Danger and demons: Yemen's mysterious 'Well of Hell'

Photos

Login / Sign Up

Thursday, December 26, 2024

Gold / Forex

Photos News

Danger and demons: Yemen's mysterious 'Well of Hell'

Local folklore says it was created as a prison for the demons

Published: June 22, 2021 15:48 AFP

1 of 8

Well of Barhout gallery — Al Mahra: Surrounded in mystery and tales of demons, the Well of Barhout in Yemen's east - known as the "Well of Hell" - is a little-understood natural wonder. Image Credit: AFP

2 of 8

Well of Barhout gallery — Closer to the border with Oman than to the capital Sanaa 1,300 kilometres (800 miles) away, the giant hole in the desert of Al-Mahra province is 30 metres wide and thought to be anywhere between 100 and 250 metres deep. Image Credit: AFP

3 of 8

Well of Barhout gallery — Local folklore says it was created as a prison for the demons - a reputation bolstered by the foul odours rising from its depths. Yemeni officials say they don't know what lies below. Image Credit: AFP

4 of 8

Well of Barhout gallery — "It's very deep - we've never reached the bottom of this well, as there's little oxygen and no ventilation," said Salah Babhair, director-general of Mahra's geological survey and mineral resources authority. Image Credit: AFP

5 of 8

Well of Barhout gallery — "We have gone to visit the area and entered the well, reaching more than 50-60 metres down into it. We noticed strange things inside. We also smelled something strange... It's a mysterious situation." Image Credit: AFP

6 of 8

Well of Barhout gallery — Sunlight doesn't extend far into the structure, and little can be seen from the edge except the birds that fly in and out of its depths. Videographers seeking close-ups of the inside of the well have said they are almost impossible to capture - local superstition has it that objects near the hole can be sucked towards it. Image Credit: AFP

7 of 8

Well of Barhout gallery — Babhair said that the well was "millions and millions" of years old. "These places require more study, research and investigation," he said. Over the centuries, stories have circulated of malign, supernatural figures known as jinns or genies living in the well. Image Credit: AFP

8 of 8

Well of Barhout gallery — Many local residents remain uneasy about visiting the vast hole, or even talking about it, for fear of ill fortune from a chasm which, legend has it, threatens life on Earth itself. Image Credit: AFP

Latest In

This website stores cookies on your computer. These cookies are used to improve your experience and provide more personalized service to you. Both on your website and other media. To find out more about the cookies and data we use, please check out our Privacy Policy.