Avshalom Cave
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Avshalom Cave (Template:Langx), known in academic literature as Soreq Cave (Template:Langx; Template:Langx) and popularly as Stalactites Cave (Template:Langx), is a 5,000 m2 cave on the western side of Mt. Ye'ela, in the Judean hills in Israel, unique for its dense concentration of stalactites and other cave formations. It is a popular show cave, as well as a highly valued witness of the climate evolution over the last 185,000 years.
Name
The cave is named after the Soreq/Sorek Valley (Nahal Sorek) and after Avshalom Shoham, an Israeli soldier killed in the War of Attrition.
Location
Avshalom Cave is situated near Hartuv, 3 km east of Bet Shemesh, Israel.
Discovery
The cave was discovered accidentally in May 1968, while quarrying with explosives.
After its discovery, the location of the cave was kept a secret for several years for fear of damage to its natural treasures.
Description
The cave is 83 m long, 60 m wide, and 15 m high.
The temperature and the humidity in the cave are constant year round.[1]
Some of the stalactites found in the cave are four meters long, and some have been dated as 300,000 years old. Some meet stalagmites to form stone pillars.[2]
Paleoclimate research: significance
The cave has been the focus of paleoclimate research, which allowed reconstruction of the region's semi-arid climate for the past 185,000 years.[3] According to the American geologist James Aronson, the Soreq Cave is the Rosetta Stone of climate history in the Eastern Mediterranean.[4]
Tourism
The cave is now open to visitors, in the heart of the 67-dunam Avshalom Nature Reserve, declared in 1975.[1] In 2012, a new lighting system was installed to prevent the formation and growth of algae.[5]
Gallery
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Sign at entrance to the cave
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Cave entrance
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Stalactite meeting stalagmite to form a pillar
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Speleothems
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A stalagmite and stalactite almost touch
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Cave pond almost covered over by calcareous sinter
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Cave formation
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See also
References
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- ↑ Ian J. Fairchild, Andy Baker (2012). Speleothem Science: From Process to Past Environments. Section III.12.1.2, "Composite speleothem records: Soreq Cave, Israel", pp. 355-358.
- ↑ Eminent Jewish Geologist Voyages to Tiberias to Connect With His Roots, Haaretz, 23 March 2012.
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External links
- Stalactite Cave Nature Reserve at Israel Nature and Parks Authority website
- Photos of Avshalom Stalactites Cave, Flickr
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