Playback: Modern Lives, Ancient Caves
16Digest
This podcast explores the surprising phenomenon of modern-day cave dwelling, examining diverse communities across the globe who choose subterranean life. It begins with a historical overview, noting early Philadelphia settlers' use of caves and the later transformation of these spaces. The podcast then profiles three key locations: Rockland Ranch, Utah, a fundamentalist Mormon community living in caves as a form of apocalyptic preparation; Coober Pedy, Australia, where extreme heat drives opal miners to live underground; and Sacramento, Spain, where a unique flamenco dance style, Zambra, reflects the community's cave-dwelling heritage. The podcast highlights the varied motivations for this lifestyle, including religious beliefs, climate adaptation, and resource access. It also features the work of Chilean photographer Tamara Moreno, whose images illuminate the lives of these communities and their connection to our prehistoric past. Finally, the podcast considers the potential for underground living to become a more widespread practice in the future, offering a sustainable and climate-resilient solution to housing needs. The enduring human fascination with the underworld, as reflected in mythology and art (such as Nadar's 19th-century photographs of Paris's catacombs), is also explored.
Outlines
Ancient Caves to Modern Dwellings: A Global Perspective
This introductory chapter sets the stage by exploring the historical context of cave dwelling, from early Philadelphia settlements to the modern-day communities featured in the podcast. It previews the diverse reasons people choose to live underground, ranging from religious beliefs to escaping extreme weather conditions.
Modern Cave Communities: Utah, Australia, and Spain
This chapter delves into the specifics of three distinct modern cave-dwelling communities: Rockland Ranch, Utah (fundamentalist Mormons); Coober Pedy, Australia (opal miners); and Sacramento, Spain (Zambra Flamenco dancers). It highlights the unique challenges and rewards of each community's lifestyle and their connection to the land.
Photography, Mythology, and the Future of Underground Living
This chapter explores the cultural and artistic representations of underground spaces, featuring the work of photographer Tamara Moreno and discussing the universal theme of the underworld in mythology. It concludes by considering the potential for underground living to become a more widespread and sustainable practice in the future, particularly in the face of climate change.
Keywords
Underground Dwellings
Habitats built or adapted within caves, tunnels, or other subterranean spaces, driven by factors like climate, resource access, and cultural traditions.
Cave Culture
The unique social structures, traditions, and beliefs of communities living in caves, often characterized by self-sufficiency and strong community bonds.
Subterranean Exploration
The investigation and discovery of underground environments, including caves, mines, and ancient ruins.
Climate Change Adaptation
Strategies to mitigate climate change effects; underground dwellings offer a potential solution for escaping extreme heat and creating sustainable living spaces.
Opal Mining
The extraction of opal gemstones from underground mines, a significant economic activity shaping Coober Pedy's unique underground lifestyle.
Sustainable Living
Practices aimed at reducing environmental impact and creating self-sufficient communities.
Rockland Ranch
A fundamentalist Mormon community in Utah living in caves carved into a sandstone cliff.
Coober Pedy
An opal mining town in Australia where extreme heat drives residents to live in underground homes called dugouts.
Sacramento, Spain
A community in Spain with a unique flamenco dance style, Zambra, reflecting their cave-dwelling heritage.
Underground Architecture
The design and construction of buildings and habitats within subterranean spaces.
Q&A
Why do people choose to live underground in the modern day?
Reasons vary widely, including religious beliefs, escaping extreme heat, historical refuge, and a desire for self-sufficiency and a closer connection to nature.
What are some of the challenges and benefits of underground living?
Challenges include limited natural light, potential for flooding or collapse, and social isolation. Benefits include stable temperatures, reduced energy consumption, and a unique sense of community.
How does underground living relate to human history?
Humans have sought shelter in caves for millennia, demonstrating a deep-seated connection to the earth.
Could underground living become a more widespread practice in the future?
Given the increasing impacts of climate change, underground living could become a more common and sustainable way of life.
What are some examples of the cultural significance of underground spaces?
The Zambra Flamenco dance in Spain, the spiritual significance of opal mining in Australia, and the apocalyptic preparations of the Mormon community in Utah highlight the cultural richness associated with underground living.
Show Notes
There’s a lost continent waiting to be explored, and it’s right below our feet. We’ll dig into the deep human relationship to the underground—and why we understand it from an instinctive point of view, but not so much from a physical one. (Hint: We’re afraid of the dark.) In an episode originally published November 2021, National Geographic photographer Tamara Merino will take us subterranean in Utah, Australia, and Spain, where modern-day cave dwellers teach us how to escape the heat.
For more information on this episode, visit natgeo.com/overheard.
Want more?
Go below ground with National Geographic Explorer Tamara Merino to see how these communities have been living—quite comfortably—for a very long time.
In Vietnam photojournalist and National Geographic Explorer Martin Edström created 360 images of the world’s largest cave, Son Doong. It’s so big that a forest grows inside of it.
Ever zip-line to a remote island? Cartographers did, 30 miles west of San Francisco. What did they see when they mapped the hard-to-reach landform known as the Farallon Islands? Caves.
China is home to some of the most intricate cave systems on the planet. These explorers used a laser scanner to capture never before seen images of undocumented caves.
Also explore:
South Dakota is famous among cavers for its web of cave mazes. Take a look at what they’ve found under the Black Hills.
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