Officially, one of the most difficult professions in the world is the work of sulfur miners on the Ijen volcano, located in the east of the Indonesian island of Java. People here work in extremely toxic fumes at temperatures over 115°C, lifting 90kg baskets and treading over crumbling chasms. Workaholics get only $5 a day for this, which is considered to be an extremely well-paid job here. No wonder their average life expectancy is only 30 years!
At first glance, it seems that the views of Ijen are at least a photo from space or, in extreme cases, from a science fiction film, the local landscapes are so unusual for our eyes. All because the volcano is really the rarest place on Earth.
Ijen Volcano is an ancient extinct volcano, in the crater of which an acidic lake of extraordinary azure-blue color was formed, about one kilometer wide and 212 meters deep. It consists of sulfur formations and hydrochloric acid. The lake in the Ijen crater is recognized as the most acidic volcanic lake in the world. The temperature on its surface is 50-60°С, in depth - more than 200°С.
The shores of an unusual lake shimmer with gold, these are pieces of sulfur, for which hard workers descend here through sulfur fumes that continually escape from the walls of the volcano. They are extremely hazardous to health, cause pain in the eyes and a strong dry cough, prolonged exposure threatens to destroy the lungs. When visiting the volcano, be sure to wear a mask and carry water and a handkerchief with you to protect yourself from harmful fumes. In 2003, on Ijen, due to non-compliance with these security measures, one of the French tourists lost his life.
Ijen is a unique place on our planet, film crews meet here regularly and try to capture this rare miracle of nature.
The volcano is located in the national park of the same name Ijen or Gunung Kawa Ijen. Just a two-hour drive from it is the large Ketapang Pier, from where ships leave for Bali. You can also get to Ijen from Yogyakarta, located
What is really hidden behind the phenomenon of "acidic Sicilian lake"?
(expanded and supplemented in 2017 article of 2012)
In blogs, social networks, on educational and tourist sites, and then in the news, since 2012 I began to meet information about the most dangerous reservoir. It is called the Lake of Death, and it is located somewhere in Sicily. They say that instead of water there is acid and nothing living either in the lake or around it survives. Allegedly, two springs with concentrated sulfuric acid are beating at the bottom, which kills everything, and those who stick their fingers there, then greatly regret it. And that it was as if the Sicilian mafiosi there had previously "disposed" of the bodies of their enemies - so that without a trace.
MEET BY CLOTHES
Lake of death in Sicily- any search engine in response to these words will give a bunch of links to articles of the same type that describe the horrors of this terrible reservoir. Sometimes stories differ in some shocking details, but the main thing is an impressive photo. I remember when I first came across an article about this, the color of the water of the "acid lake" immediately caught my eye, and only then I took a closer look at the photo, drew attention to coniferous trees and thought. How did Christmas trees manage to grow in Sicilian conditions? It's a different climate zone.
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For an illustration accompanying a note about the Lake of Death in Sicily, they most often take the image of one of the thermal lakes of the Yellowstone National Park, USA. For a change, sometimes the photo is mirrored. The main thing is that the color of the water in the picture should be "pull out the eye." So that just one glance would be enough to understand how poisonous this "terrible lake" is! Basically, such Yellowstone lakes as Chromatic Pool, Grand Prismatic Spring, Morning Glory Pool, Emerald Pool, etc. act as acidic lakes.
One more photo . You can also look at the "acidic lake of death" from a satellite.
Occasionally, when selecting photos, editors go the other way.
A gloomy exotic is taken, for example, pictures of Lake Pitch-Lake, which is in Trinidad or the lake in the pit of the old Berkeley Pit mine, in Montana, USA.
You can show off your imagination and find something else harsh and little known to illustrate. But the main meaning of the text does not change: "a whole lake of acid, a nightmare!".
TAKE THE TRAIL
But what kind of Sicilian lake is this, the stories about which are illustrated by completely extraneous photographs?
Why not take his original photos, especially in our time? What does the lake actually look like and where exactly is it located?
I delved into the list of links based on the results of the above search query, and at the same time I found out that for the first time this topic appeared on the Internet already in 2007! I wanted to learn more about the phenomenon, but I could not find any details tying the lake to the area. Let me remind you that it was 2012, when my refutation had not yet been written, the amended version of which you are now reading.
