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The "Well to Hell", commonly referred to the "Siberian hell sounds", is an urban legend regarding a putative borehole in Russia which was purportedly drilled so deep that it broke through into Hell. It is first attested in English as a 1989 broadcast by a U.S. domestic religion-based TV broadcaster, Trinity Broadcasting Network.

Legend and basis

The legend holds that a team of Soviet engineers purportedly led by an individual named "Mr. Azakov" in an unnamed place in Siberia had drilled a hole that was 14.4 km (9 miles) deep before breaking through to a cavity. Intrigued by this unexpected discovery, they lowered an extremely heat-tolerant microphone, along with other sensory equipment, into the well. The temperature deep within was 1,000 °C (1,800 °F), heat from a chamber of fire from which screaming could be heard.

The Soviet Union had, in fact, drilled a hole more than 12 km (7.5 miles) deep, the Kola Superdeep Borehole, located not in Siberia but on the Kola Peninsula, which shares borders with Norway and Finland. Upon reaching the depth of 12,262 m (40,230 feet) in 1989, geological anomalies were found, although they reported no supernatural encounters.^[1] The recording of "tormented screams" was later found to be looped together from various sound effects, sometimes identified as the soundtrack of the 1972 movie Baron Blood.^[2]

Propagation

The story was reported to first have been published by the Finnish newspaper Ammennusastia, a journal published by a group of Pentecostal Christians from Leväsjoki^[d], a village in the municipality of Siikainen in Western Finland. Rich Buhler, who interviewed the editors, found that the story had been based on recollections of a letter printed in the feature section of a newspaper called Etelä Suomen (possibly the Etelä-Suomen Sanomat). When contacting the letter's author, Buhler found that he had drawn from a story appearing in a Finnish Christian newsletter named Vaeltajat, which had printed the story in July 1989. The newsletter's editor claimed that its origin had been a newsletter called Jewels of Jericho, published by a group of Messianic Jews in California. Here, Buhler stopped tracing the origins any further.^[3]

American tabloids soon ran the story, and sound files began appearing on various sites across the Internet. Sensational retellings of the legend can be found on YouTube, usually featuring the aforementioned Baron Blood sound effects.

TBN involvement

The story eventually made its way to the American Christian Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), which broadcast it on the network, claiming it to be proof of the literal existence of Hell.

Åge Rendalen, a Norwegian teacher, heard the story on TBN while visiting the United States. Disgusted with what he perceived to be mass gullibility, Rendalen decided to augment the tale at TBN's expense.^[3]

Rendalen wrote to the network, originally claiming that he disbelieved the tale but, upon his return to Norway, supposedly read a factual account of the story.^[1] According to Rendalen, the story claimed not only that the cursed well was real, but that a bat-like apparition (a common pictorial representation of demons, such as in Michelangelo's The Torment of Saint Anthony or the more recent Bat Boy by Weekly World News) had risen out of it before blazing a trail across the Russian sky.^[3] To perpetuate his hoax, Rendalen deliberately mistranslated a trivial Norwegian article about a local building inspector into the story, and submitted both the original Norwegian article and the English "translation" to TBN. Rendalen also included his real name, phone number, and address, as well as those of a pastor friend who knew about the hoax and had agreed to expose it to anyone who called seeking verification.^[3]

However, TBN did nothing to verify Rendalen's claims, and aired the story as proof of the validity of the original story.^[1]

