©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project





Sarikaya Düdeni

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Sarikaya Düdeni
Type:
Cave
Altitude:
620 m
Depth:
-151 m
Length:
717 m
Region:
Black Sea
Province:
Düzce
District:
Yigilca
Village:
Sarikaya

     


Location: The Sarikaya Village can be reached by a 45 minute driving from Yigilca. The sinkhole is at a 10-15 minute walking distance; to the southwest of the village.
Structural Properties and formation : Formed within a horizontal fault crack; it is an active sinkhole elongating as a wide and high gallery until siphoning at -151 m. It had expanded in east-west direction in the beginning; then in NW-SE direction; declining in line with the direction and dip of the limestones; at the contact line of the limestones and insoluble rocks. The cave discharges the waters of Içmesuyu and Merhemçukur streams in SW-NE direction; that are flowing from the top of the impermeable units; located on the northern edge of a uvala closed at the surface level. The main gallery length is 510 m; and the total length is 717 m. Although it is 151 m deep and has a high elevation in average; it allows to reach to the deepest point without any need for SRT. The entrance of the cave which continues the expansion opens into a large hall 80 m wide; 75 m long; and 15-40 m high. There is another canyon type of bed formed in the center of this hall; by the stream flowing in from outside. This canyon valley shape is at - 17 m below the first section that had developed; and the stream coming in from outside becomes the falls. The basin of the main gallery is covered with large blocks; and with sand and pebble piles on the plain grounds between the blocks. Those piles of pebble; and sand were preserved as terraces of 10-12 m at some sections. The development of the cave continues rapidly and it is filled with all kinds of dripstones (stalactites; stalagmites; columns; bacon rinds; and eccentrics). Sarikaya Cave has active; half-active; and fossil sections. The waters leaking from the Sarikaya Sinkhole by siphoning resurges at another cave across the Melen Creek; right before Yigilca. Outflowing from a big cave located around the skirts of the hill where the Sarikaya Sinkhole was formed into; these waters drain into the Melen Creek. The cave was explored by B. Altay; B. Erdem and E. Usuloglu; but not traversed. It is likely that it is hydrologically connected with the Sakarya Sinkhole.
Research History: It was explored by BUMAK in 1993 upon notification; and mapped after two excursions within the same year. It was additionally researched by the Geological Studies Department of MTA General Directorate; and published in 2002. It takes place in the registered archaeological sites list prepared by Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Findings: Relatively poor in cave decorations; cave pearls were found near the final zone. Bats live in colonies in the dryer; and warmer sections such as the entrance hall; doline hall; and fossil hall. Additionally there are centipedes; crabs; and frogs in the sections containig water.


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