|
|
||||
|
|
||||
 |
Yarik |
|||
|
For cave maps and drawings please click on the picture... |
For photographs please click on the photo... |
|||
|
 |
|||
|
Type: |
Cave | |||
|
Altitude: |
m | |||
|
Depth: |
-247 m | |||
|
Length: |
287 m | |||
|
Region: |
Aegean | |||
|
Province: |
Manisa | |||
|
District: |
Merkez | |||
|
Village: |
||||
|
|
||||
  |
||||
| It is located in the Atlar Valley; on the Spil Mountain. |
| Location: |
| Structural Properties and formation : Across the plateau, every crack, crevice, and hole was examined. Although several reached depths of more than 20 feet, none had any passable connection passageways. Somewhere there is an entrance. Thus, an entrance with a narrow crevice found that had a steeply sloping passage going under the surface. After descending 3-foot-deep ledge and walking down the 18-foot-long open crevice, loose rock and soil combined with the floor of the crevice and passage angling down at 30 degrees made progress slow. This passage with a pit has 11 feet tall by 7 feet wide. The walls of the pit's shaft were almost smooth throughout it's entire length. Small flowstone flows were seen in a few places, but the only major interruptions of the smooth surfaces were two intersecting passages. The first was measured to be at the 75-foot mark. Neither passage was explored. The entrance passage was measured at 44 feet. The dome above the pit was estimated to reach 200 feet above the pit's floor. The pit was measured to be 30 feet in diameter. The passage connected with the pit angles down slightly as it made a semi-circular turn to the left. The passage goes for 35 feet before ending in another dome-pit. The second pit's depth is 40 feet. As with the first pit, the walls of the shaft were almost smooth, with only a few small flowstone flows breaking up the smooth surface. The height of the dome was estimated at 150 feet above the floor. At the opposite end of the pit, a passage with high ceilings was found. The floor of the passage was eroded into a miniature canyon, with a deep trench running down the center of the floor. Here is called "The Canyon" by the team. This passage was measured to be 83 feet in length. Several small stalactites were found along the left wall near the intersection of a high dome. The height of the dome was estimated to be 150 feet. A possible upper level passage was seen within the dome, however, not explored. At the 83-foot mark the passage turned to the right at nearly a 90 degree angle. The depth was calculated as 262 feet below the surface at this point. The passage turned back to the left in 40 feet. Here the passage widened to form a small room. Numerous stalactites and cave coral clusters covered the room's ceiling and walls. Here is called "Formation Room." A narrow crevice led to the development of several rimstone dams, forming a series of terraces. The passage continued beyond this room for another 8 feet upto a 10-foot-high ledge. This is easy to descend without the need of ladders or rope. Twelve feet further, the passage joined another dome-pit. The floor of the pit is 10 feet below the passage's level. A ladder, secured by spikes, is required to make the descent. This dome stretched upward for approximately 70 feet. Unlike the previous domes, this one had rough, irregular walls. Several pieces of breakdown littered the pit's floor. Several bats were observed flying around in the upper portions of the dome. In the far end of the pit room a secondary pit was found. This one descended 15 feet. The depth was determined to be 295 feet. Three short ledges were descended as we moved through this passage. Although the ledges is easily traversed loose rock on the floor made movements anything but graceful. At the end of this 44-foot-long passage there found another room. Here the cave's ceiling climbed from 15 feet to approximately 50 feet. This room is probably another dome-pit but not to be confirmed. A week later, team were disappointed coming upon a large piece of break-down that could only be moved by dynamite. After turned attention to the second and inched the rocks through a narrow fıssure, team used chisels and hammers to widen the space just enough for the largest person to squeeze through and moved in the newly discovered passage as a narrow canyon, 10 feet lower than the Breakdown Room. The passage measured 22 feet long, 7 feet wide, and 20 feet high. A second passage, running almost parallel, was found to be probably the opposite end of the passage to be attempted to clear. At the end of this passage team came upon Dome-Pit Number 5. The ropes were rigged and the decent made. The pit measured 65 feet in depth. The dome extended approximately 120 feet above the floor of the pit. As in other domes, upper level passages could be seen but were beyond our reach. Beyond this dome/pit, the cave continued. The passage started with a height of 10 feet but quickly increased to 50 feet. About 40 feet into the passage team discovered another high dome alongthe right-hand wall with relatively smooth walls. The height was estimated at 70 feet. Within another 40 feet of passage team met with another dome. This one was estimated to be near 100 feet tall. Dome-Pit Number 5, 140 feet, the cave's passage makes a sharp right turn. Team made progress by descending a series of small ledges. A large quantity of small, loose rock lines the passage showing the water flow patterns. Team found a narrow side passage in the right-hand wall. This new passage have a floor that angled upward at least 30 degrees. The floor is covered by small rocks and dried clay and mud. This passage ends within 60 feet beneath another dome. Several bats occupies the crevices in the dome room. A large flowstone drapery is covered the left wall of the dome and extended into the opening of the connecting passage. The main passage continued for a short distance then dropped into another pit. This area was named Dome-Pit Number 6. After the descents were made team estimated the dome to be 90 feet in height. The pit was measured at 60 feet deep. The smell of fresh air comes from beyond here. The cave continued it's northerly course. The passage averaged 20 to 30 feet in height. Numerous stalactites and stalagmites were seen along the way. Descending two more ledges, team found theirselves in the twilight zone that marked a second entrance to the cave. One hundred feet past the last pit team came back in the bright sunlight staring at the scenery. Passage had ended in what had been a massive dome-pit structure. Surface erosion had removed the roof and opposing wall, but it was still very obvious what the area had been in former times. Below us the smooth wall of the former pit dropped away for several hundred feet. This could be determined by the observation of a narrow, sheer-walled canyon that cut through the mountain's slope between where we stood and the flat lands to the north. Several of the mountaineers from Ege University rigged their ropes and made the drop into the eroded pit. The distance was measured at 350 feet. The exact depth of the former pit will remain a mystery as the floor is littered by huge pieces of breakdown, soil, and plant life. Adding the depth of this exposed pit, the vertical extent of the cave is 813 feet. |
| Research History: |
| Findings: |
