• MAIN PAGE
  • LATEST NEWS
    • Lost Cities
    • Archaeology's Greatest Finds
    • Underwater Discoveries
    • Greatest Inventions
    • Studies
    • Blog
  • PHILOSOPHY
  • HISTORY
  • RELIGIONS
    • Africa
    • Anatolia
    • Arabian Peninsula
    • Balkan Region
    • China - East Asia
    • Europe
    • Eurasian Steppe
    • Levant
    • Mesopotamia
    • Oceania - SE Asia
    • Pre-Columbian Civilizations of America
    • Iranian Plateau - Central Asia
    • Indus Valley - South Asia
    • Japan
    • The Archaeologist Editor Group
    • Scientific Studies
    • Aegean Prehistory
    • Historical Period
    • Byzantine Middle Ages
    • Predynastic Period
    • Dynastic Period
    • Greco-Roman Egypt
  • Rome
  • PALEONTOLOGY
  • About us
Menu

The Archaeologist

  • MAIN PAGE
  • LATEST NEWS
  • DISCOVERIES
    • Lost Cities
    • Archaeology's Greatest Finds
    • Underwater Discoveries
    • Greatest Inventions
    • Studies
    • Blog
  • PHILOSOPHY
  • HISTORY
  • RELIGIONS
  • World Civilizations
    • Africa
    • Anatolia
    • Arabian Peninsula
    • Balkan Region
    • China - East Asia
    • Europe
    • Eurasian Steppe
    • Levant
    • Mesopotamia
    • Oceania - SE Asia
    • Pre-Columbian Civilizations of America
    • Iranian Plateau - Central Asia
    • Indus Valley - South Asia
    • Japan
    • The Archaeologist Editor Group
    • Scientific Studies
  • GREECE
    • Aegean Prehistory
    • Historical Period
    • Byzantine Middle Ages
  • Egypt
    • Predynastic Period
    • Dynastic Period
    • Greco-Roman Egypt
  • Rome
  • PALEONTOLOGY
  • About us

5 Unexplained Ancient Holes

February 20, 2024

In the heart of the Yemeni desert lies a profound enigma, the Well of Barhout. This natural wonder, shrouded in mystique and dread, earns its moniker as the "Well of Hell" among locals. Picture a vast chasm, stretching over 30 meters in diameter and descending hundreds of meters into the earth's depths.

Legend intertwines with reality as folklore whispers tales of this abyss serving as a prison for demons. The air carries with it a noxious aroma, adding weight to the belief that something sinister lurks within. Even the Prophet Mohammed himself is said to have cautioned against its waters, deeming them "the worst water on the face of the Earth," amplifying the aura of apprehension surrounding the site.

Superstition weaves a tapestry of fear, warning against even the slightest proximity to its edge. Objects and individuals alike are cautioned against venturing too close, lest they become ensnared and consumed by its gaping maw. The mere mention of its existence is believed to court misfortune, reinforced by eerie accounts of inexplicable voices and unsettling sounds emanating from its depths.

Within the lore surrounding the Well of Barhout are tales of jinn, ethereal beings akin to genies, rumored to inhabit its shadows and assail any who dare to approach.

Echoes from the 13th century resound through the accounts of Ibn al-Mujawir, a traveler and merchant. He weaves a narrative linking the well to the tyrannical ruler Shaddad bin Ad, a figure enshrined in the Quran. As the story goes, Shaddad commanded two jinn to excavate a well and a water channel for a burgeoning settlement. Yet, in an act of hubris, he imprisoned them within the depths of the Well of Barhout, forever entwining their fates with this enigmatic abyss.

← The mystery of the biggest mammalian land carnivore to ever live...Archaeologists uncover ancient serpent artifact dating back 4,000 years, suggesting its potential use in rituals →
Featured
image_2025-12-12_001750915.png
Dec 11, 2025
The Ancient Astronomers of Chichen Itza
Dec 11, 2025
Read More →
Dec 11, 2025
image_2025-12-12_001705363.png
Dec 11, 2025
The Sacred Trees of Ancient Pagan Cultures
Dec 11, 2025
Read More →
Dec 11, 2025
image_2025-12-12_001605843.png
Dec 11, 2025
The Lost Temples of Angkor Before Angkor Wat
Dec 11, 2025
Read More →
Dec 11, 2025
image_2025-12-11_235943300.png
Dec 11, 2025
The Role of the Turtle in Ancient Mythology
Dec 11, 2025
Read More →
Dec 11, 2025
image_2025-12-11_235452975.png
Dec 11, 2025
The Terracotta Army: Guardians of China's First Emperor
Dec 11, 2025
Read More →
Dec 11, 2025
image_2025-12-11_234715866.png
Dec 11, 2025
The Nazca Civilization Before the Lines
Dec 11, 2025
Read More →
Dec 11, 2025
read more

Powered by The archaeologist