Khyber Pass (Caves on the)
34.072500,71.212778
Description
Notes
NOTE 1: Of solutional origin? Simon J Brooks noticed on the Pakistan side of the »Keiber Pass« (sic!) a variety of sometimes relatively »large solution pockets and cavities« visible on exposed walls (BROOKS, S J 1997 Mss: Pakistan Cave Database). NOTE 2: Used for religious purposes and ascribed to Buddhists (GRIESBACH 1882: 61). NOTE 3: Compare VICARY, N (a.i. before 1892a: 385 etc; a.i. before 1892b: 260; a.i. before 1892c: 38-46). GRIESBACH, C L (1882: 60-61) says »Major Vicary mentions having collected carboniferous fossils, a small Spirifer, Orthis, Terebratula (?), and some Polyparia from boulders near the mouth of the Khaibar near Jamrud. Pliocene beds (Siwaliks) he found to skirt the hills on the south side of the Peshawar basin ans to ascend even the valleys coming from the hills The Buddhist caves in the Khaibar are excavated in pliocene rock. See also Dr. A.M. Verchère in Jour. As. Soc., Beng., XXXVI, p. 21, and Colonel H.H. Godwin-Austen, Quart. Jour. Geol. Soc., XXII, p. 29, who mention this found of fossils. The note on p. 500 of the "Manual of the Geology of India" discusses the subject.« NOTE 4: Positioned as Khaibar, Kowtal-e Khaybar and Khyber Pass near N34°04'21”: E071°12'46” (nima.mil/geonames/Pakistan, accessed 16.11.2003). It is the "Khaibar" of GRIESBACH (1882: 61), MARKHAM (1879a: 40), TROUSDALE (in MACGREGOR 1985: 114) and VICARY (1892: 385) is also found spelled "Keiber" (Brooks 1997), "Khaebar" (MACGREGOR 1985: 114), "Khyber" (LEECH, Robert 1845b: 662; SIMPSON 1882a: 319, 1882b; BARTHOLOMEW: Indian Subcontinent 1: 4 mill.) and "Kyber" (Illustrated London News 1879, vol. 74, issue 2065 front page). The elevation ranges between 1027 m (answers.com 2005.05.31) and 1036 m asl (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 15: 299: 3400 feet). NOTE 5: MOORCROFT & TREBECK (1842, 2: 356): »Many of the Afghan tribes form domiciles in the rocks, and we had noticed several cave dwellings in the Khyber country.« LEECH (1845b: 662): »There are few habitations on the [Khyber] road, and even off the road they (the Afreedees) live a good deal in caves.« MARKHAM (1879a: 47): »In winter [the Afridis] live in caves in the cliffs, and in summer in mat tents.« SIMPSON (1882: 319): »On going through Khyber Pass I saw numerous recesses in the rocks which struck me as places which might have been used by ascetics, but they indicated no signs of having been excavated, hence nothing definite could could be assumed regarding them.« BALFOUR (1885 edited 1968, 1: 610): »…the Afridi tribe in in the Khaibar pass live in chambered rocks.« NOTE 6: STAUFFER, K W (1968) studied some aspects of »Geology of the Khyber pass, Khyber Agency, West Pakistan« (United States Geological Survey [USGS] Project Report (IR) PK-72), 42 pages.
General Description
Modified natural troglodyte caves (note 1) and man-made rock chambers (note 2), some excavated from the Pliocene (Siwalik) rocks (note 3), are found along the routes approaching and crossing over Khyber Pass (note 4). These caves were and probably still are used as troglodyte dwellings (note 5) which, however, were never systematically investigated. AFGHANISTAN side: Caves in the valley of the –>Barik Ab, Caves on the –>Karapah Road ( Murdar Dand - Gandawah), –>Landi Khana. PAKISTAN side (note 6): –>Babara Cave, –>Drazanda Cave, –>Gandao Cave, –>Janat Gul Kili Caves, Caves at –>Kadam, –>Khanakai Cave, –>Khatunai Cave, –>Mandati Cave, –>Manza Cave, –>Nari Caves; Cave of Lieut.-Col. –>Rattray (near Ali Masjid, reported by WOOD 1841: 159); –>Sangar Cave, –>Sar Khandai / Sarkhandai Cave, –>Shagai Cave, –>Shakar Tangi Caves, Shalkan Durmai Cave, –>Spinkai Cave, –>Tsaswakai Cave, –>Zerai Garai Cave.
Documents
Bibliography 12/12/2015History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: - 328: Hyphæstion, in command of the main body of Alexander the Great's army, marched from »Alexandria ad Caucasum« (in the Koh-i Daman plain north of Kabul) via »Khaibar« to the plains of Panjab: »We hear very little about his march eastwards« (HOLDICH 1996 / 2002: 94-95). 1824.05: William Moorcroft, Georg "George" Trebeck and Mir Izzet Ullah passed by.
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.3 | Lieutenent Colonel Rattray (Cave of) [Cave of Ali Masjid] | ||
| 9.0 | KADAM, Khyber (Caves at) | ||
| 9.0 | SAMAD KHAN (Cave of Mirza) | ||
| 10.7 | LANDI KHANA | ||
| 12.5 | JANAT GUL KILI | ||
| 12.6 | ZERAI GARAI | ||
| 12.8 | DRAZANDA CAVES | ||
| 13.1 | SARKHANDAI CAVE | ||
| 15.5 | KHANAKAI CAVE |