The picture is total: people copy-paste, write as if it is somewhere in Sicily and limit themselves to this. Sometimes it is indicated that the locals do not know anything about this lake. My colleague wrote to his Sicilian acquaintance, but he had not heard of anything like that. This finally intrigued me and spurred me on in-depth searches.
On one of the tourist sites, in response to a question about the location of the Lake of Death, it says this:
The lake is located: the province of Catania, the municipality of Palagonia, about 15 km from the Greek colony of Lentini. The lake is not large at all - less than 480 feet in circumference and dries up in the summer. Therefore, it is better to go searching in the winter. Local residents have not heard anything about such a lake and doubt that such a thing can exist in nature.
It seems that there is no acid lake, otherwise the people living in those places would know about such an unusual natural object. For several hours, as a blind kitten, I climbed Google maps - to no avail. Etna volcano - there are all kinds of near-volcanic cases, too, but this is all north of Catania and, even more so, Palagonia and Lentini.
While analyzing the material on Sicily, I came across link1 and link2, which gave the key to further search for a lake with the name - Laghetti di Naftia or Lago di Naftia.
So, after all, there was some kind of lake, otherwise I already doubted its existence.
WE GO TO SCIENTISTS
This reservoir, like many other natural objects in Sicily, was associated with the name of the volcanologist Gaetano Ponte(1876-1955), who studied them and took a lot of pictures of Lago di Naftia. The seething of sulfurous thermal waters is caused by abundant emissions of carbon dioxide, and not at all by acid. I suggest watching an informative video in Italian about Gaetano Ponte and his research. For the impatient: watch the lake at the beginning of the video at 0:20 and after 5:45.
And here, in fact, are the photographs of the mysterious volcanic lake from the period of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Photo source.
The pictures show how the water level varies in different years and in different seasons.
1888: 
1896: 
As can be clearly seen from the photographs, the grass does not just grow on the shores of this lake, but also in its very water, which completely destroys the myth of acidity.
1897: 
Then the lake begins to shrink and breaks into several reservoirs: 
By 1905 small puddles remain: 
The penultimate photo is dated 1908: 
And this is the top view: 
It is possible that by the 1930s the water level had risen again. This can be seen in the video from the archive of the magazine LUCE - B0771 for October 1935.
From the video we learn that the lake Naftia in Catania (Sicily) was at that time recognized as the largest natural source of carbon dioxide in Europe (note that there is not a word about any acid here!). On its deserted shores, they subsequently planned to build a factory for the extraction of carbon dioxide, so as not to import it from abroad. I wonder if this enterprise was built later?
Another Italian scientist, professor Francesco Ferrara(1767-1850), in his work, Palermo, 1805, in the chapter "Sopra il lago dei Palici ora lago Naftia in Sicilia" on pages 7,8, described the lake as follows:
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Shaped like a circle about 480 feet in diameter, 14 feet deep in the middle, rising gently towards the edges. The origin of the lake is caused by volcanic phenomena of the tertiary eruptive formation in the area of Monti Iblei-Val di Noto. The geological system of the lakes is not directly related to the activity of Mount Etna, as some ancient scientists assumed; it is a secondary phenomenon of volcanism. Carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and methane bubbles constantly come to the surface in two large jets. When the pressure of the underground gas rises, the height of the fountains can reach two feet from the normal height of a third of a foot. Over the entire surface of the lake, we see secondary sources of gases coming to the surface. The water seems to be boiling, but it is not that hot. The color of the water is yellowish-greenish. The environment consists of tuffs mixed with volcanic rocks and cinders. The amount of water is very variable, to the point of drying up, and may be related to seasonal rainfall. When the water level falls, the lake breaks into two smaller reservoirs. The strong and nauseating smell of bituminous gas escaping from the bottom permeates the environment. We can say that the lake smells of oil. Floating slicks of oil are sometimes seen on the surface. Perhaps because of this, the name of the reservoir comes - Lago di Naftia, oil lake. - according to the Italian Wikipedia.
local seismologist Corrado Luigi Guzzanti(1852-1934), one of whose virtues was his contribution to the creation of the first national seismic network, drew attention to the slight vibration of the soil in the vicinity of the lake. This was accompanied by sounds coming from the reservoir, caused not only by the constant seething of gases, but also by some underground noises. Guzzanti studied changes in the level and temperature of the waters of Lake Lago di Naftia and the nearby river Fiume Caldo (from Italian - hot river) during seismic events. He noticed that after seismic activity in the lake area, the temperature and turbidity of river waters increase. This led to the conclusion that the water systems of the Fiumekaldo River and Lake Naftia are in some way interconnected. At present, the Fiumekaldo River is depleted - its waters went to irrigate citrus, olive orchards and vineyards located right there in the valley. Due to the shredding of the river, the lake itself began to dry up gradually.
