[1] According to Pausanias, this festival was founded by Philammon long before the descent of the Heraclidae and was possibly later combined with the Dionysian mystery celebrations.
This represented a mixture of figures and symbols from the worship of Dionysus, which was first introduced to the area by the ancient seer Melampus.
The "sacred fire" for the rituals of the festival was brought by the Argives from the temple of "Artemis Pyronia", located on Mount Krathis.
According to Plutarch, the celebrants began at night from Lake Alcyonia, holding thyrsi and proceeded by blowing trumpets and invoking the god Dionysus.
They then sacrificed a ram in honor of Hades Pylaios, throwing its dismembered parts into the chasm in the region, where they believed he had disappeared with Persephone.