main stadium was lit at that time, and no torch relay was held. Eight years later, at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, the first modern Olympic torch relay was held. No matter how history changes, the location where the Olympic flame is collected has never changed over the years, and is held in front of the ruins of the Temple of Hera at the ruins of ancient Olympia. Olympia has been inhabited since prehistoric times; in the 10th century BC it became a center for the worship of Zeus. In addition to its many temples, it was also the site of the ancient Greek Olympic Games. In the modern Olympic Games, the Olympic flame is an important symbol of human values ????and an important manifestation of the close relationship between humans and fire. Just like the messengers who announced the "Holy Truce" back then, today's torchbearers hold the Olympic torch, deliver the Olympic flame, and encourage the world to lay down their weapons and fight for the Olympics. The choice of Olympia as the venue for the torch relay ceremony symbolizes the close connection between the ancient Olympic Games and the modern Olympic Games, emphasizing the far-reaching significance of both. The same goes for collection methods. At about 12 noon that day, direct sunlight shines on the ignition device, a semicircular concave mirror called "Scafia". After a few minutes, the flame will ignite. The priestess played by the actress then lights the tinder basin and torch, passes the torch to the athletes, and presents the tinder basin to the host city for safekeeping. Put olive oil in the fire pot, which is an ancient method of preserving fire. This collection method ensures the purity of the flame.