LYMBIAT, Kharkhana (Krem)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A comparatively small and relatively large entrance around 8 m wide and 9 m high, with a 4 m climb down (Arbenz, T 2014.11.25 Mss: 25th Nov 2014 Krem Lymbiat (Kharkhana).doc) was characterised in February 2014 by a rotting bamboo ladder (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 10th February, Monday) and found to descend down into mostly choked relic cave passages which consist of a vertically developed maze along partly tectonic rifts (Arbenz, T 2014.11.25 / 2014.12.26 Mss: 25th Nov 2014 Krem Lymbiat (Kharkhana).doc). The cave contains not only eroded calcite, with a roughish surface (relic speleothems) and a stream of flowing water but also -- Oh Gawd! -- the unmissable presence of no obvious main trend but multiple minor ways on, which were linked in unexpected ways (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 10th February, Monday). ETYMOLOGY: The War Khasi cave name Krem Lymbiat (Kharpran Daly, B D 2014.01.1 Mss) signifies a -Bat Cave- (note 1). SITUATION: About 2 km in a direct line west of the village of Kharkhana (note 2) and in an area where calcareous shale, sandy limestone and fine calcareous sandstone (ROY CHOWDHURY 1974) of the Upper Cretaceous (Upper Maestrichtian) to Lower Palaeocene (BHATTACHARYA & BHATTACHARYA 1978) or Danian (MATHUR & EVANS 1964) of the Langpar (MEDLICOTT 1869) are exposed on the surface (NAG & PAL 1996 geological map). SITUATION 2014.11.25: In an area with strongly eroded pinnacle karst, in the jungle, 2 km in a straight line west-northwest of Kharkhana school (Arbenz, T 2014.11.25 Mss: 25th Nov 2014 Krem Lymbiat (Kharkhana).doc). POSITION 2014.02.10: N25°09'39.5”: E092°11'17.6”: 93 m asl (anonymous Annie U. Audsley, Henry Rockcliff or Roger Galloway 2014.11.10 -Lymbiat_08foth.Text- survey data file). POSITION 2014.02.10: Near (±2800 m) N25°09': E92°11' (Arbenz, T 2014.04.29 Cave record overwiev 2_ 2014.xlsx). APPROACH 2014.04.05: Annie U. Audsley, ana Chachula, Cdr. Vijay Chhikara, Roger Galloway and Henry Rockcliff noticed on Saturday, 10th February 2014 that an unspecified the walk from an unidentified starting point for an unspecified time into an unidentified direction satisfied demands of recreational adventure sports insofar as it was pleasant and easy along a road and then paths through betel nut groves and jungle (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 10th February, Monday). APPROACH 2014.11.25: Walk from the populated place Kharkhana (with an unidentified GPS position) for an unidentified distance west along an unspecified the main road (to an unspecified destination) to what had been in February 2014 a solitary house with three storeys (near ±10 m N25°09'26.8”: E092°11'46.7”: 165 m) on one or the other side of the road. Proceed in an unidentified direction along what had been in February 2014 an obvious path past an unspecified the front of the house (with an unidentified oientation) and ascend a few steps to cross an area palm plantation. At a point identified as very soon (with an unidentified GPS position) one has to take a right fork without orientation and cross a relatively small stream (at an unidentified GPS position). Continue and cross a comparatively larger stream (near ±10 m N25°09'30.4”; E092°11'32.1”: 123 m). Continue along the path but proceed off dry streambed via N25°09'26.8”: E092°11'46.7”: 106 m (±10 m) to a relatively larger path (near N25°09'32.1”: E092°11'30.7”: 109 m). Turn left (without orientation) and continue via N25°09'33.8”; E092°11'27.6”: 101 m and N25°09'34.5”: E092°11'26.5”: 96 m steeply up hill. Where the path starts to level off (near N25°09'37.0”: E092°11'17.9”: 123 m) turn right (without orientation, probably northish) and scramble across broken karst to a more or less large vertical cave entrance (note 3). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2014.04.05a: Henry Rockcliff, Annie U. Audsley, Roger Galloway, Oana Chchula and Cdr. Vijay Chhikara had climbed an estimated 6 m down into the entrance chamber using a handline. The cave quickly proved to have no obvious main trend but multiple minor ways on, which were linked in unexpected ways. It included a number of large relic passages -- often the cavers were apparently near to the roof of a large passage filled with boulders -- and these were linked by smaller passages and boulder chokes. There was also a small active stream. They [the cave visitors] located three other entrances in addition to the one they were shown. The cave was very well decorated, mostly with eroded calcite, with a roughish surface (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 10th February, Monday). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2014.04.05b: Other new caves located and explored [note 3] … included Krem Limbiat (Kharkhana) at 770 m in length … (Brooks, S J & Arbenz, T 2014.04.05 undated Mss: Meghalaya 2014 - Overview (Final).doc). