Archaeologists Discover "Gate to Hell"

[Gahars]

It's the common movie cliche - archaeologists go poking around sites not meant for the world of man and inevitably unearth some sort of horror upon themselves. Team members die. Maybe there's a risque sex scene somewhere down the line; depends on how bad the studio wants that R rating.

But that's only pretend, right? Just for the moving pictures and the occasional novel or video game adaptation, right?

Well...

A “gate to hell” has emerged from ruins in southwestern Turkey, Italian archaeologists have announced.

Known as Pluto's Gate -- Ploutonion in Greek, Plutonium in Latin -- the cave was celebrated as the portal to the underworld in Greco-Roman mythology and tradition.

Historic sources located the site in the ancient Phrygian city of Hierapolis, now called Pamukkale, and described the opening as filled with lethal mephitic vapors.


“This space is full of a vapor so misty and dense that one can scarcely see the ground. Any animal that passes inside meets instant death,” the Greek geographer Strabo (64/63 BC -- about 24 AD) wrote.

“I threw in sparrows and they immediately breathed their last and fell,” he added.

Discovery News

Alright, so there wasn't a creepy monster or space alien, but "lethal vapors" is close enough in my book. And if we count sparrows as part of the team, it meets all the requirements.

Sadly, I can't find any confirmation that about the whole risque sex scene business. Consider that a bust.

Of course, this isn't a literal, physical gate to the underworld - as far as we know, no such thing exists (Hades gonna hate). Still, it's absolutely a great cultural find, and hopefully it'll give us a better understanding of Ancient Greek society. Plus, "Archaeologists Discover 'Gate to Hell'" makes for a great headline.

Still no word on that Stairway to Heaven, though. I'll get back to you on that one.

 

[WiiUBricker]

So The Undertaker's house has been found. (I know lame joke, but..)

 

[tbgtbg]

Someone tell Buffy they found another hellmouth.

 

[DSGamer64]

Are there pink dogs that chew at your face, skeletons that shoot rockets and punch you, and giant spider robots with massive brains that shoot plasma coming out of them? If so, we better call the Marine.

 

[J-Machine]

Apparently this city was once a tourist destination where people could chill at the open pool and get high on the fumes which apparently had some "fun" side effects on us superior mammals.

 

[Psionic Roshambo]

They found my bathroom..... Sorry had too much Taco Bell last night and didn't light a match...

 

[The Real Jdbye]

This almost sounds like an april fools joke, but it's a bit late

They found my bathroom..... Sorry had too much Taco Bell last night and didn't light a match...

 

[TheCasketMan]

So The Undertaker's house has been found. (I know lame joke, but..)

WHO DARES DISTURB ME!

 

[Nemesis90]

I hope there's nothing with huge guts down there.

 

[Janthran]

Oh I've known about this for a while. Plutonium is how I travel through time you see

 

[admung]

Still no word on that Stairway to Heaven, though. I'll get back to you on that one.

Actually, you can find the Stairway to Heaven on O'ahu, but it's closed right now, and illegal to hike. People still do, though.

 

[DinohScene]

I'm cold.
Brb, got to warm meself up a few.

 

[omgpwn666]

Somebody call Dante! Points for random reference!

 

[Taleweaver]

Archaeologist: At last! We have stumbled upon what looks to be the entrance to hell itself!
Bystander: erm...sir?
Archaeologist: these entrances have been both feared and searched for for millennia!
Bystander: sir...?
Archaeologist: yeey, what terrible secrets wait inside? Will we be able to find a crew brave enough to face its monstrosities?
Bystander: erm...excuse me...?
Archaeologist: for this sight is something mankind has yet to fathom and understand. Will it be wise to meddle inside, stir up what is better left unmeddled with?
Bystander: hey, now...will you please listen to me?
Archaeologist: yet as it is my job as archaeologist, I MUST find out what these ancient relics mean, find out the evil culture that dwells within and uncover their hideous knowledge.
Bystander: HEY JACKASS!!!!
Archaeologist: fear not, brave man. I have ventured far and awide. I shall not unleash horrible plagues of unknown terrors upon the world by...
Bystander: WE ALREADY KNOW ALL OF THIS!!!
Archaeologist: wait..what?
Bystander: that's the tax collector's office.

 

[Clydefrosch]

it makes for a great headline, however, hades isnt hell, at least not for the greek back then. hades is simply afterlife, their version of heaven would be the olymp I guess, but nobody gets in there. Their version of hell was... tartarus?

 

[totalnoob617]

if you really want to see the opening to the gates of hell ....google 'blue waffle

Spoiler: SPOILS!

 

[Arras]

it makes for a great headline, however, hades isnt hell, at least not for the greek back then. hades is simply afterlife, their version of heaven would be the olymp I guess, but nobody gets in there. Their version of hell was... tartarus?

Actually a specific part of Hades was meant to be heaven and another part hell. I can't remember what the heaven part was called though. Olympus is just where the gods chill out, no more and no less. I think there was also a somewhat neutral part that was neither really good nor really bad.

 

[FireGrey]

This is what we have nukes for.

 

[mr allen]

This is what we have nukes for.

leave it to dante, nukes are meant for imagination

 

[Bladexdsl]

was the gate in a hand basket?