▁the ▁participants ▁offered ▁presents ▁to ▁the ▁god , ▁among ▁which ▁a ▁tri pod . ▁Then ▁a ▁rit ual ▁cle ans ing ▁took ▁place , ▁which ▁was ▁accomplished ▁with ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁fire , ▁which ▁the ▁A then ians ▁took ▁them ▁back ▁to ▁their ▁city ▁by ▁means ▁of ▁a ▁tor ch . ▁An ▁effort ▁was ▁made ▁to ▁identify ▁the ▁rit uals ▁with ▁historic ▁and ▁myth ological ▁events , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁killing ▁of ▁Python , ▁par alle led ▁to ▁the ▁defeat ▁of ▁the ▁Ga uls ▁in ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁century ▁B . C . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Bibli ography ▁T racy , ▁N ., ▁" Not es ▁on ▁the ▁P yth ais ▁ins cri ptions ", ▁B CH ▁ 9 9 , ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁ 2 1 5 – 2 1 8 ▁B él is , ▁A ., ▁Les ▁H ym nes ▁à ▁Ap oll on , ▁C ID ▁III , ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁Kar ila - C ohen , ▁K ., ▁ 2 0 0 5 ," Ap oll on , ▁Ath ènes ▁et ▁la ▁P yth a ide : ▁mise ▁en ▁scène ▁myth ique ▁de ▁la ▁c ite ▁au ▁II e ▁s . ▁av . ▁J .- C .", ▁K ern os ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 2 1 9 – 2 3 9 ▁ ▁Category : R it uals <0x0A> </s> ▁Cer com ac ra ▁is ▁a ▁genus ▁of ▁passer ine ▁birds ▁in ▁the ▁family ▁Th am n oph il idae . ▁ ▁The