This region is known as the Acheron Valley of antiquity. The road leading to the caves from Ereğli city-centre is completely covered with asphalt. The Cehennemağzı Caves, operate as an archaeological site connected to Karadeniz (Black Sea) Ereğli Museum, consists of three caves, arranged side by side (Church Cave, Holy Water Cave and Hell’s Mouth Cave).
The first cave is arranged in two sections. In the first, the flooring still remains covered in its original mosaic of plants and geometric motif. A small apse was opened on the eastern wall of the second section of this cave, with steps placed in front of it, this cave is in-fact an ancient Christian church, used as a secret place of worship during the early years of Christianity. In its original form, the cave would have appeared monumental in shape, due to the presence of two columns that open outward.
The second cave is located on a 10-12m high slope near the road, named locally as Koca Yusuf Cave. It is entered through a narrow passage, set into the hillside with a three-step vertical ladder descending into the cave. This cave continues 1.5 km into the mountain. In the 1960s a fallen rock closed off the current extent of the cave, however its true length may be as deep as 3.5km into the mountain. This cave, which contains evidence of human settlement in the form traces of writing carved into the stone walls, currently covers a total area of 400m2.
The third cave is the largest in terms of surface area. The floor is covered with ground water. The cave is man-made, constructed to serve as a water cistern for the first and second caves.
MYTHOLOGICAL AND RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE:
The last and most difficult of the twelve missions given by King Eurystheus to Heracles (Hercules), symbolizing the human’s invincible resistance and aggression against nature, was the abduction of the evil beast-dog known as Cerberus (Greek Kerberos). In Greek mythology, Cerberus often called the “Hound of Hades”, guarded the gates to the underworld. Cerberus was from The Deathly Country (Hades), in which no mortal ever lived again.
Herakles arrived in Ereğli. Eurystheus must have been sure Hercules would never succeed at this impossible task as the ancient Greeks believed that after a person died, his or her spirit went to the world below and dwelled for eternity in the depths of the earth. The Underworld was the kingdom of Hades, also called Pluto, and his wife, Persephone. Depending on how a person lived his or her life, they might or might not experience never-ending punishment in Hades. All souls, whether good or bad, were destined for the Kingdom of Hades. Cerberus’ parents were the monster Echinda (half-woman, half-serpent) and Typhon (a fire-breathing giant covered with dragons and serpents). Even the gods of Olympus were afraid of Typhon. Through a deep, rocky cave, Hercules made his way down to the Underworld. The lord of the Underworld replied that Hercules could indeed take Cerberus with him, but only if he overpowered the beast with nothing more than his own brute strength.
A weapon less Hercules set off to find Cerberus. Near the gates of Acheron, one of the five rivers of the Underworld, Hercules encountered Cerberus. Undaunted, the hero threw his strong arms around the beast, perhaps grasping all three heads at once, and wrestled Cerberus into submission. The dragon in the tail of the fierce flesh-eating guard dog bit Hercules, but that did not stop him. Cerberus had to submit to the force of the hero, and Hercules brought Cerberus to Eurystheus. Unlike other monsters that crossed the path of the legendary hero, Cerberus was returned safely to Hades, where he resumed guarding the gateway to the Underworld. Presumably, Hercules inflicted no lasting damage on Cerberus, except, of course, the wound to his pride!
- The caves are known as one of the two most important prophecy centres of the first century AD. The other is Delphi, Greece.
- According to another myth, the daughter of the city is in love with the deceased, the servant. They escape from home together and hide in the room of the girl-boy in the Caves of Cehennemağzı. The hell-wing zebah protects them against the dangers of outside. To the girl of Tekfur who cannot enter the cave and to the young servant they are called “stone”, the girl and the boy are cut stone.
- Columns, columns, mosaic tiles and oil lamps in the cave, also known as the church cave, which is the first of the Cehennemağzı Caves, shows that the cave was used as a secret worship centre for the first Christians when the paganism was dominant and Christianity was forbidden. The remains in this cave are decorated with motifs bearing the traces of early Christianity.
