Do ghosts and genies really live in Barkhut, and why are the locals afraid to talk about it? Rambler talks about the “gates of hell” and how scientists treat them.
The well, which is called the “gate of hell” is located in the east of Yemen, near the border with Oman. The giant hole in the desert is about 30 meters wide and 100 to 250 meters deep. Previously, Yemeni scientists tried to go down there, but they were quickly raised due to a lack of oxygen and an extremely unpleasant smell. According to them, it was impossible to be there. Nobody dared to take measurements. In addition, scientists cannot even explain exactly how this mysterious well actually appeared.
Myths and legends
The unknown has given rise to various myths and legends. In Muslim mythology, such holes are called Barkhut – a well where the souls of infidels fall. According to the Muslim belief, the well is located close to the underworld, which is why such an unpleasant smell emanates from it.
Another legend says that the hole in the ground is a cursed gate that will mark the beginning of the end of the world. Demons will come out of them to the earth, who will destroy everything in their path.
Some local people believe that the hole can suck in people who are nearby. Because of this, they are afraid to approach her and even talk about her existence. According to the signs of people living nearby, even talking about Barkhut can bring unhappiness to the house. So much has it been mystified over the years of its existence.
The authorities themselves support the judgments of local residents that something supernatural is happening there. Even local scientists spoke about it.
“The well is very deep. We tried to measure it, but we never reached the bottom. There is too little oxygen. We went down to a maximum of 60 meters. , Director General of the Department of Geological Exploration and Mineral Resources of Yemen.
Scientific evidence
Those who do not believe in such myths and legends do not exclude that predators may live at the bottom of the well. They are sure that it is because of them and their prey that the well smells so unpleasant. Those who passed nearby said that they saw birds flying out and flying into the well.
For many years, scientists were interested in the cave, but no one organized an operation to descend inside, until cavers and geologists from Oman descended to the bottom of the mysterious cave. They dispelled all the myths about the “gates of hell”, imprisoned souls and unknown predators.
Inside the mysterious well, scientists have found snakes and animal corpses. In their opinion, it is the bodies that give such an unpleasant smell. In addition to sand, dead animals and rocks, scientists did not find anything in the caves. On the sides, they noticed “cave pearls”, which are black and dark green balls of calcite. It is formed from a mixture of limestone and water.
Scientists said they took samples of water, rocks and soil from the site, and plan to study them in the future. However, the geologists themselves said that sensational discoveries should not be expected.
Scientists have not made any conclusions about the origin of the well. There are several versions. The first says that it used to be a volcano, the other claims that the hole is a heaving mound, which was formed as a result of melting ice. During the melting of the glaciers, they crack and move the soil, and after they completely disappear, such holes or depressions remain. However, this version is disputed by the fact that there was no ice in the Yemeni desert for a long time. How long ago Barkhut appeared, scientists still cannot say.
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