This page was translated from Hebrew and has not been reviewed yet. The Hebrew page is the reference. עברית

A-Daliya Cave - the Bik'a

Grid ref.: 187189/155586
Location: Wadi Daliya
Elevation: 386 m above sea level

General:

A-Daliya Cave is a small cave (total length 30 m), formed by phreatic dissolution processes in limestone of Cenomanian age (Avnon Formation). The cave consists mainly of an elongated chamber exposed in the upper part of the Wadi Daliya basin.

The location of the cave appears on the topographic maps, from which its name is also taken. In a tour of the caves of Wadi Daliya in June 2013 (B.L, M.A, A. L"A), the cave was surveyed and mapped.

Description of the cave:

The space of A-Daliya Cave consists of an elongated chamber that developed on a north-south axis. The width of the chamber is 7 m, its length 23 m and its height reaches 2.5 m. The chamber floor is horizontal and covered with dark, dry, compacted soil. The chamber ceiling is weathered and sooty. The weathering of the ceiling does not allow distinct signs of phreatic dissolution to be discerned; however, the location of the cave and its general shape allow the assumption that its original formation took place under phreatic conditions. A measurement of the dip of the rock layers in which the cave developed shows a dip of 10.8º at azimuth 220.

The cave opening is on the east side of the chamber. The opening measures 11X1.1 and its general shape is rounded. A meager stone wall, built on the south side of the opening, creates an artificial separation between the north-central part of the cave and its southern part. The southern part is lower than the other parts of the cave and today serves as an improvised storeroom. The installation of the wall and the storeroom are actions accompanying the main use of the cave as a goat pen. A limited terrace spreading in front of the cave is also included in the goat pen area. The terrace area is inclined in a descent of 18º to azimuth 90 and its dimensions are similar to those of the cave.

Notes:

Access to the cave opening is possible on foot from the direction of the village of Al-Mughayyir (west). One can approach the head of the Wadi Daliya basin by 4X4 vehicle.
No bats were observed in the cave, but goat droppings and a few fleas were observed.

Written by: Boaz Langford