By the way, if the lake was acidic, would the scientists forget to mention it?
I draw your attention to the fact that I deliberately do not touch on the chemical aspect - the likelihood of the existence of a lake with concentrated sulfuric acid in nature.
I have another task: to find where the so-called "lake of death in Sicily" is located and try to find out what is really there.
LOOKING INTO THE PAST
Lake Lago di Naftia and the nearby basalt mound with caves are an archaeological site.
This body of water has been known since Greco-Roman times also under the name Lago dei Palici and figures in a vast mythology (link in Italian, but with modern automated translation systems, the result is achieved in five clicks).
LOOK IN THE BOOK
Over time, the lake became smaller, and modern myths about "mafia victims" and acid instead of water developed around its turbulent nature.
Search in the text of the quote leads to the book A. P. Paskhalova "Amazing etymology" 2007 It was not difficult to find the text of this edition on the Web:
Quote: "Water living and dead
Did you know that the most "dead" is not the Dead Sea, but the Lake of Death on the island of Sicily? There is no vegetation on its banks, and any creature that falls into it perishes. As it turned out, two sources of concentrated sulfuric acid are beating from the bottom of the lake. They poison the water."
I already wrote that the earliest references to this topic on the Internet date back to 2007. And this is the same year when Paskhalov's book was published. That's where the ducks flew from.
In the list of literature used by Paskhalov, only one, the very first, item can be considered as a potential source of information about the "lake of death", because other books touch on the topic of Russian etymology and toponymy. His first item is a book. E.A. Vartanyan "History with Geography, or Proper Names on the Map of the World"– M.: Kalan, 1996. 
1996
The most interesting thing is that the book is present on the Web only in the form of its title - a line in electronic catalogs or in lists of references. But the text itself, to read or download, could not be found on the Internet. Why is this book so rare? I had to order on Ozone, but a day later a refusal came: out of stock. This book is not in the libraries of my city or neighboring. There is one copy in the regional center, but I still can’t bring myself to go there specifically to look at the book.
But the search results - at least read, at least download - are full of links to an earlier edition of this book, namely 1986, publishing house. "Children's literature", E.A. Vartanyan "History with Geography, or Life and Adventures of Geographical Names".
1986
I downloaded and read this book, but found nothing about the infamous lake of death in Sicily. But Paskhalov refers to a later reprint of Vartanyan's book, i.e. 1996! It is possible that it was expanded and supplemented, including a beautiful story about a terrible lake.
While reading Vartanyan 1986, I noticed the following:
"In the days when I am writing these lines, in the press, on radio and television they write, speak and show the main residence of Hephaestus - Etna, a mountain-volcano 3263 meters high (350 meters higher than the radiant Olympus!). True, it is customary for Etna to put down the height higher than I indicated - 3340 meters. But I got the data from a postcard recently received from Italy - a map of Sicily. And, as they say, they know better. And what reason would they have to belittle their attraction?"
The author does not hesitate to mention that he got the data from a postcard. From a POSTCARD, Carl!
Then why be surprised that even more such "data" could be scooped up in the next edition of 1996. And this is hello, the lake of death in Sicily.
WE ARE APPROACHING TO THE GOAL
But back to the lake.
Remarkably, there are no modern photographs of this reservoir on the Internet. They took a picture of the landscape, but forgot the lake?! Wouldn't amateur photographers shoot such a famous historical object? From more or less recent photos of the area where it should have been Lago di Naftia lucky to find just that.
Compare photo. This is the hill with the Rocchicella cave. My screenshot of Google Maps 2012. 
And this photo was taken by volcanologist Gaetano Ponte in 1897. Comments on similarities are superfluous! 
