This article is about supposed portals to the underworld from the surface of the earth. For other uses, see
Gates of Hell (disambiguation).
The gates of hell are various places on the surface of the
world that have acquired a legendary reputation for being entrances to the
underworld. Often they are found in regions of unusual geological activity, particularly volcanic areas, or sometimes at lakes, caves, or mountains.
Gates in the Greco-Roman world
Legends from both ancient Greece and Rome record stories of mortals who entered or were abducted into the
netherworld through such gates.
Aeneas visited the underworld, entering through a cave at the edge of
Lake Avernus on the
Bay of Naples.[1] Hercules entered the Underworld from this same spot. In the middle of the Roman Forum is another entrance,
Lacus Curtius, where according to legend, a Roman soldier named Curtius, bravely rode his horse into the entrance in a successful effort to close it, although both he and his horse perished in the deed.[2]
Lerna Lake was one of the entrances to the Underworld.[3][4]
Odysseus visited the Underworld, entering through river
Acheron in northwest Greece.[5]
The god
Hades kidnapped the goddess
Persephone from a field in
Sicily and led her to the Underworld through a cleft in the earth so he could marry her.[8]
Medieval gates
Into the medieval period,
Mount Etna on Sicily was considered to be an entryway to hell.[1]
The gates of hell were commonly depicted as jaws, forming the
Hellmouth, which was simultaneously the entrance to hell and the mouth of a huge monster.
Art
Auguste Rodin was commissioned to make a pair of bronze doors to symbolize the gates of hell. He received the commission on August 20, 1880, for a new art museum in Paris, to exhibit at the 1889 Exposition Universelle, which ultimately did not open; however in 1900, some of them were part of his first solo exhibition in Paris. Rodin spent seven years making the doors, with over 200 figures appearing on it. He was first inspired by Dante's
Inferno but focused more on universal human emotions. During his lifetime the model was never cast and it was first cast in 1925. The Gates of Hell was described as one of the defining works of Rodin.[9][10] Having hoped to exhibit his Gates at the 1889 Exposition Universelle, but probably too busy to finish them, the sculptor stopped working on them circa 1890.
Rodin's sculpture at Stanford University, California
Simon Marmion (Flemish, active 1450–1489) – The Gates of Hell and Lucifer – Google Art Project
Masaya Volcano located in
Nicaragua is known as another gate of hell, it is part of the first national park in the country. According to local lore, the volcano was a deity unto itself. It is locally known to the indigenous as the "mouth of hell".[20] In the park is a lava tube formed by lava flows; one can find bats and look inside and observe the glowing lava in the dark crater mouth of the volcano. It is an active volcano, constantly emitting gases. Daytime and nighttime visits are available at the park, it is a popular
tourist attraction for locals and international tourists.[21]
Religious contexts
In 1878, Rev.
Thomas De Witt Talmage delivered a widely reprinted sermon titled "The Gates of Hell" at the
Brooklyn Tabernacle, based on the
scriptureMatthew 16:18, message by Jesus to
Peter "...on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it." Talmage's gates were metaphorical, including "infamous literature," "dissolute dance," "indiscreet apparel," and "alcoholic beverage".[22][23]
In ancient Indian
Hindu tradition the
Orion constellation where the
vernal equinox is stated to occur, the
Milky Way and the
Canis were considered to form the border between
Devaloka (heaven) and
Yamaloka (hell); the Milky Way forming the dividing river between heaven and hell and the
Canis Major and
Canis Minor representing dogs that guarded the Gates of Hell.[24]
In popular culture
In August 2010, the
History Channel premiered a show entitled "The Gates of Hell" (History Specials: Gates of Hell (Season 1, Episode 105), which visited caves and volcanoes in
Nicaragua,
Belize,
Greece,
Iceland, Ireland and
Ethiopia, to examine the origins of these myths. It featured archaeologists, scholars, explorers and others working in this field.[25]
The September 2012 edition of Weird NJ magazine describes a large tunnel, referred to by urban legends as "The Gates of Hell". It is a storm drain in
Clifton, New Jersey.[26]
The February 2016 edition of Weird Ohio magazine describes a similar sewer system referred to as "The Gates of Hell" or the "Blood Bowl" in the High Street area of
Columbus, Ohio.[27]
Robert Lima, "The Mouth of Hell: Damnation on the Stage of the Middle Ages" in Stages of Evil: Occultism in Western Theatre and Drama (University Press of Kentucky 2005).
ISBN978-0-8131-2362-2