SHAH NASIR (Cave of)

(ولسوالی شیخ‌علی - AF)
34.950000,68.383300
Grottocenter / carte

Description

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

An extensive and complex, natural temple cave (note 1) sacred to Muslims, appears to have developed from fissured rock enlarged by weathering (note 2). SITUATION: Near the summit of a limestone mountain without recognised name, which lies high up in (the upper reaches of?) a certain valley of Karghaleh (Qarghana / Qarghaneh?), a tributary to the Ghorband, and approximately 950 vertical metres above the village of Kotak (note 3). CAVE DESCRIPTION: The wide cave entrance leads to irregularly shaped cavities at different levels which, coming back to each other, are separated by large boulders and rifts. The cave walls are fissured and formed by the action of water. CAVE CONTENTS: Various shapes of speleothems: large stalagmites, small stalactites, draperies (bacon), organ pipes, and roundish concretions. Water drops without re-assembling. CAVE CLIMATE: An air temperature of 6°C was measured inside the cave and 13°C at the entrance on 6th August 1957. CAVE LIFE: There's almost no bat (Ciroptera) guano and the cave appears to be azoïque (azoic, life-less). From near the entrance LINDBERG (1958: 120) says to have collected Chilopoda and Arachnida (Opiliones).iroptera) guano and the cave appears to be azoïque (azoic, life-less). From near the entrance LINDBERG (1958: 120) says to have collected Chilopoda and Arachnida (Opiliones).

Documents

Bibliography 06/01/2018

History

EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1957.08.06: Knut LINDBERG (1958: 120; 1961a: 10) visited, took altimetre readings, explored the cave, collected cave life, and measured temperatures. Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

Caves nearby

Distance (km)NameLength (m)Depth (m)
4.8KOTAK (Cave at)
13.4PROMETHEUS, Shibar Pass (Cavern of)
23.2KHWAJA GHAR, Mazana 1 (Cave at)
23.2KHWAJA GHAR, Mazana, 2nd
27.8Sorb, Ferenjal (Ma'dan)
29.8Malik Ala Dad (Caves at)
39.1NAYAK (Samuch)
41.2FARAHGERD 1 (Coal Mine at)
41.2TALAGUD, Fuligard, Fuligird, Fulojird, Fulodschird = Chahar Bagh-e Farah Gerd? (Cave at)