Archaeology & History

'Gate to Hell' discovered in Turkey

By T.K. Randall
March 31, 2013 ·  24 comments

Image Credit: CC 2.0 Iza Bella The gate was said to be a portal to the underworld and was located in the ancient Phrygian city of Hierapolis. Records tell of a cave filled with deadly vapors that meant certain death to anyone who stepped inside. "This space is full of a vapor so misty and dense that one can scarcely see the ground," wrote the Greek geographer Strabo in around 24 AD. "Any animal that passes inside meets instant death. I threw in sparrows and they immediately breathed their last and fell."

The discovery was made by a team led by Professor Francesco D'Andria who had conducted extensive research at the site. "We could see the cave's lethal properties during the excavation," he said. "Several birds died as they tried to get close to the warm opening, instantly killed by the carbon dioxide fumes."[!gad]The gate was said to be a portal to the underworld and was located in the ancient Phrygian city of Hierapolis. Records tell of a cave filled with deadly vapors that meant certain death to anyone who stepped inside. "This space is full of a vapor so misty and dense that one can scarcely see the ground," wrote the Greek geographer Strabo in around 24 AD. "Any animal that passes inside meets instant death. I threw in sparrows and they immediately breathed their last and fell."

The discovery was made by a team led by Professor Francesco D'Andria who had conducted extensive research at the site. "We could see the cave's lethal properties during the excavation," he said. "Several birds died as they tried to get close to the warm opening, instantly killed by the carbon dioxide fumes."

Source: Discovery News | Comments (24)

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