Avshalom Cave
| Avshalom Nature Reserve | |
|---|---|
| מערת הנטיפים בשמורת אבשלום | |
| 284px | |
| Location | On the western slopes of the Judean Hills, south of Nahal Soreq and approximately 2 kilometers east of Bet Shemesh. |
| Nearest city | Bet Shemesh |
| Governing body | Israel Nature and Parks Authority |
Avshalom Cave (Hebrew: מערת אבשלום), also known as Soreq Cave (Arabic: مغارة سوريك) or Stalactites Cave (Hebrew: מערת הנטיפים), 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.
The cave was discovered accidentally in May 1968, while quarrying with explosives, near Hartuv, 3 km east of Bet Shemesh, Israel. It is 83 m long, 60 m wide, and 15 m high.
The cave is named after Avshalom Shoham, an Israeli soldier killed in the War of Attrition. After its discovery, the location of the cave was kept a secret for several years for fear of damage to its natural treasures.
The temperature and the humidity in the cave are constant year round, and it 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.[2]
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.[3]
Gallery
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Avshalom (Soreq) Cave sign.JPG
Sign at entrance to the cave.
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Avshalom's Cave IMG 0992.JPG
Cave entrance.
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Soreq Cave 07.jpg
Stalactites in the Soreq cave.
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Stalactites cave (17).JPG
Stalactite meeting stalagmite to form a pillar.
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Cave formation.JPG
Rock formation in cave
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A Stalagmite and Stalactite touch.JPG
A Stalagmite and Stalactite almost touch
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View of Cave from above.JPG
View of Cave from above
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Beautiful cave formations.JPG
Cave formation
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Soreq Cave. |
External links
- Stalactite Cave Nature Reserve at Israel Nature and Parks Authority
- Photos of Avshalom Stalactites Cave, Flickr
| Northern District |
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| Central District | |
| Southern District | |
| Eilat Region | |
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† Located in the Israeli-occupied territories
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