QAL'EH KAFIR, Madr (Caves at)

(ولسوالی کهمرد - AF)
35.400600,67.811700
Grottocenter / carte

Description

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A double line of unspecified French -grottes- (natural caves or man-made rock chambers?) in limestone (note 1). SITUATION: At Madr (note 2) on the ancient caravan route from Bamiyan / Bamiyan to Balkh, which climbs up to the pass of Kara Kotal (Dark Pass, circa 3200 m asl) in a magnificent, north-south draining gorge. CAVE DESCRIPTION: The limestone crags describe in some places fantastic arabesques. A bay on the left-hand side of the canyon's wall holds a double line of caves above an ancient settlement in ruins. Time, unfortunately, has destructed most of the man-made access to this Qal'eh Kafir, or Infidel's Castle, as the present Muslim bypassers like it to see (after FOUCHER 1924a: 155).A double line of unspecified French -grottes- (natural caves or man-made rock chambers?) in limestone (note 1). SITUATION: At Madr (note 2) on the ancient caravan route from Bamiyan / Bamiyan to Balkh, which climbs up to the pass of Kara Kotal (Dark Pass, circa 3200 m asl) in a magnificent, north-south draining gorge. CAVE DESCRIPTION: The limestone crags describe in some places fantastic arabesques. A bay on the left-hand side of the canyon's wall holds a double line of caves above an ancient settlement in ruins. Time, unfortunately, has destructed most of the man-made access to this Qal'eh Kafir, or Infidel's Castle, as the present Muslim bypassers like it to see (after FOUCHER 1924a: 155).

Documents

Bibliography 06/01/2018

History

EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1853.07.02-03: Khwajah Ahmud Shah NUKSHEBUNDEE SYUD (1856: 357) spent a night at 'Budder' (sic! for: Madar, Madr). No caves are mentioned in his report communicated by the 'Government of India' (Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1856, issue 82, vol. 25: 344-358). Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

Caves nearby

Distance (km)NameLength (m)Depth (m)
20.5SURQAL'A (Caves at)
22.4HERI RUD, Saighan - Kahmard (Caves on the)
35.9HAZARSUM, Ruyi Doab
42.1RUYI, Habash (Caves at)
60.1KHORAM ROCK CLEFT
95.9TAKHT-i- RUSTAM 5, Haibak Vihara (Cave at)
95.9TAKHT-i- RUSTAM 1: tunnelcave 1 (Cave at)
95.9TAKHT-i- RUSTAM 3: monolithic house (Cave at)
95.9TAKHT-i- RUSTAM 4: rock chambers (Caves at)