That is, I was very lucky that it was in these places that a car happened to pass, which takes photo panoramas of the surrounding landscape.
Otherwise, it would still be unknown where the investigation would go without a visual display of the desired area.
AND NOW MODERNITY
Below, in the screenshot of the panorama of Google maps, we see the same enterprise for the production of carbon dioxide.
It was planned to be built back in 1935, but under the fascist regime of Mussolini this was not possible.
The industrial exploitation of gas emissions from the lake was planned back in the period between the two world wars. Drainage work began in 1955 Lago di Naftia and construction of a gas station. Subsequently, carbon-fiber gas-collecting domes were installed above the funnels. The gases released from the craters are collected and fed through pipelines to the complex installation located right there for cleaning from sulfur products and hydrocarbons, followed by compression and drying. Thus the company Mofeta Dei Palici uses a natural source of carbon dioxide in the production of dry ice used in the transportation and storage of ice cream, as well as for the carbonation of mineral waters and soft drinks. - according to the Italian Wikipedia.
It's time to find out what these smelly gas geysers are called correctly:
Mofety(French, singular mofette), jets of carbon dioxide mixed with water vapor and other gases released from small channels and cracks on the bottom and slopes of the volcano crater and on solidifying lava flows. Temperature around 100 °C. Mofets arise in the last stage of the attenuation of the fumarolic activity of volcanoes. TSB
By the way, according to Google translator: mofet - from Catalan - skunk.
And this is how the neighborhoods of interest to us look from the satellite as of Google maps in 2012.
The white arrows show the shooting angles of a couple of my previous screenshots: with a view of the Rocchicella hill and with a view of the carbon dioxide plant. A question mark indicates a nearby body of water that dries up in summer, which tourists can be shown as "the same lake of death", which in fact is not such.
Here I put a point.
Now it is clear that there are no more lakes with geysers, but we know the place where they were.
PS. By the way, on the site docme.ru I found (see additional material, page 8) where false information about the "lake of death in Sicily" is taught to schoolchildren as the truth.
I don't think there is any intent here. This is the principle of mass information: if everyone says so, then it is so, especially since it is extremely difficult to verify. And who will deal with such issues? Well, then how does postmodern modernity differ from archaic, when stories about foreign exoticism were also composed? They will listen to the stories of a merchant who has returned from distant wanderings, that people with dog heads go beyond the seas, beyond the mountains, they will be surprised and return to everyday affairs.
UPDATE: 2017
Five years later, I decided to return to the theme of "the lake of death in Sicily." Over the years, from time to time, I have watched as fake information continues to spread on the Internet. But there were also pluses. The editors of several sites and pages on social networks considered my article worthy of attention and copied it to their resources in one form or another. But the main thing is that search engines, in addition to links to fiction, now provide links to the analysis of the myth. I was inspired by this and decided to rework and significantly supplement the original article about this myth.
Sometimes they throw a reproach at me: why are you fighting for the truth on the Internet? All the same, do not turn the river back - the myth has already taken root in the public mind. Yes, and most people are bored and long to understand your endless writings. It is much more fun to repost a short note about the lake of death in Sicily with an unusual photo and shocking content, because it's catchy! And then return to the usual: flipping and flipping through the daily whirlwind of news headlines that will be forgotten in two or three days.
Some will be upset: there was such a beautiful legend, and you destroyed it and now there is no secret.
Once they wrote: until I see for myself that there is no lake, I won’t believe it. Well, it is easier for someone to believe in a myth than to learn the facts.
There are many reasons why people like to be deceived.
Why did I write all this?
Because it was interesting for me to learn new things, to search and check information, to think and consider from different angles, comparing it into a single system.
I saw that the picture that was opening was much more vital and juicy than the tale, divorced from reality and based on stereotypes, about a lake with acid, which everyone knows about and at the same time no one knows about.
So, the beautiful myth of the acid lake of death in Sicily is destroyed. Now we have many facts directly related to the history and location of the imaginary lake. The information picture can be further expanded, revealing more and more details, but it is time to stop - the main thing is not to overdo it.
In conclusion, I will try to summarize the information that takes the empty place of the destroyed myth.
Updated satellite view of where the lake used to be Lago di Naftia, which served as a prototype of the "acid lake of death in Sicily" - a replicated invention of the authors of books on entertaining toponymy.
