A uniquely Cornish mystery is the underground fogou (an old Cornish word for cave) discovered in the county, the most famous of which is Halliggye Fogou, dating back over 2,000 years. Located in Helston, the tunnel system can be accessed by visitors and branches into three chambers. And it’s here that the mystery lies, as historians and archaeologists are unsure just what these caves were used for.
Many of these fogous appear to have been emptied of their contents long before they were re-discovered, and even after excavations, their secrets remain hidden.
Speaking to the BBC, Susan Greaney, head properties historian at English Heritage, says: “Many of them were excavated by antiquarians, so we don’t have many good records for what was found. There are only a couple that have been excavated in modern times – and they don’t seem to be structures that really easily give up their secrets.”
Despite this, there are numerous theories on the uses of these cave systems. In 1803, a Reverend Richard Polwhele entered the fogou and wrote that they “contained urns.” However, any urns that were in the cave have long since been stolen away.
Others have suggested that the caves could have been used for storage or as hiding places. However, the type of soil and the way these caves were designed make both of these seem rather unlikely.
Another theory comes from archaeologist James Gossip, who suggests that they may have had seasonal uses. He told the BBC: “These were lost religions. We don’t know what people were worshipping.
“There’s no reason they couldn’t have had a ceremonial, spiritual purpose as well as, say, storage.”
While the use of these fogous remains a mystery, you can visit Halliggye Fogou for free during daylight hours, throughout most of the year.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