Alternative versions

Since its publicity, many alternative versions of the Well to Hell story have been published.^[2] In 1992, the U.S. tabloid Weekly World News published an alternative version of the story, which was set in Alaska where thirteen miners were killed after Satan came roaring out of Hell.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Mikkelson, Barbara (9 January 2016). "The Well to Hell". Snopes.
^ ^a ^b Dunning, Brian (24 April 2012). "Skeptoid #307: The Siberian Hell Sounds". Skeptoid. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Buhler, Rich (16 March 2015). "Background on the Drilling to Hell story". Truth or Fiction?. Retrieved 22 November 2013.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
-{{Short description|Urban legend around a borehole in Russia}}
+{{Short description|Debunked hoax involving a borehole in Siberia that purportedly led to hell}}
+{{for|the sinkhole in Yemen|Well of Barhout}}
 {{refimprove|date=September 2012}}
-{{distinguish|text = the [[Well of Barhout]], nicknamed "The Well of Hell"}}
-The "'''Well to Hell'''" is an [[urban legend]] regarding a putative [[borehole]] in [[Russia]] which was purportedly drilled so deep that it broke through into [[Hell]].  It is first attested in English as a 1989 broadcast by a U.S. domestic [[religion]]-based TV broadcaster, [[Trinity Broadcasting Network]].
+The "'''Well to Hell'''", commonly referred to the "'''Siberian hell sounds'''",  is an [[urban legend]] regarding a putative [[borehole]] in [[Russia]] which was purportedly drilled so deep that it broke through into [[Hell]].  It is first attested in English as a 1989 broadcast by a U.S. domestic [[religion]]-based TV broadcaster, [[Trinity Broadcasting Network]].
 ==Legend and basis==
-The legend holds that a team of Soviet engineers purportedly led by an individual named "Mr. Azakov" in an unnamed place in [[Siberia]] had drilled a hole that was {{convert|14.4|km|mi|0|abbr=in}} deep before breaking through to a cavity. Intrigued by this unexpected discovery, they lowered an extremely heat-tolerant [[microphone]], along with other sensory equipment, into the well. The temperature deep within was {{convert|1000|C|F|0}}—heat from a chamber of fire from which (purportedly) the tormented screams of the damned could be heard.
+The legend holds that a team of Soviet engineers purportedly led by an individual named "Mr. Azakov" in an unnamed place in [[Siberia]] had drilled a hole that was {{convert|14.4|km|mi|0|abbr=in}} deep before breaking through to a cavity. Intrigued by this unexpected discovery, they lowered an extremely heat-tolerant [[microphone]], along with other sensory equipment, into the well. The temperature deep within was {{convert|1000|C|F|sigfig=2}}, heat from a chamber of fire from which screaming could be heard.
-The [[Soviet Union]] had, in fact, drilled a hole more than {{convert|12|km|mi|abbr=in}} deep, the [[Kola Superdeep Borehole]], located not in Siberia but on the [[Kola Peninsula]], which shares borders with [[Norway]] and [[Finland]]. Upon reaching the depth of {{convert|12,262|m|abbr=in}} in 1989, some interesting geological anomalies were found, although they reported no supernatural encounters.<ref name=snopes>{{cite web |url=http://www.snopes.com/religion/wellhell.asp |title=The Well to Hell |last1=Mikkelson |first1=Barbara |date=9 January 2016 |website=[[Snopes]] }}</ref>  The recording of "tormented screams" was later found to be looped together from various sound effects, sometimes identified as the soundtrack of the 1972 movie ''[[Baron Blood (film)|Baron Blood]]''.<ref name=Skeptoid>{{Skeptoid|id=4307|number=307|title=The Siberian Hell Sounds|date=April 24, 2012|access-date=14 September 2012}}</ref>
+The [[Soviet Union]] had, in fact, drilled a hole more than {{convert|12|km|mi|abbr=in}} deep, the [[Kola Superdeep Borehole]], located not in Siberia but on the [[Kola Peninsula]], which shares borders with [[Norway]] and [[Finland]]. Upon reaching the depth of {{convert|12,262|m|abbr=in}} in 1989, geological anomalies were found, although they reported no supernatural encounters.<ref name=snopes>{{cite web |url=http://www.snopes.com/religion/wellhell.asp |title=The Well to Hell |last1=Mikkelson |first1=Barbara |date=9 January 2016 |website=[[Snopes]] }}</ref>  The recording of "tormented screams" was later found to be looped together from various sound effects, sometimes identified as the soundtrack of the 1972 movie ''[[Baron Blood (film)|Baron Blood]]''.<ref name=Skeptoid>{{Skeptoid|id=4307|number=307|title=The Siberian Hell Sounds|date=April 24, 2012|access-date=14 September 2012}}</ref>
