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Ikigöz / Pinarca Sifonu |
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For cave maps and drawings please click on the picture... |
For photographs please click on the photo... |
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Type: |
Horizontal Cave | |||
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Altitude: |
276 m | |||
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Depth: |
+50 m | |||
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Length: |
4816 m | |||
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Region: |
Marmara | |||
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Province: |
Istanbul | |||
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District: |
Çatalca | |||
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Village: |
Pinarca | |||
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| Location: The outflow of the cave lies 150-200 m northwest of the Pinarca Village. It can be reached by following up the bed of the creek flowing through the village. On the way to cave; ancient Byzantine water tunnels can be seen. Unbroken parts of these tunnels lead to the cave after 35 m. |
| Structural Properties and formation : As the first part from the entrance up to the chimney has two mouths; it is called "Ikigöz" (Two Eyes) by local people. Its continuation after the chimney is hardly noticed. During rainy periods; the water level arises and close the entrance entirely; while in dry seasons there exits at least a 45 cm gap between the lake and the roof. This part can only be passed by swimming or lying down on a boat. The gallery after the chimney leads into the first siphon after 100 m. The first and second siphons were dived during the explorations carried out by D. Wolozan and his French team. The gallery suddenly becomes enlarged 300 m after the second siphon. Called as "Gallery of Atatürk "; the width and height of this section ranges from 8 to 15 m and from 10 to 20 m; respectively. Then the gallery is divided into two. In the branch called 'Du Cote d'Ailleurs'; the ceiling is full of thin soda straws in an area of 400 m until the third siphon; which was passed in 1992 to explore new galleries behind it. Since the end point in this gallery is very close to the Kocakuyu Cave; it is indicated in the report that Kocakuyu may be a former branch of Ikigöz. It has been observed that the ancient water channels continue toward the Ikigöz Cave in ruins and filled with soil. |
| Research History: It was explored by BUMAK in 1986; and an area of 350 m until the first siphon was mapped to the 4c standard. In 1990; French cave divers conducted a study to pass the first and second siphons with D. Wolozan. Then; in 1993 the third siphon was dived to explore new galleries; and the total length of the cave reached to 4816 m. It was biospeleologically explored in 1999 under the Eurasian Bridge '99 Project. |
| Findings: Tooth of mammoth semi-covered by flooded wastes were uncovered in the Gallery of Atatürk. Bats were seen between siphons; which is an indication of the presence of chimneys. Also; two small fishes were seen in the first siphon. Plenty of cave pearls can be found in some halls [Wolozan 1993:40-41]. A few R.euryale was seen; too [Ozgül-Bilgin 2000:52-55;77;91]. |