Let me briefly remind you:
The lake itself and its surroundings were a place of worship for the ancient gods, which is why the reservoir was also called Lago dei Palici.
Nearby is an archaeological site - a basalt hill, on which the city stood in ancient times. Palike.
For many centuries, carbon dioxide was released from the bottom of the lake, which caused the sulphurous waters to boil.
Nature Lago di Naftia studied in detail by scientists who did not note any presence of sulfuric acid in the reservoir.
In the second half of the 20th century, an enterprise was built nearby Mofeta dei Palici for the extraction, purification and processing of carbon dioxide.
The lake itself has been drained and a dome has now been installed in its place to collect CO2.
A pond is marked with a question mark, which in the descriptions on tourist sites can be allegedly presented as a "lake of death" to attract guests: less than 480 feet in circumference and dries up in summer... Don't be fooled!
Below are photos from new angles of the surroundings of the Rocchicella hill, on which the ancient city of Palike once stood.
In the first and second photos in the valley in front of the hill, the gas production station is clearly visible, which stands next to the drained lake Lago di Naftia.
Lake Naftia, or Lake of Death, as it is commonly called on the Internet, is located on the island of Sicily, in the province of Catania, between the cities of Caltagirona and Palagonia. For lovers of the exotic and extreme, this is a small, periodically disappearing body of water. It has become a favorite place of pilgrimage.
Lake of Death in Sicily
The lake is so small that it cannot even be found on the map, but this does not reduce the number of people who want to photograph it. Travelers are advised to take the bus from Palermo to Catania. On the way, get off at Caltagirone and from there walk or take the Strada Provinciale 181 to the desired location.
Note! Due to the fact that for local residents this is just an ordinary body of water, and not a sacred place with a long ancient Greek history, there are no group tourist excursions. It is advisable to use the services of private guides who, for the agreed amount, will be able to accompany you to Lake Naftia. The cost of the tour can reach tens of euros.
This reservoir has long been known as a natural source of carbon dioxide. Scientists associate the appearance of the reservoir with the activity of the Etna volcano. It is because of the volcanic activity that the water boils. This is the result of the release of carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and methane bubbles.
Pond of Death in Sicily
The origin of the lake is very prosaic and natural for a volcanic area. It is the result of the passage of red-hot lava, successfully washed and solidified, forming a bowl-like landscape. Aquifers, due to contact and saturation with the acids and metals contained in the lava, become hot and poisonous, but this is noted only at first. Subsequently, the negative properties are lost, the simplest organisms and bacteria revive all the richness of life in the reservoir and in the surrounding areas.
The coast is a placer of volcanic rocks and slag, the color of the water is yellowish-greenish. The smell of bituminous gas coming from the bottom of the reservoir makes the air in the area heavy and unpleasant to breathe. The smell of oil and its floating spots on the surface of the lake justify its official name - Lago di Naftia.
deadly reservoir
If at the end of the 19th century it still looked like a lake, about 480 feet in diameter and no more than 14 feet deep, then by the beginning of the 20th century the reservoir begins to shallow and turns into two small ones. In the photo of 1908, the lake consists of 2 bowls with a diameter of no more than 10 m.
Today, this reservoir is seasonal: it dries up in summer and fills up with water again in winter.
There are many bodies of water in the world with stories, scary and funny. They are distinguished by their secrets and anomalies. Many volcanic reservoirs due to their origin are overgrown with legends.
Note! The lake was captured for posterity in the 18th century by Jean-Pierre-Laurent. His painting "View of Lake Naftia (Palichi) in the Catalgiron Valley at the foot of Mount Mineo" is kept in the Hermitage fund.
A detailed description belongs to the famous Italian volcanologist Gaetano Ponte, who at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries recorded and even photographed the notorious lake. He clearly names the geographical address: west of Catania. They noted the seething of water from carbon dioxide emissions.
From the beginning of the 20th century, the reservoir began to noticeably shallow, and by 1905 it consisted of two small bowls of water, which periodically turned into a swamp. Active reclamation work in the valley led to the final drying up of the reservoir.