 ==Propagation==
-The story was reported to first have been published by the Finnish newspaper ''Ammennusastia'', a journal published by a group of [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]] [[Christianity|Christians]] from {{ill|Leväsjoki|wd=50338840|s=1|v=sup}}, a village in the municipality of [[Siikainen]] in [[Western Finland Province|Western Finland]]. [[Rich Buhler]], who interviewed the editors, found that the story had been based on recollections of a letter printed in the feature section of a newspaper called ''Etelä Suomen'' (possibly the ''[[Etelä-Suomen Sanomat]]''). When contacting the letter's author, Buhler found that he had drawn from a story appearing in a Finnish Christian newsletter named ''Vaeltajat'', which had printed the story in July 1989. The newsletter's editor claimed that its origin had been a newsletter called ''Jewels of Jericho'', published by a group of [[Messianic Jews]] in [[California]]. Years later, Brian Dunning of the Skeptoid podcast posted images of the original ''Vaeltajat' letter.<ref>[https://skeptoid.com/episodes/4307 'The Siberian Hell Sounds', Skeptoid Podcast #307 April 24, 2012]</ref>
+The story was reported to first have been published by the Finnish newspaper ''Ammennusastia'', a journal published by a group of [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]] [[Christianity|Christians]] from {{ill|Leväsjoki|wd=50338840|s=1|v=sup}}, a village in the municipality of [[Siikainen]] in [[Western Finland Province|Western Finland]]. [[Rich Buhler]], who interviewed the editors, found that the story had been based on recollections of a letter printed in the feature section of a newspaper called ''Etelä Suomen'' (possibly the ''[[Etelä-Suomen Sanomat]]''). When contacting the letter's author, Buhler found that he had drawn from a story appearing in a Finnish Christian newsletter named ''Vaeltajat'', which had printed the story in July 1989. The newsletter's editor claimed that its origin had been a newsletter called ''Jewels of Jericho'', published by a group of [[Messianic Jews]] in [[California]]. Here, Buhler stopped tracing the origins any further.<ref name=buhler>{{cite web|first=Rich|last=Buhler|url=http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/d/drilltohellfacts.htm|title=Background on the Drilling to Hell story|date=March 16, 2015|access-date=2013-11-22|work=Truth or Fiction?}}</ref>
+[[United States|American]] [[Tabloid (newspaper format)|tabloids]] soon ran the story, and sound files began appearing on various sites across the [[Internet]]. Sensational retellings of the legend can be found on YouTube, usually featuring the aforementioned ''Baron Blood'' sound effects.
 ===TBN involvement===
+The story eventually made its way to the American Christian [[Trinity Broadcasting Network]] (TBN), which broadcast it on the network, claiming it to be proof of the [[Biblical literalism|literal]] existence of Hell.
-The American Christian [[Trinity Broadcasting Network]] (TBN), covered the story in both its newsletter publication and television broadcast in late 1989. According to the Trinity Broadcasting Network newsletter, the Finnish article had been given to them by a Texas evangelist, R.W. Schambach, who was a frequent guest on their network. Schambach’s office was assured that the story was ‘absolutely true’ and had been substantiated. They said they had an article from a ‘respected scientific journal’ in Finland, as well as a letter from a Norwegian man, Age Rendalen, who had confirmed it.[https://www.truthorfiction.com/drilltohellfacts/ Background on the Drilling to Hell story, by Rich Buhler ] Åge Rendalen, a [[Norway|Norwegian]] teacher, heard the story on TBN while visiting the United States. Disgusted with what he perceived to be mass gullibility, Rendalen decided to augment the tale at TBN's expense. He wrote to the network, originally claiming that he disbelieved the tale but, upon his return to Norway, supposedly read a factual account of the story.<ref name=snopes/> According to Rendalen, the story claimed not only that the cursed well was real, but that a [[bat]]-like creature had risen out of it before blazing a trail across the Russian sky.<ref name=buhler/> To perpetuate his hoax, Rendalen deliberately mistranslated a trivial Norwegian article about a local building inspector into the story, and submitted both the original Norwegian article and the English "translation" to TBN. Rendalen also included his real name, phone number and address, as well as those of a pastor friend who knew about the hoax and had agreed to expose it to anyone who called seeking verification.<ref name=buhler/>
