Al-Mahra, Yemen (folk tale)

The Well of Barhout

Folklore — not a documented case

A giant sinkhole in the Yemeni desert is said to be a prison created for the jinn, and even talking about it is thought to bring bad luck. Its bottom was reached for the first time in 2021.

The Well of Barhout is a huge sinkhole in the desert of Al-Mahra governorate in eastern Yemen. Its mouth is about 30 metres wide at the surface; it is about 112 metres deep and widens at the bottom into a large cave chamber. Locally it is also known as the 'Well of Hell'.

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The stories in this section are folk tales and legends; they are not verified, real events and should not be confused with the rest of the archive.

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Bahla, Oman (folk tale)Bahla: The City of Magic›Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates (urban legend)The Abandoned Village of Jazirat al-Hamra›Wadi al-Baida, Medina, Saudi Arabia (folk tale)The Valley of the Jinn›Mount Damavand, Iran (legend)The Chained Tyrant of Damavand›Kuldhara, Jaisalmer, India (folk tale)The Cursed Village of Kuldhara›Valley of the Kings, Luxor, Egypt (alleged event)The Curse of Tutankhamun›