Jan
14
Because the proximity of the Crypta Romana to the Antro della Sibilla, and the possibility that Vergil alludes to it in his description of the entrance to the Underworld (he mentions a tunnel before the sacrafice scene that opens up the underworld; it could be interpreted as though Aeneas and the Sibyl anachronistically descended to Lake Avernus through the Crypta Romana, or at any rate make one think of it), I went to Lake Avernus in the hope of getting a closer look at the tunnel (you can only see the entrance from above on the Cumae site). I knew I wouldn’t be able to get into the tunnel; it collapsed during WWII fighting, unfortunately. I just wanted to get a look at it so I could see if anything about it matched up with the text, and to take some photographs. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get near the actual Crypta Romana. Some locals from the vineyards around the lake explained that the cave was on the private property behind a dilapidated mansion on the shoreline, and that it was closed because it was very dangerous. No one was around the mansion (my Blue Guide confirmed that the tunnel should be back there), so I couldn’t ask if I could see the cave, but the fenced-off area behind it looked inhabited, so I didn’t really want to risk scaling the walls and getting shot. I suppose that’s what makes me an aspiring philologist, not an archaeologist.
Luckily, the tunnel to Lake Lucrinus was approachable, although it was of course locked. Since it was part of the same defensive system, I believe it is representative of what the Crypta Romana must have been like inside: big and creepy.
For the rest of my pictures from Lake Avernus, (the relevant ones have fairly useful captions) you can take a look at the album here.
Currently, the area around Avernus is quite charming. The crater is occupied by small vineyards and bed-and-breakfasts, and there’s a somewhat dilapidated restaurant in front of the lake (its name, appropriately, is Charon). A lot of the land is private property, and the biggest disappointment was not getting near the Crypta Romana’s other segment, which connects Cumae with Avernus; it’s behind an old mansion on a hill.
I unfortunately didn’t take any pictures of Bagnoli; from what I’ve read, it’s changed a lot since you were there! I was surprised when I found out that it had been an industrial center. I’ve only passed through there on the train line, but it has the feel of a small rural town.
Let me know if there’s anything specific you would like to know about my experiences in Cumae and Avernus. My main focus was to weigh the archaeological evidence for the existence of a sibyl at Cumae, so the task was largely to test the plausibility of current scholarship by exploring the area myself. The on-site experiences ended up being critical to the archaeological portion of my thesis; it was a great experience.
Thank you for posting, and I’d be happy to hear more about your time near Avernus and Cumae!