Secret of the lake
Important! There is an opinion that a scientific expedition in 1999 found that at the bottom of the lake there is a key that beats with sulfuric acid. Because of the scalding liquid, the lake and its shores are deserted and lifeless, as it will dissolve any organic matter in a matter of minutes. This tenacious horror story gave rise to stories about the reprisals of the Sicilian mafia with their offenders and debtors.
However, the horror story does not find its confirmation in an elementary analysis of all available information. If you look at all the images of the reservoir, from the painting by Jean-Pierre-Laurent to the photographs of the hill next to the Rocchicella cave in 2012, you can see that the area is alive and flourishing.
acid reservoir
Many are of the opinion that A.P. Paskhalov is the progenitor of the story about the sulfuric nature of Naftian waters. In his work “Amazing Etymology”, the author explains the origin of the concept of “dead water”, referring to the lake of death in Sicily, the water and even the shores of which are detrimental to all living things that got there.
Legends of the Deadly Lake
Mount Etna, the pearl of the island, has always fed the minds of people with food for the imagination. Even the ancient Greeks and Romans laid down the mythical story of the appearance of the reservoir. A long time ago, the nymph Etna from the god of volcanic fire Adranon gave birth to two twins underground, who were named Paliki. The place where Etna, who was on the run, gave birth to boys thrown out of the ground by two streams of water became Palik Lake. The twins became underground spirits of thermal springs near the volcano. The lake has always been seasonal: it dried up, turning into two twin craters, and flooded again with the advent of winter. The gods of Paliki were noble: they punished perjurers and helped the offended.
For reference! Today Lake Naftia lies in the valley of the low hill Rocchicella, it is often seen in the background in images overlooking the reservoir.
People have always been attracted and are attracted by objects associated with death. Many are attracted by this topic and everything connected with it. Therefore, the reservoir of Death, Naftia, is so in demand among those interested in various myths and legends. The epithets “the most dangerous”, “the most dead” attract travelers from all over the world like a magnet.
There is enough information about the acid lake in Sicily, but it is difficult to distinguish reliable information from false ones. One fact is 100 percent certain: the main coordinate of Lake Death is Sicily.
To get a real photo of this legendary lake and conduct your own investigation, entangled in the centuries of history, is a worthy occupation for extreme people.
People tend to create stories. They are not always kind, but, as a rule, instructive. The search for this lake is an interesting and informative activity. Having visited the island of Sicily, everyone can create their own legend.
Lake of Death in Sicily is a striking dissonance of the island's reputation as a place for carefree holidays and fun-filled entertainment. But this is only at the first moment when a complacent tourist first hears about this natural phenomenon. What follows is a desire to learn more about the unusual place.
This fact does not pose any danger to travelers. It only awakens the desire to replenish their knowledge of Italy and makes even more vivid impressions of Sicily.
There is something to see in Sicily for the most whimsical traveler. The uniqueness and attractiveness of this corner of the Earth lies in the huge number of attractions: real and mystical, dangerous and comfortable, ancient and modern. The flavor of true Italy is one of the symbols of the wonderful island.
Symbols of Sicily
The individuality and prestige of any self-respecting geographical object, be it a city, sea, country or region, is characterized by symbols. They are a must have when it comes to popularity. The Eiffel Tower is a symbol of Paris, penguins are a symbol of Antarctica, sakura is a symbol of Japan, lasagna is a symbol of Italian cuisine.
Sicily can be proud of a whole range of such landmarks. Among them are Mount Etna, the Aeolian Islands, ancient Syracuse, the Valley of the Temples, the rock "Ear of Dionysius", red oranges and the best ice cream in Italy. In addition to beautiful and tasty symbols, there are mysterious and creepy ones: the Sicilian mafia, the Trinacria, the Lake of Death, the Capuchin Catacombs.
Everyone who knows how to read and watch movies knows about the famous mafia, its clans, Don Corleone. And, although with knives and pistols in the quiet of the night of the capital of Sicily, Palermo, no one has been worn for a long time, as the mafia brand is still in demand and popular. Mentions in the names of local dishes, in various souvenirs, and even the organization of special tours dedicated to the mafia (a la “To places of military glory”).
Sinister Lake of Death
This mysterious symbol of Italy is located in a fairly inaccessible place in the province of Catania. Excursions to it are made mainly by scientists and researchers. Curious tourists can also be found in its vicinity. But very rarely, too extreme travel.
