The Ear of Dionysios
Siracusa, Sicily
In the Latomia del Paradiso, an old quarry in the Parco Archeologico of Siracusa, can be found
a cave of 65 meters depth, 23 meter height and 11 meters width in the shape of an S.
This cave was made in the Greek antiquity and has a curious acoustic characteristic.
Even very softly spoken words can be heard by a person standing at the entrance of the cave.
Sounds are amplified by a factor of 16.
Since the 16th century Italian painter Michelangelo da Caravaggio compared during his
visit the form of the cave with a human ear, it is called the Ear of Dionysios,
L'Orecchio di Dionigi
and it is reported, the Greek tyrant Dionysios would have eavesdroped there on the talks of
prisoners.
Interesting too is a video at
Sonic Wonders.