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2014.1.25: A handline climb down 4m leads into a large boulder entrance passage, 10m wide by 10m high. It is heading at 0° but quickly turning to 99°, getting lower and taking an inclined form. The main passage chokes with boulders after around 55m. The remainder of the cave is complex in form with many interlinking passages. Only the most significant passages and connections are described [in the following]: From the entrance chamber a smaller passage (4-5m wide x 3-5m high) continues at around 0° to choke after 55m. Where the main passages becomes an inclined rift it is possible to go under the right hand wall into a low sloping passage from where you can climb up a calcite boulder slope to a rift with a small daylight window. From here it is also possible to climb up through boulders to the entrance chamber. From below the calcite boulders there is a low-level tight stream passage which can be followed for around 12m before becoming too tight. From where the main passage chokes there are2 possible ways on. To the right a large archway leads to a parallel passage (around 4m wide x 6m high) which continues for around 36m at 124° before intersecting with a large rifty, open pothole (5m wide x 15m long). This is choked with boulders to the north, but a passage continues at 178° into a small calcite chamber. A squeeze through calcite leads to a small entrance between boulders at ca. 150° and a chamber slopes down toward 0°, leading to a pool and boulder choke after 35m. It is possible to climb up through boulders to the parallel passage. From the pool the way on through boulders is too tight in either direction but a small stream can be heard beneath. From the pothole entrance a small passage leads under the wall at 135° for around 10m to a boulder-filled chamber. Shards of pottery and pieces of bones were found among the boulders. From here a passage also leads back at 285°, linking up with the pool chamber.The 2nd way on from the choke in the main passage is an obvious ole in the calcite slope towards the left hand side of the passage. From this window a short slide/climb down a calcite slope leads to a lower level passage. Follow this at 135° for around 15m to an area of breakdown and then a heavily calcite chamber. A complete pot covered with calcite and many shards were found in and around this chamber. From here there is a calcite slope heading off at 180° which connects with a small passage to the east of the pothole.Heading at 315° from below the window in the main passage leads via a short, wet crawl to a long, straight, inclined rift, accessible for around 120m. This becomes increasingly boulder-filled but it is possible to find ways over, under and between boulders until it finally chokes. Around halfway along the rift there are also higher level ways-on in both directions. Heading at 290° leads to a small calcite grotto, whereas heading at 120° leads to a large chamber with a boulder slope and a daylight window in the roof (Arbenz, T 2014.1.25 Mss: 25th Nov 2014 Krem Lymbiat (Kharkhana).doc). TACKLE: 1st entrance: 10m handline. You can use the 2nd entrance with no tackle but it's harder to find (Arbenz, T 2014.11.25 Mss: 25th Nov 2014 Krem Lymbiat (Kharkhana).doc). CAVE CONTENTS: Expedition cavers noticed in February 2014 not only boulders and decaying secondary calcite formations (speleothems) but also a relatively small active stream of water (with an unidentified flow rate) along with little mud and sand (Arbenz, T 2014.11.25 Mss: 25th Nov 2014 Krem Lymbiat (Kharkhana).doc). PROSPECTS: Survey complete. All remaining passages are too tight. A thorough archaeological inventory should be made by professionals. The information and the photos have been passed to Brian K.Daly who intends giving it to the University of Shillong (Arbenz, T 2014.11.25 Mss: 25th Nov 2014 Krem Lymbiat (Kharkhana).doc). CULTURAL HISTORY -- human use bat hunting ground: Unidentified the locals (no names mentioned) were said to use to hunt bats[in] Krem Lymbiat / Lymbit whilst a rotting bamboo ladder and the remains of a fire in the entrance was interpreted to indicate that the cave is obviously frequented by local people. A “dead” LED torch was also found further into the cave, so it may have been quite thoroughly explored (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 10th February, Monday). CULTURAL HISTORY -- human use pottery: Roger Galloway and David -Cookie- Cook noticed on 12th February 2014 pieces of pottery in the boulder choke and thought they must have fallen or been washed in. They removed a couple of the pieces to show to the rest of the team. … Just as they were about to leave … Cookie spotted a beautiful and complete earthen pot, set on the ground among cave pearls in a small well decorated chamber. It had clearly been placed in its