Avshalom Cave

Avshalom Nature Reserve
מערת הנטיפים בשמורת אבשלום

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

Sign at entrance to the cave.
Cave entrance.
Stalactites in the Soreq cave.
Stalactite meeting stalagmite to form a pillar.
Rock formation in cave
A Stalagmite and Stalactite almost touch
View of Cave from above
Cave formation

References

↑ "List of National Parks and Nature Reserves" (PDF) (in Hebrew). Israel Nature and Parks Authority. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-10-07. Retrieved 2010-09-27.
↑ Sanders, Edmund (18 September 2012). "Israel's prehistoric Soreq Cave now a clean, eerily lighted place". Los Angeles Times.
↑ "Avshalom Cave, Israel Nature & National Parks Protection Authority page". Retrieved 2015-07-07.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Soreq Cave.

External links

Caves in Israel

Israel	Tabun Cave Manot Cave Es Skhul HaYonim Cave Kebara Cave Avshalom Cave Ayalon Cave Cave of Elijah Pa'ar Cave Rosh HaNikra Qesem Cave Mugharet el-Zuttiyeh

Judea and Samaria	Cave of Letters Qumran Caves

Note: Judea and Samaria area is jurisdicted by Israel, but is not recognized as such by the international community Caves of Israel * Caves by country

Nature reserves of Israel

Northern District	Ein Afek Akhziv Islands Alonei Yitzhak Alonei Abba Nahal Amud Nahal Ayun Balfouria Bitan Aharon Nahal Betzet Nahal Dishon Dor Beach and Ma'agan Michael Islands Ein Avazim Ein Elah Ein Nymphit Ein Te'oh Ein Yehuda Nahal Gamal Gamla nature reserve^† Snir Stream Hermon nature reserve^† Nahal Hermon^† Hula Valley Hurshat Tal Hurshat Zakum Kerem Ben Zimra Nahal Kziv Mount Arbel Mount Carmel Mount Gilboa Mount Meron Mount Tabor Pa'ar Cave Rosh HaNikra Shamir-Nahal Rachum Shimron Nahal Taninim Tel Anafa Nahal Tavor Tel Dan Tel Shikmona Nahal Yehiam

Central District	Adullam Ashdod Nitzanim Sand Dune Park Bnei Zion Avshalom Cave Hadasim Ein Hemed Gador HaMasrek Reserve Har HaTayasim Hurvat Itri Neot Kedumim Nahal Poleg Nahal Sorek Nitzanim dunes Palmachim beach Tel Yitzhak Te'omim Cave Udim Wadi Og

Southern District	Ein Gedi Einot Tzukim Craters in the Negev HaMakhtesh HaGadol HaMakhtesh HaKatan Makhtesh Ramon

Eilat Region	Coral Beach Nature Reserve Timna Valley Yotvata Hai-Bar

^† Located in the Israeli-occupied territories

Coordinates: 31°45′21″N 35°01′24″E / 31.75583°N 35.02333°E / 31.75583; 35.02333

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