Bala Murghab (Caves at)

(ولسوالی مرغاب - AF)
35.630512,63.457031
Grottocenter / carte

Description

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

An unspecified number of man-made rock chambers (excavated grottoes), used as dwellings by Hazaras, have been reported (note 1) by Captain Durand (in LUMSDEN 1885: 563) from a place some 25 km west of Bala Murghab (Bala Morghab), in a tributary from the east to the right bank of the river Murghab, and in the Karajungal hills (note 2): A ride of 15 or 16 miles up a narrow valley going east from Bala Murghab landed us in a group of kibitkas [nomad's tents], curiously enough just undergoing the change into house formation, which would no doubt have interested Mr. Fergusson. But cave dwellings were also in the same group, and little boys and girls came bolting out of the sandhills like rabbits. Here [note 3] we found water and pitched our camp.An unspecified number of man-made rock chambers (excavated grottoes), used as dwellings by Hazaras, have been reported (note 1) by Captain Durand (in LUMSDEN 1885: 563) from a place some 25 km west of Bala Murghab (Bala Morghab), in a tributary from the east to the right bank of the river Murghab, and in the Karajungal hills (note 2): A ride of 15 or 16 miles up a narrow valley going east from Bala Murghab landed us in a group of kibitkas [nomad's tents], curiously enough just undergoing the change into house formation, which would no doubt have interested Mr. Fergusson. But cave dwellings were also in the same group, and little boys and girls came bolting out of the sandhills like rabbits. Here [note 3] we found water and pitched our camp.

Documents

Bibliography 06/01/2018
  • Durand [Captain H Mortimer? or Algernon?] in Lumsden, Peter 1885.

History

EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1884.12.22: Captain Durand (in LUMSDEN 1885: 563) noticed inhabited man-made rock chambers on the way (circa 25 km) from Bala Murghab to Karajungul. Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

Caves nearby

Distance (km)NameLength (m)Depth (m)
12.8Bala Murghab (Tunnel at)
14.0DO GHAR, Joy-i- Khwaja
18.3BALA MURGHAB (Simpson 1886), 2nd (Caves at)
18.3Bala Murghab (Caves at)
24.1BALA MURGHAB (Lindberg 1949) (Caves at)
40.7ASHAB-i- KAHF, Alti Khwaja (Cave at)
124.0ZARMAST, Maymana (Cave at)
124.0ZARMAST POT n° 1
124.0ZARMAST POT n° 2