Classical ruins: This house-shaped tomb is near the spring where the ‘Gates of Hell’ once stood (Picture: Alamy)
The mythical ‘Gates of Hell’ have been discovered in the ancient Phrygian city of Hierapolis, now Pamukkale in south-western Turkey.
It is said to closely match historical descriptions of what was known as Ploutonion in Greek and Plutonium in Latin.
In its heyday, a small temple with traditional Greco-Roman pillars was said to have stood next to a wall with steps leading down to a cave doorway filled with foul and noxious gasses.
Describing the site, the Greek geographer Strabo (64-63 BC-24 AD) said: ‘This space is full of a vapour so misty and dense that one can scarcely see the ground.
‘Any animal that passes inside meets instant death. I threw in sparrows and they immediately breathed their last and fell.’
But now a team led by Italian archaeologist Francesco D’Andria, professor of classic archaeology at the University of Salento, has discovered what they believe to be the ruins of the site.
Amphitheatre: The excavation site at Hierapolis near Denizli on Turkey’s south-western coast (Picture: Alamy)
Announcing the discovery at a conference on Italian archaeology in Istanbul, Prof D’Andria said he and his team had managed to pinpoint the location by reconstructing the route of a thermal spring.
Archaeologists now believe that a large statue found at the Phrygian city, previously believed to depict Apollo, is actually of Hades, Greek god of the underworld.
Among the ruins the archaeologists found a cave with Ionic semi columns on which were inscriptions with dedications to the gods of the underworld, Pluto and Kore.
‘We could see the cave’s lethal properties during the excavation,’ Mr D’Andria told Discovery News.
‘Several birds died as they tried to get close to the warm opening, instantly killed by the carbon dioxide fumes.’
The archaeologist also claimed to have found the tomb of Saint Philip, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ, in Hierapolis, in 2011.
The ancient city was founded in about 190BC by Eumenes II, King of Pergamum. It was taken over by the Romans in 133 BC.
Under Roman rule the city flourished. There were temples, a theatre and people flocked to bathe in the hot springs which were believed to have healing properties.
Classical ruins: This house-shaped tomb is near the spring where the ‘Gates of Hell’ once stood (Picture: Alamy)
The mythical ‘Gates of Hell’ have been discovered in the ancient Phrygian city of Hierapolis, now Pamukkale in south-western Turkey.
It is said to closely match historical descriptions of what was known as Ploutonion in Greek and Plutonium in Latin.
In its heyday, a small temple with traditional Greco-Roman pillars was said to have stood next to a wall with steps leading down to a cave doorway filled with foul and noxious gasses.
Describing the site, the Greek geographer Strabo (64-63 BC-24 AD) said: ‘This space is full of a vapour so misty and dense that one can scarcely see the ground.
‘Any animal that passes inside meets instant death. I threw in sparrows and they immediately breathed their last and fell.’
But now a team led by Italian archaeologist Francesco D’Andria, professor of classic archaeology at the University of Salento, has discovered what they believe to be the ruins of the site.
Amphitheatre: The excavation site at Hierapolis near Denizli on Turkey’s south-western coast (Picture: Alamy)
Announcing the discovery at a conference on Italian archaeology in Istanbul, Prof D’Andria said he and his team had managed to pinpoint the location by reconstructing the route of a thermal spring.
Archaeologists now believe that a large statue found at the Phrygian city, previously believed to depict Apollo, is actually of Hades, Greek god of the underworld.
Among the ruins the archaeologists found a cave with Ionic semi columns on which were inscriptions with dedications to the gods of the underworld, Pluto and Kore.
‘We could see the cave’s lethal properties during the excavation,’ Mr D’Andria told Discovery News.
‘Several birds died as they tried to get close to the warm opening, instantly killed by the carbon dioxide fumes.’
The archaeologist also claimed to have found the tomb of Saint Philip, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ, in Hierapolis, in 2011.
The ancient city was founded in about 190BC by Eumenes II, King of Pergamum. It was taken over by the Romans in 133 BC.
Under Roman rule the city flourished. There were temples, a theatre and people flocked to bathe in the hot springs which were believed to have healing properties.
Petrified: The cascades of calcite from the evaporation of hot springs next to Hierapolis (Picture: Alamy)
Today Pamukkale is well known for the stunning white travertine terraces which are the result of the hot springs.
D’Andria also found the remains of a pool and the steps placed above the cave which match the descriptions of the site in ancient sources.
He said: ‘People could watch the sacred rites from these steps, but they could not get to the area near the opening. Only the priests could stand in front of the portal.’
According to the archaeologist, pilgrims arriving at the site were given small birds to test the deadly effects of the cave, while priests sacrificed bulls to Pluto hallucinating madly from the toxic fumes.
The site is thought to have remained fully functional until the 4th century AD and became an important pilgrimage destination for the last paegan intellectuals.
Historians believe the site was ransacked by Christians in the 6th century AD, with several earthquakes adding to the damage.(METRO REPORT)
No comments:
Post a Comment