LURI CAVE

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

The most famous of the man-made rock chambers (note 1) at the troglolodyte settlement excavated from conglomerate at Luri / Lori (note 1) contains a stupa and paintings (rock art) dated to the 13th or 14 century A.D. (NEUMANN 1994, 1997; SLUSSER & BISHOP 1999). According to GUTSCHOW (1992-93) a landslide destroyed parts of the -cave- in 1972. SITUATION: McCUE (2000) places Luri at a distance of a few hours walk above Yara and says the standard route to Luri is via a trail through Gara village, on the ridgeline to the north above Yara. CAVE DESCRIPTION 2000: [The –>Tashi Kabum cave] is almost a twin of the Luri cave in dimension, layout and design. These domed, rounded grottoes are about four to five meters across, four to five meters tall, and hand carved into the mountain. Both caves originally had a single entryway and both have one small window overlooking the valley to the left of the entry. In Tashi Kabum a new passage tunnel has been crudely cut into the wall opposite to the oriinal entryway, opening into an empty, adjacent cave that has lost its entrance due to erosion of the cliff. The walls and ceilings of both cave temples are covered in plaster and are attractively painted. In the center of each cave is a beautifully crafted chorten surrounded by sufficient floor space for circumambulation (McCUE 2000). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1968: A vast cavern where a large chorten, covered with miniature frescoes, did rise (PEISSEL 1968b: 230).inal entryway, opening into an empty, adjacent cave that has lost its entrance due to erosion of the cliff. The walls and ceilings of both cave temples are covered in plaster and are attractively painted. In the center of each cave is a beautifully crafted chorten surrounded by sufficient floor space for circumambulation (McCUE 2000). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1968: A vast cavern where a large chorten, covered with miniature frescoes, did rise (PEISSEL 1968b: 230).