SHYNGKTAT, Kseh (Krem)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A 10 m-climb down gives access to a relatively open but partly boulder-roofed, generally daylight-lit, sand- and gravel-floored bogaz (note 1) or large grike (note 2), which is trending approximately NE-SW and contains more or less lots of creepers, roots of living plants, and the decaying organic debris of leafs, twigs, branches, etc. According to Arbenz, T disguised as -Buchmann, Simone- (2001.04.05 Mss: Krem Shyngktat.doc 18.2.2011), Krem Shyngktat is a natural gorge that entertains a seasonal sink taking the water of [a relatively] small surface stream without comparison for scale. ARBENZ, T (2012: 245) interprets the natural gorge as a seasonal sink taking water of [an unidentified and relatively] small surface stream to an inexplicable destiny. Apart from the obvious absence of any -visible- (pitch dark) cave passage, there is no ongoing passage known. ETYMOLOGY: The origin and meaning of the Synteng Khasi (Pnar) cave name -Krem Shyngktat- has not been discovered (ARBENZ, T 2012 245; Arbenz, T disguised as -Buchmann, Simone- 2011.02.18 Mss, 2011.04.05 Mss) but may derive from the Khasi word -shyieng- or -sh'ing- (note 3) for bone combined with -ktait- (note 4) or scatter about and signifying a Scattered Bones Cave (note 5). SITUATION: At an estimated distance of only about 300 m [in an unidentified direction] away from Kseh to Kopili road (anonymous Arbenz, T et al. 2011.03.27 undated Mss: 2011 Diary.doc: Saturday 19th Feb 2011) and partway down on a south-east facing escarpment which is descended along the road from the village of Kseh (St. Joseph church near 25°25’24.0”N: 92°35’32.9”E: circa 880 m) to the orographically left bank of the Kopili River (26°15'N: 92°10'E: ca. 710 m asl WGS84). APPROACH: Arbenz, T (2011.03.27 Mss -Simone Buchmann 2011.02.18- Krem Shyngktat 18.2.2011) suggests to walk from the jetty (25°25'49.1”N: 92°36'15.1”E: 717 m) on the orographically left (locally west) bank of the Kopili River (26°15'N: 92°10'E) generally wet along a certain the track uphill towards the village of Kseh (St. Joseph church near 25°25’24.0”N: 92°35’32.9”E: circa 880 m). Partway uphill is an unidentified the first bend at an unspecified GPS position from where a footpath leads for an unspecified distance and in an unspecified direction to a pine forest at an unspecified GPS position. Where it (perhaps the pine forest but possibly the footpath) stops at the edge of the slope at 800 m asl, follow [or, perhaps, contour along] the ledge [or, perhaps, a shelf] west [or, more likely, south-west] to [the cave entrance to] Krem Shyngktat [N25°25'21.9”: E092°36'03.0”: 787 m asl WGS84] rely on GPS (note 6). CAVE DESCRIPTION: The entrance an open, gorge-like rift 3 m wide, 20 m long and 12 m deep. Its direction is from NE to SW. From The North a small streambed gradually finds its way into another rift which joins the main opening.At almost every place in this “cave” one can see daylight, which is sometimes obstructed by boulders wdged into the rift and thus giving the impression that there is a cave but so it is more of a canyon. The climb down is 10 m to the bottom. The floor is covered by a big amount of organic debris such as leaves, branches, roots and lianas. There is no ongoing passage. The cave contains Lots of organic debris (leafs, branches, roots). Sand and gravel underneath. Occasionally boulders wedged into the rift. (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss -Simone Buchmann 2011.02.18- Krem Shyngktat 18.2.2011). TACKLE: Bring 20 m of rope and to use several natural belay points at trees for rigging the 10 m-climb down (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss -Simone Buchmann 2011.02.18- Krem Shyngktat 18.2.2011). PROSPECTS: Based on one single, short cave visit and digital survey in search of dark cave passages, sports cavers concluded from finding no way on to have one aspect of a preliminary topographical cave survey finished (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss -Simone Buchmann 2011.02.18- Krem Shyngktat 18.2.2011). CULTURAL HISTORY: Oficially, there is none known (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss -Simone Buchmann 2011.02.18- Krem Shyngktat 18.2.2011). In case the Synteng Khasi cave name ”Krem Shyngktat- does refer to scattered bones, then the unroofed