Iranian Caves- The Hidden Undergrounds Photographed and Narrated by Ali Majdfar
Xarbes Caves are located on Qeshm Island, south
of Iran within the Persian Gulf. They are a series of interconnected
caves, originally formed by geologic erosion and expanded by humans
back to the Median age (1,000 B.C) continued up to recent centuries.
Many different applications are considered for the caves, from
sheltering from pirates to worshiping Gods. Xarbes is also said
to be an ancient Mithraism temple and its original name was probably
Xorpas (Xor=Sun & Pas=Guard) which is presented through carvings
of holy ancient symbols inside the caves. Xarbes caves are one
of the Qeshm Island's main tourist attractions.
Katale Khor cave is located about 400 km west
of Tehran, Iran, near the city of Zanjan. The cave was scientifically
studied at 1984 and due to the results, formation of the cave
referred to the Jurassic period (about 120 million years ago).
The cave mostly contains lime stalactites and stalagmites and
huge halls and corridors, mainly dry.
Thus far, only three levels of the cave have been explored and
it is anticipated that unexplored levels exceed to four. Currently,
there are two visiting routes inside the cave, a 2 km straight
route for public visit and a 4 km sport route for professionals.
This cave served as residence to ancient people; hence bones of
about 80 people are still preserved.
AliSadr Cave is located 75 km north of Hamedan
in western Iran .The cave belongs to the second Jurassic period
(130-190 million years ago). Its walls can extend up to 40 meters
high, and it contains several large, deep lakes. The cave has
a flowing river and traveling through it is mostly done by pedal
boats. Ali Sadr cave is situated between the large cities of Hamedan,
Tehran and Zanjan making it a popular destination for Iranians
and foreign tourists.
The cave was originally discovered during the reign of Darius
I (521-485 BC) which can be verified by an old inscription at
the entrance of the tunnel. The existence of the cave has been
known between local residents for centuries; however, its exploration
as a natural attraction began in 1963. It has been open to public
since 1975. In the summer of 2001, a German/British expedition
surveyed the cave to be 11 kilometers long. The main chamber of
the cave is 100 meters by 50 meters and 40 meters high.
Sahoolan water
cave is located in northwestern Iran, 43 km to the
southeast of Mahabad on the road to the city of Boukan. This
is the Country's second largest water cave after Alisadr.
The name of the cave is taken from the village in which it
is located, but it is also called by local people `Dove Nest'.
Doves are seen all around the cave, given that they are the
major residents of Sahoolan. Being situated at a height of
2,000 meters from the sea level, this tourist spot is cool
in summer and freezing in winter. Sahoolan is a Kurdish word
meaning freezing and has been chosen to describe the climatic
condition of the area.
The surrounding high mountains with their high-flown peaks and
fully virgin deep valleys add to the beauty and majesty of this
amazing natural attraction. Inside the cave is quite humid and
dark; however with the help of hundreds of flashlights visitors
are able to enjoy this rare tourist attraction.
Ghoori Ghale Cave is noted for its wealth of
cave formation. It is also said to be the longest cave of the
Middle East. So far no archaeological excavations have been made
in the cave, but near the entrance numerous artefacts were found
by accident. A human skull and various clay works from Prehistoric
times and remains from the Sassanid Period tell that the area
was inhabited over thousands of years. There are different halls
to this cave. One of them, Talare Bolour, has former cave lakes
with crystals and stalactites which create sounds when knocked.
Ali Majdfar is
a 37 year old amateur photographer for the last 5 years. Through
his photography
he would like to show another side of his country, seldom
shown in the media, which is its rich culture and history.