The lake and everything around it is dead. No plants, no insects. Only an unpleasant film on the surface of the water of a strange color, and a smell reminiscent of the underworld.
The fact is that the lake contains a lot of sulfuric acid. Nothing living, organic can exist in it. It is unrealistic to come close: the suffocating smell, the air that cuts the eyes, saturated with toxic fumes, simply will not allow you to do this. Researchers put on special equipment before taking samples from the lake.
So the legends that the mafiosi deliberately dragged the "Rejecting Offers You Can't Refuse" here to dunk or drown in deadly waters are hardly real.
Curious extreme people sometimes, in general, doubt the existence of a "sightseeing". The fact is that the lake usually appears in winter, and in summer it seems to dry up, or rather disappear.
As scientists have found out, the sources of this symbol of Italy are underground wells that go deep into the Earth. Most likely, they are associated with volcanic processes that continuously occur in the depths of the island. Local legend attributes the deadly qualities of the reservoir to the curse of a wandering monk, who was not pleased by the inhabitants of the surrounding area.
Three-legged symbol of Sicily
The shape of Sicily resembles a triangle. It was on this basis that the island was named Trinacria by the ancient Greeks. Three seas, three capes, three archipelagos seem to confirm this feature.
Triskelion became the symbol of Trinacria. The most ancient symbol of mankind, representing three running legs connected at one point. Not only in Italy, but also in Buryatia, Japan, on the Isle of Man there was this amulet. He designated in different places and at different times the position of the sun, the course of history, the whirl of the heavenly bodies.
But in Sicily, the triskelion is special. In the middle of the symbol is a woman's face. Initially, it was believed that it belongs to one of the three terrible Gorgon sisters - Medusa. She had snakes instead of hair, and with her eyes she could kill. At present, only the ability of the triskelion to protect from enemies with a glance has been left from the former legend. But the image itself is not associated with Medusa Gorgon. Of course, this is the face of a beautiful good deity.
The flag of Sicily belongs to the sights of Italy. It is painted in the colors of two of its most famous cities: the capitals of Palermo and Corleone. In the middle of the cloth is the symbol of trinacria. The female face in the center is surrounded by ears of wheat (and not snakes at all). This symbolizes the fertility of the lands of the island.
Attractions Trinacria
The cities of Sicily keep in their names the aroma of antiquity and myths. Their attractions are so varied and beautiful that they have made the island a place of pilgrimage for tourists. Ancient Greek, Roman, Baroque architecture of buildings peacefully coexists with modern lines of hotels and restaurants. Incredibly beautiful nature reserves complement the bliss of a luxurious beach holiday.
To fully enjoy your holiday in Sicily, you need a lot of time. Many sights of the island are worth seeing. There is a popularity rating that determined the most visited and favorite places by tourists.
Incredibly picturesque, causing delight of everyone who saw it. The highest active volcano in Europe. A reason for pride in all of Italy. It makes no sense to name the exact height of Etna: due to regular mini-eruptions, it is constantly changing. For the same reason, there are no accurate slope maps. But experienced local guides take inquisitive travelers to the crater itself along three well-known trails.
Catacombs of the Capuchins
The most unusual exhibition of mummies in the world. There are more than eight thousand of them. Mummified, skeletonized, embalmed - they arouse the constant interest of the living. A very picturesque road leads to this peculiar museum.
Among the archaeological finds of Italy, this rocky crevice is the very first and most valuable attraction. The depth of the cave going inside is 65 meters. The entrance, carved into the rock, resembles an auricle. It reaches a height of 23 meters.
According to legend, the cruel Dionysius drove the guilty slaves here, ordered them to be beaten, and listened to the screams of the tortured. It is not known how true the legend is. But the acoustics in the cave are really incredible. The shape of the cave or the legend became the source of the name of one of the types of auditory tube of otolaryngologists.
In blogs, social networks, various entertainment portals, and even in the news in 2007, information began to appear about a certain Lake of Death in Sicily. There was similar information on different sites - they wrote that instead of water in this lake there is acid, and therefore nothing living can be found either in the lake itself or around it. Particularly bloodthirsty publications wrote that Sicilian mafiosi hid the bodies of enemies in this lake. Today we propose to figure out what actually hides the incredible phenomenon of an acidic dead lake.
