
Erdstall - _of
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erdstall
======
adrtessier
> Given their abundance, it is remarkable that there is no hint of their
> existence in the records of the Christian kingdoms of the time. In
> combination with the impractical layout of the tunnels this has engendered
> the suspicion that the tunnels were used for a non-Christian cult that
> developed in the 10th century and later disappeared. In that case the slip
> passages might be a ritual element to slip off diseases and guilts
> (rebirth).

Forgive me, because I know little about how these types of things are
determined, but I'm curious how anthropologists/archaeologists/etc. arrive at
these types of conclusions. Is there evidence of a cult that existed around
that time that thought this way, or is this just an educated guess based upon
society at the time?

~~~
simplicio
I remember when I was a kid there was a picture book (by David Maccaulay, I
think) about future archaeologists digging up a present day motel, and trying
to explain the things they found.

The default explanation for everything (coffee makers, toilet seats, etc) was
that it served some religious purpose, because if you can't figure out a
useful purpose for some object, "religious relic" can pretty much fit
anything.

~~~
breadbox
"Motel of the Mysteries" by David Macaulay (978-0395284254).

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josh_fyi
The Jews built hiding tunnels ahead of the 132 CE Bar Kochba rebellion against
the Romans.

They are all around my home village.

[https://carleton.ca/studyisrael/2014/sophie-crump-
crawling-h...](https://carleton.ca/studyisrael/2014/sophie-crump-crawling-
history-bar-kokhba-caves/)

The historian Cassius Dio wrote "[The Jews] did not dare try conclusions with
the Romans in the open field, but they occupied the advantageous positions in
the country and strengthened them with mines and walls, in order that they
might have places of refuge whenever they should be hard pressed, and might
meet togethere unobserved under ground; and they pierced these subterranean
passages from above at intervals to let in air and light".

~~~
knughit
And Palestine is full of tunnels today.

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aurhum
Here's a 3D schematic of what an Erdstall would look like:

[https://web.archive.org/web/20151217104816/http://erdstall.d...](https://web.archive.org/web/20151217104816/http://erdstall.de/wp-
content/uploads/2014/06/modell.jpg)

orange: entrance

yellow: shaft used during construction, later filled up

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knughit
Hah, these are like the cave designs in video games that are comically
unnatural but convenient for explory games

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_ak
When you open a Wikipedia page and see an old school friend on one of the
photos.

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Deihans
www.subterravorau.at

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Deihans
subterravorau.at

