Mythical or Real? Part 2
This week, we have acave and a castle to explore.
2. Gorham’s Cave(Medusa’s Cave), Gibraltar – 600 BCE
As far as ancientmariners knew, Gorham’s Cave, a natural cavern at the base of the Pillars ofHercules in the Strait of Gibraltar, was the edge of the known world. But astudy published in 2021 suggests that the cave may have played an even greaterrole in Greek mythology. Deep inside the cave, archaeologists found fragmentsfrom the head of a large, ceramic Gorgon dating to about the sixth century BCE.According to legends, the Gorgons were three monstrous sisters who terrorizedGreek sailors by turning them to stone with a single look. Their lair wassupposed to be near the Rock of Gibraltar. It was in their lair that Perseusbeheaded the snake-haired Medusa—the most evil of the siblings—while she slept.
Other Medusa figureshave been found in the region, but this was the first to be discovered inside acave. By combining archaeological evidence, historical accounts, geography, andmyth, researchers have concluded that Gorham’s Cave was likely the site thatearly seafarers believed to have been the home of the Gorgons, and the site ofMedusa’s defeat. Visitors can examine the cave’s entrance on biweekly summertours offered at the British territory of Gibraltar’s Gorham’s Cave ComplexWorld Heritage Site, a limestone ridge off the southern tip of Spain.
Now, it’s myunderstanding that a cave in Gibraltar—possibly Gorham’s Cave—was inhabited byNeanderthals during the last ice age, and that stone tools, human and animalremains had been found in the cave.
3. Tintagel Castle(King Arthur’s Castle), England – 1203 CE
Writer Geoffrey ofMonmouth described Tintagel Castle as the place of King Arthur’s conception.Since then, the 13th-century fortress on the rocky coast ofCornwall, England, has been associated with Arthur’s legend. But untilrecently, no one knew that beneath the ruins of Tintagel Castle lay an evenolder settlement with features that could correspond to the legendary leader.It appears that the older settlement was an exceptional place, with goods andluxury commodities arriving from the Mediterranean world in great numbers.Although archaeologists can’t say for sure who ruled the earlier site, KingArthur fits the profile.
Whether he was actuallythere or not, King Arthur has very much become a part of the story that’s beenhanded down over generations. Tintagel Castle was built around 1203 CE byRichard, the Earl of Cornwall. It had no military value, but was constructed,in part, at least, to draw a connection between his authority and the legendaryKing Arthur.
Arthur’s myth is notthe only one that haunts Tintagel Castle. There’s also a Celtic legend retoldin the 12th century as a story of forbidden love in which the knightTristan fell in love with Princess Isolde even though she was set to marry KingMark of Cornwall. There are several places around Cornwall that are associatedwith King Mark, Tristan, and Isolde. Their story was circulating around Europeat the same time as King Arthur’s. But somehow, the ruins of Tintagel Castlebecame known at King Arthur’s home.