Information from the World Wide Web
Today, a description of the Sicilian Lake of Death can be found on a hundred different portals. So, according to the information they provide, the dead lake is an absolutely deserted place where not a single living organism can be found, and even unpretentious plants do not grow around it. The thing is that this lake is enriched with sulfuric acid, the concentration of which is simply prohibitive.
Location
One travel portal even tells where the Lake of Death in Sicily is located: it is recommended to go to the province of Catania, to the municipality of Palagonia, which is located fifteen kilometers from the colony of Leontini.
There is information about the size of the lake - its circumference does not exceed 480 feet (this is about 146 meters), and therefore this lake dries up completely in summer. The tour operator who published the article recommends going in search of this lake in winter - so the probability of finding it increases significantly. At the same time, the site says that the locals have not even heard of the dead lake and doubt that such a thing can even exist.
Secret of the lake
On various entertainment portals, you can find out that some scientific expeditions discovered this reservoir, which discovered two sources of sulfuric acid at its bottom at once. It is also said that some tests were even carried out (however, which ones and by whom is not indicated anywhere).
Interesting facts about the lake of Death in Sicily
Of course, a large number of legends and mysteries could not but appear around such a place. One of the legends says that the Sicilian mafiosi dissolved the bodies of the people they killed right here. It is impossible to find out whether this is true or not, because a couple of hours after diving into a dangerous lake (if it exists, of course), not even teeth will remain from a person.
Eduard Novikov's investigation
There is no mention of this place on Italian sites. And not a single local resident heard anything about him. Moreover, the study of the photo of the mystical lake showed that the photo of the lake of Death in Sicily absolutely coincides with the pictures of the lake located in Yellowstone National Park. In addition, vegetation is clearly visible in these pictures, which is completely different from what should grow in Sicily!
A truly impeccable investigation was conducted by Eduard Novikov, who had previously dispelled the myths about the ink lake in Algeria. He managed to find out what exactly became the prototype of a dangerous lake. He also learned about how information about the reservoir with acid appeared in general. We bring to your attention his investigation!
Work done
Novikov began by carefully examining various maps. And to no avail. Even the lists of all the Sicilian lakes did not give any result. True, Edward managed to find out that, most likely, the name of the lake is Laghetti di Naftia or Lago di Naftia.
The next step was to search for the works of various scientists who might be familiar with the prototype of the Lake of Death in Sicily. It turned out that volcanologist Gaetano Ponte took a lot of photos of Lago di Naftia.
The researcher said that the bubbling of thermal waters in the lake was caused by emissions of not acid, but carbon dioxide. The pictures of the volcanologist clearly show that there is vegetation both in the water itself and on the banks. So, there can be no talk of any increased acidity. In 1897, Lago di Naftia began to shrink, turning into several small reservoirs. And by 1905, only small puddles remained on the site of the lake.
Professor Francesco Ferrara was also involved in the study of the lake. He wrote about the lake as follows: the shape of the lake resembles a circle with a diameter of 480 feet. Its depth is about 14 feet. The lake appeared due to volcanic phenomena. Methane, carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide come to the surface of Lago di Naftia, so it seems that the water is seething. The color of the water is yellow-green. From time to time, oil slicks appear on the surface of the lake.
Of course, if the lake really was acidic, scientists would hardly have forgotten to mention it. So where are the roots of the story about the Lake of Death in Sicily?
Roots in the book
If you take a quote from an article about a dangerous lake regarding the victims of the mafiosi, you can find a book by Anatoly Paskhalov called "Amazing Etymology". The year of publication of this book is 2007. Please note that it was then that references to the Lake of Death in Sicily first appeared on the Web.
What does Paskhalov write? He claims that the most "dead" body of water in the world is not the Dead Sea, but the Sicilian lake, on the shores of which there is no vegetation. Eduard Novikov reviewed the list of literature used by Anatoly Pavlovich and found out that only Vartanyan's work, which is called "History with Geography" of 1996, can be considered a potential source of information about the terrible reservoir. Novikov failed to find this book - there is only its name on the World Wide Web, and it is not available in online stores either. However, there is the same book, albeit dated 1986. Only here in it there is no information about the lake. It can be assumed that the 1996 edition was supplemented by a beautiful and unusual legend.
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