The Skull Cave is one of the most fascinating places on Earth. It is a cave carved by nature to resemble a skull. When the 1st Phantom found it, he made it more so. And ever since the Skull Cave has been the abode of all the Phantoms to date.
Even more amazing than the cave itself are its contents. The large cavern has many chambers in it. The important ones are described below:
The Throne Room
The Throne Room is a vast hall that one enters as soon as one steps into the cave. It has a risen platform in the middle on which stands the Skull Throne flanked on both sides by ornate stands with lit torches on them.
This room has been used at times to hold conferences between kings or tribal chiefs. This is also the place where the Phantom meets messengers or visitors.
Only the Phantom is meant to sit upon the Skull Throne but exceptions are not frowned up, notable ones being Queen Natala on her first visit and Rex King as a baby.
The Treasure Room
The Treasure Room has two sections -- the Minor Treasure Room and the Major Treasure Room.
The Minor Treasure Room has nothing but tons of priceless jewels made of gold, ruby, diamonds, etc. Things to which the Phantom does not attribute much worth. Beyond this room lies the Major Treasure Room.
The Major Treasure Room is a historian's dream come true for this place contains articles which are thought to be lost forever. This room holds things from centuries past that have been either gifted to or found by the various Phantoms over the ages.
The contents of the Major Treasure Room include:
- The sword of King Arthur -- Excalibur
- The sword of Roland -- Durandal
- The ivory horn of Roland
- The asp that bit Cleopatra
- Cleopatra's wedding ring from Mark Antony
- A tiny ark made from the wood of Noah's ark
- A golden flower
- Caesar's laurel crown
- The Diamond Cup of Alexander the Great (legend says when Alexander wept because there were no more worlds to conquer, his tears fell into this cup)
- The original script of Hamlet in Shakespeare's own handwriting
- The great ring of Nebuchadnezzar
- The necklace of Nefertiti
- The lyre of the blind poet Homer
The Chronicles Room
The Chronicles Room contains a large number of voluminous books. In these books are captured all the adventures of the Phantoms, written in their own hand. Thus, 400 years of events are recorded in the books of the Chronicles Room. Here also lies answers to many unsolved mysteries. For example, the secret of how the Jungle Patrol was formed.
This room is most precious to our 21st Phantom. He spends a lot of his time here reading about his ancestors. Many a time, he has sought help from the Phantom Chronicles in his own adventures.
There is something special about holding a centuries-old hardbound book, and putting ink to paper to record a new adventure.
The Radio Room
The Radio Room, as the name suggests, contains a huge high-tech radio. The Phantom uses this radio to contact the Jungle Patrol urgently. There is a special band or frequency that he uses for this which is called the X-Band at Jungle Patrol. The Phantom also uses the radio to listen to news broadcasts from far and wide to keep in touch with the latest happenings.
The Pygmies call the radio as the 'Devil box', from which come 'voices from air'.
The Crypt
The Crypt contains the tombs of 20 Phantom generations. Here it may be mentioned that no Phantom has ever seen his own grandfather. The Phantom's life is a violent one.
Next to this room, is another which has not been named. This room stores the ancient costumes of the Phantoms (some of them were women).