CHEHEL DOKHTARAN, Changolak, 1st (Cave of the)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

This -Cave of the Forty Sons- (note 1) or -Abode of the Miyan- (note 2) is regarded as a rock shelter but actually consists of a relatively large cave entrance (16 m wide, 10 m high) to a 24 m long cave passage without permanent dark zone. The cave seems to originate from collapse of calcareous conglomerate. High up in the ceiling and in the interior parts of the cave enter impenetrable tubes or fissures without known accessability. SITUATION: At a travelling distance of about 75 km along the road approximately north of Nahri Sarraj (note 3), near Changolak (note 4) and on a hill called Kouh Ghoramban (note 5). CAVE CLIMATE: Dry. An air temperature of 27°C and 30% humidity was measured inside the cave on 17th April 1958 when the thermometer read 32°C in the entrance. CAVE LIFE: LINDBERG (1958: 129) collected Blattida, Gryllida, Hemiprea hereoptera (larvae), Coleoptera (Tenebrionidae), Formicida, Pseudoscorpions, Arachnida (Araneidae). Both LINDBERG (1958: 129) and LINDBERG (1961a: 20)observed inside the cave Pigeon droppings in addition to a variety of low vegetation, including some fig trees (in April 1958).This -Cave of the Forty Sons- (note 1) or -Abode of the Miyan- (note 2) is regarded as a rock shelter but actually consists of a relatively large cave entrance (16 m wide, 10 m high) to a 24 m long cave passage without permanent dark zone. The cave seems to originate from collapse of calcareous conglomerate. High up in the ceiling and in the interior parts of the cave enter impenetrable tubes or fissures without known accessability. SITUATION: At a travelling distance of about 75 km along the road approximately north of Nahri Sarraj (note 3), near Changolak (note 4) and on a hill called Kouh Ghoramban (note 5). CAVE CLIMATE: Dry. An air temperature of 27°C and 30% humidity was measured inside the cave on 17th April 1958 when the thermometer read 32°C in the entrance. CAVE LIFE: LINDBERG (1958: 129) collected Blattida, Gryllida, Hemiprea hereoptera (larvae), Coleoptera (Tenebrionidae), Formicida, Pseudoscorpions, Arachnida (Araneidae). Both LINDBERG (1958: 129) and LINDBERG (1961a: 20)observed inside the cave Pigeon droppings in addition to a variety of low vegetation, including some fig trees (in April 1958).