Mar (Ghar i) [Snake Cave]
36.093499,66.840820
Location
NOTE 1: Ghar-i-Mar (Snake Cave) is probably not an autochthonous title but an US-American nickname (for AK1 = Aq Kupruk [excavation site number] One) which is disguised under a Persian / Pushto cover. NOTE 2: Early Islamic level (pre-14th century AD), two Kushan (?) levels (6th to 7th century AD), "Scythian" assemblage, approximately 4000 year gap (1000 to 5000 BC), Gravels 1 (neolithic, about 7200 to 7500 years old), Gravels 2 (mesolithic), and Gravels 3. The ceramics are described by DUPREE & KOLB (1972), corroded relics of iron fragments by CALEY (1972a: 43), metal objects by CALEY (1972b), glass samples by BRILL (1972), and mollusks by SOLEM (1972).
Ghar-i Mar (note 1) is one of the archaeologically important caves (or rock shelters) in limestone situated in the vicinity of –>Aq Kupruk. The north facing cave entrance (DUPREE & KOLB 1972: 33) opens in a high terrace of the Balkh River (Balkhab) »in the limestone hills of the Hindu Kush mountains about 100 km south of Mazar-i Sharif« (DUPREE 1964c: 638). CULTURAL HISTORY - human use: DUPREE (1964c: 638) says »modern nomads still use the rock shelter for sheep and goat pens while moving through the area …« and DUPREE (1972a: 9-11 summarises tentative archaeological results (note 2).
Documents
Bibliography 02/02/2016History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1962.07 - 1962.08: Louis Dupree and others (e.g. Dexter Perkins) archaeologically excavated a stepped trench, 24 m long by 2 m wide to a depth of about 11 m (DUPREE 1964c: 638; 1972: 8-11). 1965: Louis Dupree and others extended the length of the AK1 trench to 42 m and dug down to a depth of 12 m before striking the water table (DUPREE 1972a: 11).
Comments
Caves nearby
Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
---|---|---|---|
1.0 | Asp (Ghar i) | ||
1.0 | Skull Cave | ||
1.4 | MAR, 2nd (Ghar i) | ||
57.9 | SHADIAN PITS | ||
93.8 | KHULM - MAZAR-e SHARIF road 1 (Cave on the) | ||
96.4 | HAIBAK - KHOLM CAVES | ||
98.6 | KHULM - MAZAR-e SHARIF road 2 (Cave of the) | ||
99.5 | KARA KAMAR, Sarqia-i- Afghania 1 | ||
99.7 | SAYYAD (Caves at) |
Geology
Limestone
Herbert Daniel Gebauer (02/02/2016)