Cave dwellings, catacombs, earth houses, rock-cut temples, tombs, hermitages, tunnels and mines - these are just a few of the fascinating and mysterious subterranean structures that are uncovered and described in this unique history. Nigel Pennick traces the history and use of subterranea and explores the myths and legends that they have inspired. This panoramic survey includes the legend of the vast tunnel system beneath the Andes, the majestic and awesome Oracle of the Dead at Baiae, the Hellfire Club of Sir Francis Dashwood, the secret underground city of Ivan the Terrible and a concise guide to British subterranea.