This page was translated from Hebrew and has not been reviewed yet. The Hebrew page is the reference. עברית
Nahal Beit Arif Cave Survey
Nahal Beit Arif Survey
Nahal Beit Arif (Wadi el-Harub) is a medium-sized channel descending from the western margins of the mountain ridge and west to its junction with the huge channel of Nahal Ayalon. The upper channel of the stream descends from a local watershed line between Nahal Shilo to the north and Nahal Netuf to the south. The length of the stream, from the head of its upper channel to its end, is 15.5 km, over which it descends a vertical distance of 415 m. In its upper part the stream passes through mountainous terrain in which it incises as a steep, deep and cliffed channel. In its lower part the stream passes through flat terrain in which it continues in a gentle, shallow and open channel.
Along the upper part of the stream a number of varied karst caves were exposed that share a common denominator: their use for human needs in different periods.
The survey focuses mainly on a morphological description of these caves.
Caves of Nahal Beit Arif
Caves of Nahal Beit Arif
155893/15720
A cave of large dimensions that developed in limestone of Lower Cenomanian age (Sakhnin Fm.), built of a central chamber from which passages and voids branch off, divided into four wings: western, northern, eastern and southern. The accumulated length of all the cave's passages and voids reaches about 600 m. The cave was discovered by the Cave Research Center on 21.2.2009 following a report by Amit Mendelson about the description of a cave published in a book about hikes in the Holy Land (Walks in Palestine). Many archaeological finds were found in the cave, dated to the sequence of periods between the Chalcolithic period and the Early Arab period.
Cave page
153575/156966
A small cave built of two wide voids that developed in limestone of Cenomanian age (Sakhnin Fm.). The cave is located on the northern bank of Nahal Beit Arif, south of the community of Ofarim.
The cave opening was exposed during construction of the separation fence and measures about 2X1 m. The opening leads to an elongated room whose floor is covered by a layer of mud, and which contains a great wealth of cave deposits, among which a giant curtain stalactite stands out.
Cave page
147531/156928
A small cave that developed in limestone of Turonian age (Bina Fm.). The cave is built of a single horizontal void that developed on an east-west axis and has a wide opening measuring about 4.5X2.3 m, arched in shape, through which light penetrates the entire area of the cave. The opening is at the bottom of a rock step about 6 m high located in the upper part of the slope of the eastern bank of Nahal Beit Arif, before the stream's outlet to the coastal plain.
Cave page
146771/156640
A large cave that developed in limestone of Turonian age (Bina Fm.), located at the bottom of a gentle slope on the western bank of Nahal Beit Arif before the stream's outlet to the coastal plain. The length of the cave is about 85 m and it is built of a broad passage that developed on a north-south axis and consists of two large chambers. At the end of this passage there is an area built of narrow, winding passages connecting tiny rooms.
Cave page
147141/156560
A small cave that developed by phreatic dissolution processes in limestone of Turonian age (Bina Fm.). The cave has a conspicuous opening at the top of the slope of the eastern bank of Nahal Beit Arif, near the stream's outlet to the coastal plain. The opening measures 3.5X2 m, is arched in shape, and a lot of light penetrates through it into the cave void. In the outer surroundings of the opening there is a rockfall of stones, perhaps a sign that the original shape of the opening was changed by the collapse.
Cave page
147128/156273
A medium-sized cave that developed, by hypogenic dissolution processes, in limestone of Turonian age (Bina Fm.), located in the middle of a gentle slope on the eastern bank of Nahal Beit Arif, before the stream's outlet to the coastal plain. Barn Owl Cave is the last cave in the stream before it opens onto the coastal plain.
The cave has a wide opening (measuring about 4X4 m) about 12 m above the stream channel and at a distance of about 25 m from it. The opening is completely hidden by a large fig tree.
Cave page
15332/15613
Beit Arif Caves 7 and 8 are a pair of small caves that developed by phreatic dissolution processes in limestone of Turonian age (Bi'ina Fm.). The cave openings are exposed at the bottom of a low cliff, in the middle of a gentle slope, south of the channel of Nahal Beit Arif.
Cave page