position and not washed or fallen in, and it also had a small stalagmite growing on it so had obviously been there for some time. There were othe broken pieces of pot beside it. There was a stunned silence as they realized that they were potentially in a burial site and that the other pots, found earlier, could have a similar significance. At the other side of the chamber, underneath an overhanging rock, Roger spotted the rim of another pot which was almost completely buried (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 12th February, Wednesday). Numerous shards of pottery in the cave and one nearly complete pot covered with calcite plus human bones suggest an old burial site. The finds have been left in place but [were caving-wise] professionally photographed (Arbenz, T 2014.11.25 Mss: 25th Nov 2014 Krem Lymbiat (Kharkhana).doc). CAVE CLIMATE: A solitary measurement of the air temperature by an anonymous expedition caver with an unidentified measuring device at an unspecified point at an unidentified time on an unspecified day in February 2014 resulted in recording 19° (Arbenz, T 2014.11.25 Ms: 25th Nov 2014 Krem Lymbiat (Kharkhana).doc).CAVE LIFE: 2014.02.12: David -Cookie- Cook found a bat jaw bone and some claws (maybe of a crab) (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 12th February, Wednesday). 2014.02.13: Thomas Arbenz, Annie U. Audsley, Elena Buduran, David -Cookie- Cook, Roger Galloway, and Brian D Kharpran Daly are said to have collected a pseudo scorpion [sic! Arachnidae: conf. Pseudoscorpiones] and pieces of bat jawbone (anonymous Arbenz, T in: anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 13th February, Thursday). Rhinopholus and other small, yet unidentified bat, huntsman spiders, birds nest, large brown butterfly, leech, crayfish (lots), fish with whiskers, big frog by pool, small frog by pothole entrance, small black scorpion near chamber with pot, cave crickets. Photographs and samples were taken (Arbenz, T 2014.11.25 Mss: 25th Nov 2014 Krem Lymbiat (Kharkhana).doc). broken pieces of pot beside it. There was a stunned silence as they realized that they were potentially in a burial site and that the other pots, found earlier, could have a similar significance. At the other side of the chamber, underneath an overhanging rock, Roger spotted the rim of another pot which was almost completely buried (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 12th February, Wednesday). Numerous shards of pottery in the cave and one nearly complete pot covered with calcite plus human bones suggest an old burial site. The finds have been left in place but [were caving-wise] professionally photographed (Arbenz, T 2014.11.25 Mss: 25th Nov 2014 Krem Lymbiat (Kharkhana).doc). CAVE CLIMATE: A solitary measurement of the air temperature by an anonymous expedition caver with an unidentified measuring device at an unspecified point at an unidentified time on an unspecified day in February 2014 resulted in recording 19° (Arbenz, T 2014.11.25 M broken pieces of pot beside it. There was a stunned silence as they realized that they were potentially in a burial site and that the other pots, found earlier, could have a similar significance. At the other side of the chamber, underneath an overhanging rock, Roger spotted the rim of another pot which was almost completely buried (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 12th February, Wednesday). Numerous shards of pottery in the cave and one nearly complete pot covered with calcite plus human bones suggest an old burial site. The finds have been left in place but [were caving-wise] professionally photographed (Arbenz, T 2014.11.25 Mss: 25th Nov 2014 Krem Lymbiat (Kharkhana).doc). CAVE CLIMATE: A solitary measurement of the air temperature by an anonymous expedition caver with an unidentified measuring device at an unspecified point at an unidentified time on an unspecified day in February 2014 resulted in recording 19° (Arbenz, T 2014.11.25 Ms: 25th Nov 2014 Krem Lymbiat (Kharkhana).doc).CAVE LIFE: 2014.02.12: David -Cookie- Cook found a bat jaw bone and some claws (maybe of a crab) (anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 12th February, Wednesday). 2014.02.13: Thomas Arbenz, Annie U. Audsley, Elena Buduran, David -Cookie- Cook, Roger Galloway, and Brian D Kharpran Daly are said to have collected a pseudo scorpion [sic! Arachnidae: conf. Pseudoscorpiones] and pieces of bat jawbone (anonymous Arbenz, T in: anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 13th February, Thursday). Rhinopholus and other small, yet unidentified bat, huntsman spiders, birds nest, large brown butterfly, leech, crayfish (lots), fish with whiskers, big frog by pool, small frog by pothole entrance, small black scorpion near chamber with pot, cave crickets. Photographs and samples were taken (Arbenz, T 2014.11.25 Mss: 25th Nov 2014 Krem Lymbiat (Kharkhana).doc).