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Mencilis |
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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: |
710 m | |||
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Depth: |
+162 m | |||
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Length: |
5350 m | |||
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Region: |
Black Sea | |||
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Province: |
Karabük | |||
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District: |
Safranbolu | |||
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Village: |
Bulak | |||
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| Location: It lies to the northwest of the Bulak Village between Karabük and Safranbolu. A road runs near to the cave from the village. It is a show cave. It is also known as "Bulak" and "Atciini". |
| Structural Properties and formation : It has two entrances. The first one is through a mouth with water outflow; but it ends up with a siphon after 30 m. The second one is a fossil mouth on the left side of the hill behind the active outflow mouth; and there are four descents of 3; 4; 1 and 15 m in this section. Following the 3 and 5 m descents on the fossil branch; there is a branch diversing to left; which is called "Fareli Kol" in the main gallery. The 11 m descent leads into the active section of the cave. When it is walked opposite to the flow; there is a beautiful travertine decoration. The underground river flows in the cave for a while; and then falls in a cascade of 15 m; followed by siphon to disappear. It then surfaces where the first entrance is located; comprising the outflowing mouth of the Mencilis Spring. |
| Research History: The first exploration was started by BUMAK in 1977; and it continued up to two siphons. It was mapped by O. Ülkümen during the years of 1977 and 1978. H. Oral and M. Gönen dived into the siphon three times in 1985. This was the first diving by BUMAK. It was explored and mapped by Trent Polytechnic in 1978. The fossil entrance and siphon exit were combined by D. Wolozan; a French caver; and his team; and the five siphons had been passed by diving (S1; S2; S3; S4; S5). They also dived into one siphon (S6) through the incoming direction of the water (flow direction of the river) and they stopped at the 7th siphon. A 1.5 km was added to the overall length in this direction. Furthermore; they made surveys on the massif and tried to connect 4 pits into the Mencilis Cave with no success. The lengths of siphons dived by Wolozan were detailed in the report [Wolozan 1992:29]. |
| Findings: It has been indicated by Watkins that they saw bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum; Rhinolophus hipposideros; Hypsugo savii) during the survey. |
