Mysterious Cave Of Prophetess Cumaean Sibyl – Ancient Portal To The Underworld
Ellen Lloyd - AncientPages.com - Cumaean Sibyl was a priestess and prophetess residing over the Apollonian oracle at Cumae, a Greek colony located near Naples, Italy.
Her cave, located near a temple of Apollo was believed to be an entrance to the underworld, or even worse – a portal to hell.
Left: Cumaean Sibyl cave - Credit: Wikipedia - Right: Cumaean Sibyl by Andrea del Castagno
In the ancient world there were a number of sibyls active in various locations. Sibyls would give answers whose value depended upon good questions – unlike prophets who typically answered with responses indirectly related to questions asked.
The Cumaean Sibyl became the most famous among the Romans. In ancient Greece, the Erythraean Sibyl became well-known and the Sibyl of Dodona, possibly dating to the second millennium BC according to Herodotus, favored in the east.
Over 2,000 years ago, ancient Romans were aware of a certain, dangerous underground world that according to them was leading straight to hell.
Stories describing Cumaean Sibyl’ mysterious cave can be found in The Aeneid written by Virgil, who was one of ancient Rome's greatest poets.
Virgil wrote that the cave had a hundred entrances that led deep beneath the earth and as far as the underworld itself.
“The gates of hell are open night and day;
Smooth the descent, and easy is the way…”
Sibyl was a guide to Hades, the underworld and abode of the dead. Near the entrance of this deep cave, the priestess made sacrifices and poured libations, as she called upon Hecate, the goddess of magic and witchcraft. According to Virgil it was near this cave that Trojan hero Aeneas encountered the Sibyl. Although she was a mortal, the Sibyl lived about a thousand years.
She was 700 years when she served as a guide to Aeneas, as he descended through the caves to the Hell below.
Archaeologists have long searched for the mysterious cave of Cumaean Sibyl. In 1932, archaeologist Amedeo Maiuri finally found the famous cave that was carved into a huge rock near the seaside. Today it’s possible to visit the cave that is found along the road of Lake Averno. The cave is part of the Cumae Archaeological Site.
Entrance to the Cave of the Sibyl. Credit: Wikipedia
When you enter the cave, there is a tunnel and many corridors of what once was a sophisticated circuitry of stairs and passageways. At the end of the main tunnel, there is a staircase leading to yet another cavern. It’s a very interesting ancient underground complex and it gives tourists a chance to travel back in time to those days when the great prophetess Cumean Sibyl is said to have written her oracles.
Many ancient prophecies were written down in the original Sibylline Books, but these precious ancient books were destroyed, partially in a fire in 83 B.C.E., and finally burned by order of the Roman General Flavius Stilicho (365-408 C.E.).
Written by - Ellen Lloyd – AncientPages.com
Copyright © AncientPages.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or part without the express written permission of AncientPages.com
More From Ancient Pages
-
Man-Made Square Burial Cave Dated To Rameses II-Era Accidentally Found In Israel
Archaeology | Sep 19, 2022
-
Mystery Of Ancient New York Giants – Who Was Really Buried In The Druid Barrow?
Featured Stories | Oct 28, 2017
-
Incredible Treasure Of Extremely Rare Greek Coins And Aqueduct Found In Ancient Tenea, Greece
Archaeology | Jan 10, 2024
-
Ancient Bronze Ring Bearing The Image Of St. Nicholas May Have Been Worn For Protection
Archaeology | Dec 28, 2021
-
Incredible Technology In Mysterious Huashan Caves, China
Civilizations | Feb 10, 2015
-
Ruins Of Biblical City Of Corinth Discovered Underwater – Giant Monuments and Remains Of Lighthouse Still Well-Preserved
Archaeology | Dec 19, 2017
-
Palace Located Inside Ancient Temple Of Ramses II Discovered In Abydos, Egypt
Archaeology | Apr 1, 2019
-
Excavations In Ancient City Of Bathonea Reveal Traces Of Viking Settlement
Archaeology | Aug 27, 2020
-
Coyote – Native American Trickster, Creator, And Sacred Animal Who Can Deceive But Also Give Wisdom
Featured Stories | Apr 28, 2017
-
What Ancient Dung Reveals About Epipaleolithic Animal Tending
Archaeology | Sep 15, 2022
-
Spectacular Discovery – Scientists Decipher Previously Invisible Texts In Ancient Manuscripts
News | Nov 16, 2013
-
Tetzacualco – Mesoamerican Mini Model Of The Universe Discovered Underwater
Archaeology | Jan 4, 2018
-
Three 1850-Year-Od Stone Ossuaries Prevented From Looting Near Kafr Kanna In Galilee
Archaeology | Jun 21, 2023
-
Ceibal Is The Oldest Known Ceremonial Site Of The Maya Civilization
Ancient History Facts | Oct 1, 2016
-
Surprising Discovery Of Ancient Roman Salt Factory In England
Archaeology | Oct 8, 2020
-
Ancient Tomb Of William The Conqueror’s Nephew Discovered In Exeter
Archaeology | Aug 1, 2023
-
Unique Sword Discovered In Mysterious Pre-Viking Tomb In Uppsala, Sweden
Archaeology | Sep 2, 2019
-
Cave 53 In Qumran Region In Judean Desert Reveals More Secrets
Archaeology | Feb 28, 2022
-
Mysterious Unknown Beings Who Walked The Earth With Humans
Featured Stories | Sep 15, 2020
-
New Insights Into The Dawn Of The Indo-European Languages
Linguistic Discoveries | Jul 27, 2023