+Åge Rendalen, a [[Norway|Norwegian]] teacher, heard the story on TBN while visiting the United States. Disgusted with what he perceived to be mass gullibility, Rendalen decided to augment the tale at TBN's expense.<ref name=buhler/>
+Rendalen wrote to the network, originally claiming that he disbelieved the tale but, upon his return to Norway, supposedly read a factual account of the story.<ref name=snopes/> According to Rendalen, the story claimed not only that the cursed well was real, but that a [[bat]]-like apparition (a common pictorial representation of [[demon]]s, such as in [[Michelangelo]]'s ''[[The Torment of Saint Anthony]]'' or the more recent [[Bat Boy (character)|Bat Boy]] by ''[[Weekly World News]]'') had risen out of it before blazing a trail across the Russian sky.<ref name=buhler/> To perpetuate his hoax, Rendalen deliberately mistranslated a trivial Norwegian article about a local building inspector into the story, and submitted both the original Norwegian article and the English "translation" to TBN. Rendalen also included his real name, phone number, and address, as well as those of a pastor friend who knew about the hoax and had agreed to expose it to anyone who called seeking verification.<ref name=buhler/>
+However, TBN did nothing to verify Rendalen's claims, and aired the story as proof of the validity of the original story.<ref name=snopes/>
-===Purported Audio Recording Hoax===
-In 1998, the American radio host [[Art Bell]] received and read an e-mail from a listener, "Rick from Chicago", purporting to have received a recording of the sounds from his uncle, whom, in turn, got them from the [[BBC]],.Art would again play the sounds a number of times, up to 2002. <ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMebLhTvXOc</ref><ref>[https://skeptoid.com/episodes/4307 'The Siberian Hell Sounds', Skeptoid Podcast #307 April 24, 2012]</ref>
 ==Alternative versions==
-Since its publicity, many alternative versions of the Well to Hell story have been published.<ref name=Skeptoid /> In 1992, the U.S. tabloid ''[[Weekly World News]]'' published an alternative version of the story, which was set in Alaska where 13 miners were killed after [[Satan]] came roaring out of hell.<ref name=snopes />
+Since its publicity, many alternative versions of the Well to Hell story have been published.<ref name=Skeptoid /> In 1992, the U.S. tabloid ''[[Weekly World News]]'' published an alternative version of the story, which was set in Alaska where thirteen miners were killed after [[Satan]] came roaring out of Hell.<ref name=snopes />
 ==See also==
@@ Line 30: / Line 35: @@
 * [[Stull, Kansas]]
 * ''[[The Superdeep]]'', a 2020 Russian horror film directed by Arseny Syuhin, based on the real-life Kola Superdeep Borehole.
+* "[[Evermore Darkly|Transmission from Hell]]", a song on the album ''Evermore Darkly...'' inspired by the legend.
 ==References==
@@ Line 40: / Line 46: @@
 * {{cite news|url=https://psmag.com/environment/crater-russia-underworld-netherworld-siberia-hell-isnt-real-86791|title=Hell Isn't for Real|last=Heaney|first=Katie|work=[[Pacific Standard]]|date=2014-07-28|access-date=2016-03-07}}
 * {{cite news|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/162521/STORY-OF-THE-WELL-TO-HELL-DIGS-UP-CHUCKLES---NOT-SCREAMS-OF-THE--DAMNED.html?pg=all|title=Story of the Well to Hell Digs up Chuckles – Not Screams of the Damned|last=Brunvand|first=Jan Harold|date=1991-05-15|work=[[Deseret News]]|access-date=2016-03-07}}
+{{Urban legends}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Well To Hell Hoax, The}}
-[[Category:Paranormal hoaxes]]
-[[Category:Hoaxes in science]]
-[[Category:Urban legends]]
 [[Category:Hell in popular culture]]
+[[Category:Hoaxes in science]]
+[[Category:Paranormal hoaxes]]
 [[Category:Russia in fiction]]
+[[Category:Urban legends]]