Slovakia Sinkhole Reveals Historic Underground Structure

DUBOVANY, SLOVAKIA—The Slovak Spectator reports that a sinkhole in western Slovakia has revealed a loch, an unlined, underground structure that was used to store food or as a refuge in times of unrest. Archaeologist Matúš Sládok said that this is the first loch to be discovered in the Trnava region of Slovakia, but many have been unearthed in Moravia, Austria, and Germany. “Lochs typically maintained above-freezing temperatures, even in harsh winters, making them habitable during colder periods,” he explained. “They were often accessed through above-ground structures and occasionally used as prison cells, giving rise to the Slovak phrase zavrieť do lochu (throw someone in jail). This loch is thought to be linked to a structure recorded on a map made during a military survey between 1782 and 1784. For more on the archaeology of Slovakia, go to "Neolithic Mass Grave Mystery."