Cavers descend into the "well of hell" in Yemen

In the east of Yemen, in Hadhramaut, there is a large limestone cave, which in Islamic eschatology is identified with Barhut - a well associated with the underworld and inhabited by the souls of infidels. Locals believe that jinn live inside a natural phenomenon, and the well itself is the gates of Hell. Legends of evil spirits are reinforced by stories of hideous fumes rising to the surface. Many local residents go around the well a mile away and prefer not to mention it in conversations, believing that this can bring misfortune.

The other day, a team of geologists from the German University of Technology in Oman and cavers from Research Group in Oman caves made the descent into the well, reports of The of Sun. They were probably the first people to visit there. At a depth of 50-60 meters, the researchers found snakes, dead birds and cave pearls - balls of calcite formed by dripping water. And no sign of the supernatural. Now the finds raised to the surface are being studied in the laboratory.

The origin of the well remains a mystery to scientists. Some speculate that this is a supervolcano that will wake up sooner or later, but there is no evidence for this theory. Others hypothesize that this is one of the "heaving mounds" of pingo - mounds with an ice core, which have recently appeared in Yamal, Taimyr and in the Krasnoyarsk Territory.