Orphism (more rarely
Orphicism;
Ancient Greek: Ὀρφικά) is the name given to a set of religious beliefs and practices originating in the Ancient Greek and the
Hellenistic world, as well as by the
Thracians, associated with literature ascribed to the mythical poet
Orpheus, who descended into
Hades and returned. Orphics also revered
Persephone (who annually descended into Hades for a season and then returned) and
Dionysus or Bacchus (who also descended into Hades and returned). Orpheus was said to have invented the
Mysteries of Dionysus. Poetry containing distinctly Orphic beliefs has been traced back to the 6th century BC or at least 5th century BC, and graffiti of the 5th century BC apparently refers to "Orphics".