gryke may have been or still is used -- but this is mere guesswork -- as a sacrifice pit. or as a secondary burial place. CAVE LIFE: Simone Röthlin Buchmann was said to have noticed on 19th February 2011 during daytime in the daylight-lit bogaz the presence of spiders, crickets (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss -Simone Buchmann 2011.02.18- Krem Shyngktat 18.2.2011). Keywords: Arachnida: Aranea, Orthoptera.dged into the rift and thus giving the impression that there is a cave but so it is more of a canyon. The climb down is 10 m to the bottom. The floor is covered by a big amount of organic debris such as leaves, branches, roots and lianas. There is no ongoing passage. The cave contains Lots of organic debris (leafs, branches, roots). Sand and gravel underneath. Occasionally boulders wedged into the rift. (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss -Simone Buchmann 2011.02.18- Krem Shyngktat 18.2.2011). TACKLE: Bring 20 m of rope and to use several natural belay points at trees for rigging the 10 m-climb down (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss -Simone Buchmann 2011.02.18- Krem Shyngktat 18.2.2011). PROSPECTS: Based on one single, short cave visit and digital survey in search of dark cave passages, sports cavers concluded from finding no way on to have one aspect of a preliminary topographical cave survey finished (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss -Simone Buchmann 2011.02.18- Krem Shyngktat 18.2.2011). CULTURAL HISTORY: Odged into the rift and thus giving the impression that there is a cave but so it is more of a canyon. The climb down is 10 m to the bottom. The floor is covered by a big amount of organic debris such as leaves, branches, roots and lianas. There is no ongoing passage. The cave contains Lots of organic debris (leafs, branches, roots). Sand and gravel underneath. Occasionally boulders wedged into the rift. (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss -Simone Buchmann 2011.02.18- Krem Shyngktat 18.2.2011). TACKLE: Bring 20 m of rope and to use several natural belay points at trees for rigging the 10 m-climb down (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss -Simone Buchmann 2011.02.18- Krem Shyngktat 18.2.2011). PROSPECTS: Based on one single, short cave visit and digital survey in search of dark cave passages, sports cavers concluded from finding no way on to have one aspect of a preliminary topographical cave survey finished (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss -Simone Buchmann 2011.02.18- Krem Shyngktat 18.2.2011). CULTURAL HISTORY: Odged into the rift and thus giving the impression that there is a cave but so it is more of a canyon. The climb down is 10 m to the bottom. The floor is covered by a big amount of organic debris such as leaves, branches, roots and lianas. There is no ongoing passage. The cave contains Lots of organic debris (leafs, branches, roots). Sand and gravel underneath. Occasionally boulders wedged into the rift. (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss -Simone Buchmann 2011.02.18- Krem Shyngktat 18.2.2011). TACKLE: Bring 20 m of rope and to use several natural belay points at trees for rigging the 10 m-climb down (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss -Simone Buchmann 2011.02.18- Krem Shyngktat 18.2.2011). PROSPECTS: Based on one single, short cave visit and digital survey in search of dark cave passages, sports cavers concluded from finding no way on to have one aspect of a preliminary topographical cave survey finished (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss -Simone Buchmann 2011.02.18- Krem Shyngktat 18.2.2011). CULTURAL HISTORY: Oficially, there is none known (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss -Simone Buchmann 2011.02.18- Krem Shyngktat 18.2.2011). In case the Synteng Khasi cave name ”Krem Shyngktat- does refer to scattered bones, then the unroofed gryke may have been or still is used -- but this is mere guesswork -- as a sacrifice pit. or as a secondary burial place. CAVE LIFE: Simone Röthlin Buchmann was said to have noticed on 19th February 2011 during daytime in the daylight-lit bogaz the presence of spiders, crickets (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss -Simone Buchmann 2011.02.18- Krem Shyngktat 18.2.2011). Keywords: Arachnida: Aranea, Orthoptera.