The Well of Barhout
In the Yemeni desert lies a vast hole that legend called the Well of Hell, a prison for jinn. In 2021, cavers finally went down.
What was reported
In the desert of al-Mahra, in eastern Yemen, a round sinkhole about 30 metres wide plunges into darkness. Local legend called it the Well of Hell or the prison of the jinn, and said that anything that went in would not come back, and that strange smells rose from it. Few people dared approach.
In September 2021, a team of cave explorers from Oman climbed down to the bottom, about 112 metres below, for the first time.
Explanations offered
They found a natural limestone cave with waterfalls, stalagmites and glittering cave pearls, along with snakes, beetles, toads and the remains of animals that had fallen in, which explained the smells. The team called it 'magnificent'. Its age and how it formed are now being studied.
- When
- Legend for centuries; explored in 2021
- Where
- Al-Mahra Governorate, Yemen
- Witnesses
- Local people; Omani cave explorers
- Status
- Explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.