Qr Dara-i-Zang (Cave at)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A relatively huge rock shelter in limestone. No local name is known (note 1) not withstanding it is one of the few -cave- sites of Afghanistan that received more than military studies (note 2). The site's cultural history, including cave legends, is just about hinted at (note 3) but parts of it's material history was investigated when Dr. Knut Lindberg made a preliminary check of its biospeleological potential in May 1959 (LINDBERG 1961a: 13-14), and when the Duprees sank three trial pits (in August 1969, each 2 by 3 m) to test the shelter's archaeological importance (note 4): literally thousands of square metres of cave deposits remain to be excavated (DUPREE, LATTMAN & DAVIS 1970: 1610-1612). SITUATION: LINDBERG (1961a) places this rock shelter at a distance of 2 km in an unspecified direction from the waterfall in the river Zang (note 5) and the cave entrance at an elevation of 1670 m asl in the face of a limestone cliff and about 160 metres above the floor (at 1510 m asl) ofa valley without recognised name (Dupree's gorge?). DUPREE et al. (1970) places the site about about a kilometre from Qr Dara-i- Zang which lies at a distance of about 9 km north of Gurziwan (note 6), well above the perennial Rud-i Chashmah-i Khwab (note 7) and at the southern end of a narrow, tributary gorge without recognised name (Lindberg's -vallée- without name). CAVE DESCRIPTION: DUPREE et al. (1970) says the west facing cave entrance is up to 50 m high and opens to an interior surface area covering approximately 300 by 100 m: The shelter was formed by internal rock falls, apparently intiated in the southern part of the shelter where jointing is more strongly developed. The shelter expanded in a northern direction as larger, less jointed blocks fell. The limestone roof is thick-bedded (about 2 m) and separated by shaley limestone units that are 15 to 45 cm thick and that exhibit well-developed cleavages. LINDBERG (1961a) hints to an unexplored, 2 m wide chimney high up in th ceiling, which is seen to rise for several metres (on entering?) on the right-hand side. CAVE LIFE: JUBERTHIE & DECU (2001: 1746) list from Grotte Darreh Zang Arachnida: Acari terestria: Haemogamasidae: Eulaelaps stabularis C.L. KOCH, collected from bat guano (Chiroptera!).a valley without recognised name (Dupree's gorge?). DUPREE et al. (1970) places the site about about a kilometre from Qr Dara-i- Zang which lies at a distance of about 9 km north of Gurziwan (note 6), well above the perennial Rud-i Chashmah-i Khwab (note 7) and at the southern end of a narrow, tributary gorge without recognised name (Lindberg's -vallée- without name). CAVE DESCRIPTION: DUPREE et al. (1970) says the west facing cave entrance is up to 50 m high and opens to an interior surface area covering approximately 300 by 100 m: The shelter was formed by internal rock falls, apparently intiated in the southern part of the shelter where jointing is more strongly developed. The shelter expanded in a northern direction as larger, less jointed blocks fell. The limestone roof is thick-bedded (about 2 m) and separated by shaley limestone units that are 15 to 45 cm thick and that exhibit well-developed cleavages. LINDBERG (1961a) hints to an unexplored, 2 m wide chimney high up in tha valley without recognised name (Dupree's gorge?). DUPREE et al. (1970) places the site about about a kilometre from Qr Dara-i- Zang which lies at a distance of about 9 km north of Gurziwan (note 6), well above the perennial Rud-i Chashmah-i Khwab (note 7) and at the southern end of a narrow, tributary gorge without recognised name (Lindberg's -vallée- without name). CAVE DESCRIPTION: DUPREE et al. (1970) says the west facing cave entrance is up to 50 m high and opens to an interior surface area covering approximately 300 by 100 m: The shelter was formed by internal rock falls, apparently intiated in the southern part of the shelter where jointing is more strongly developed. The shelter expanded in a northern direction as larger, less jointed blocks fell. The limestone roof is thick-bedded (about 2 m) and separated by shaley limestone units that are 15 to 45 cm thick and that exhibit well-developed cleavages. LINDBERG (1961a) hints to an unexplored, 2 m wide chimney high up in th ceiling, which is seen to rise for several metres (on entering?) on the right-hand side. CAVE LIFE: JUBERTHIE & DECU (2001: 1746) list from Grotte Darreh Zang Arachnida: Acari terestria: Haemogamasidae: Eulaelaps stabularis C.L. KOCH, collected from bat guano (Chiroptera!).