Great Britain is fraught with many historical mysteries, and one of them is the Shell Grotto, which is located in the city of Margate in Kent. This underground corridor decorated with many shells, more than twenty meters long, was discovered in 1835, and its origin has remained a mystery.
Photo: kulturologia.ru
Almost all surface areas of the walls and ceiling of the Grotto are covered with mosaics made entirely of local shells. The total area of the mosaic is 190 square meters, it took 4.6 million shells to create it.
The seashell grotto consists of an underground passage approximately 2.4 m high and 21 m long, ending in a rectangular room (altar chamber) approximately 5 by 6 m. A massive rotunda pillar is located approximately in the middle of the tunnel. Near the grotto there is a museum, a souvenir shop and a cafe.
Photo: travel.obozrevatel.com
The purpose of the structure is unknown, and various theories of its construction vary within 3000 years. Some assumptions connect the Grotto with the Templars, others - with the ancient Phoenicians. The latter statement has recently found more and more adherents in pseudo-scientific circles, since some of the patterns lined with shells evoke associations with Phoenician symbols.
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This speculation is fueled by the fact that the name of the county of Kent, where Margit is located, is believed to be derived from the Phoenician goddess Tanit. Despite the fact that many consider some parts of the panel to be a crocodile, an owl or a turtle, the abstract nature of these images makes these proposals very subjective.
Photo: eco-turizm.net
Due to the fact that scientific attempts to date the Grotto using radiocarbon analysis have not been successful, the age of the structure is currently uncertain. The analysis is hampered, among other factors, by the soot that has coated the shells during use, as Victorian lamps were used to illuminate the landmark in the 1800s.
Lighting with lamps caused blackening of the once colorful surfaces, which, moreover, are constantly exposed to water and moisture. In addition, it was discovered that the grotto was rebuilt several times in the 19th century: a new arch was added, the so-called "altar", as well as some panels and niches were removed and then restored.
Photo: galeneastro.livejournal.com
The original floor was also completely dismantled. During the Second World War, the eastern wall of the so-called "altar" chamber was destroyed by a bomb. The mysteriousness of the seashell grotto every year more and more warms up the interest of tourists from all over the world who wish to admire the creation of the hands of unknown masters.
And there is something to see: thousands of multi-colored shells of marine life are skillfully laid out in the form of intricate patterns that leave no one indifferent, giving rise to an endless stream of associations and versions of origin in the head of each viewer.