HAVA BEEL CAVE
12.166700,92.750000
Description
An east-facing cave entrance (9.3 m wide) gives access to a relatively »large cave« (COOPER 1988: 67, 1993: 242) with a »fairly large populations of bats and swallows« (COOPER & RAGHAVAN 1988: 67). ETYMOLOGY: The Bengali "bhil" is something along the lines of a bog, marsh, swamp, or quagmire, and probably corresponds to what is indicated as »mangrove swamp« at various places on the Survey of India "District Planning Map" sheet: Andaman (1996). IDENTITY: Far from being sure, I trust the following is one and the same cave: Andaman Islands Cave COOPER, Z & ACHYUTHAN, H nee RAGHAVAN, H (1991) Hava Beel Cave COOPER, Z (1990a: 242); COOPER, Z & RAGHAVAN, H (1988: 67) Hava Beel cave COOPER, Z (1990b: 80) Middle Strait Cave PORTMAN, M V (1899) and Anicient Caves (sic!) PHALEY, H (1996: 56) in the sense of Ancient Caves (note 1). Compare –>Limestone Cave, Baratang (Shande 2008). SITUATION: »Hava Beel Cave [is] located in a limestone ridge to the north-west of Wafter's Creek Jetty on Baratang Island in the Andamans« (COOPER, Z 1988: 67) and thus about 50 km in a direct line due north of Port Blair, above the north and east of the Middle Andaman Strait (or simply: Middle Strait, note 2), and in a limestone ridge (note 3) in the south-western part of Baratang Island (note 4). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1990a: »This is a large cave, over 42 m long and 9.3 m wide, in a limestone ridge« (COOPER, Z 1990a: 242). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1990b: »… the Hava Beel cave on Baratang Island … forms part of a limestone ridge …« (COOPER, Z 1990b: 80). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1988: »… the cave … is 42 m long and 9.3 m wide, with the entrance facing East. The roof is over 20 m high and supports fairly large populations of bats and swallows …« (COOPER & RAGHAVAN, H 1988: 67). CULTURAL HISTORY - archaeology: Archaeological excavation was carried out in view to confirm local reports regarding the use of this cave as a encampment of aboriginal Jarawa people till fairly recently (COOPER, Z 1990a, 1990b, 1993, 1994). A trench (2 by 4.4 by 3.5 m) exposed lenses of dark organic matter deposited on a clay pellet matrix of fluviatile origin. Younger organic material seems to have been translocated chemically down the profile to be deposited on the original material (COOPER, Z & RAGHAVAN, H 1988). The basal date of 1540±110 BP (14C-dated by John Head, Australian National University, Canberra) for these sediments compares well with the ages of (shell?) middens in Middle Andaman Island (COOPER, Z 1990a, 1990d, 1990e, 1993: 397). The absence of pottery, faunal remains and stone or bone tools was interpreted to hint to a main encampment outside the cave. COOPER, Z (1990a: 81): Archaeological »… interest in this cave was evoked by local reports of the Jarawas using Hava Beel as a camp when the island was part of their territory about 45 years ago [1920-1925?]. They are reported to have collected the nests of edible swiftlets [sic! for: edible nests of swiftlets, Aves: Hirundinidae] which are abundant in the cave, and have bats hunted by stunning them with sticks. … the cave was used as a temporary shelter, while maintenance and processing activities are likely to have been concentrated on the shell midden … 100 m away from the cave.« COOPER, Z (1993: 397, 1994: 242) moderates the view of a cave use by Jarawa people, and reminds of possibly frequent but definitely occasional visits by Malay and Burmese collectors of edible / saleable swiftlet nests. CAVE LIFE: Zarine COOPER (1990a, 1993: 397, 1994: 242) mentions fairly large population of unspecified bats (Chiroptera) and swiftlets (conf. Collocalia): 1988: »… the cave … supports fairly large populations of bats and swallows, the nests of which were once collected by the Andamese« (COOPER, Z & RAGHAVAN, H 1988: 67). 1990b: According to an unidentified source of tradition, the Jarawas are reported »… to have collected the nests of edible swiftlets [sic! qua: edible nests of swiftlets] which are abundant in the cave, and to have hunted bats by stunning them with sticks« (COOPER, Z 1990b: 81).
NOTE 1: Counted among »points for rivision« (sightseeing spots) has been not only the items »15) mud volcanic spot (Baratang)« and »17) Lok Sabha Seat (one)« but also »16) Anicient Caves (Middle straight)« (PHALEY, H 1996: 56). NOTE 2: Middle Strait N12°18': E092°45' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003). NOTE 3: The Andaman - Nicobar ridge comprises a serpentine basement which is overlain by contorted Paleocene to Miocene deposits (including Upper Eocene and Oligocene graywackes) and flat-lying Pliocene to Holocene marine sediments. These deposits are overlain by Quaternary red latisols. Recent field studies reveal that the low, emerging coral platforms along the present-day shoreline are due to differential erosion caused by wave action (COOPER, Z & ACHYUTHAN, H 1991).NOTE 4: Baratang Island N12°13': E092°45' (nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003).
Cavités proche
| Distance (km) | Nom | Longueur (m) | Profondeur (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.5 | Limestone cave, Baratang (Shande 2008) | ||
| 22.1 | STRAIT ISLAND CAVE, Diligent Strait | ||
| 83.5 | INTERVIEW ISLAND PITS | ||
| 101.4 | Swiftlet 9 Cave | ||
| 105.0 | Swiftlet 1 Cave | ||
| 665.8 | Tham Phu Kham Pae 2 [LO0199] | 40 | 0 |
| 665.9 | Phu Kham Pae (Tham) [Lo0165] | 104 | 5 |
| 674.3 | Tham Khon Kae [KA0471] | 160 | 10 |
| 675.4 | Tham Chet Mit - KA0350 | 270 | 41 |