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Caves in
Oman
INTRODUCTION
The science of cave study is termed speleology a
subdivision of geology; speleology has furthered knowledge in mineralogy,
archaeology biology, hydrodynamics, and many other formal disciplines. Cave is a
chamber beneath the surface of the earth or in the side of mountain. Caves vary
in size and shape. They vary from isolated small holes called vugs to large
chambers. The most common caves are the ones that have an opening to the
surface.
HOW CAVES FORMED Caves in Oman
stalactites ,stalagmites and flowstone
colored stalactites and drip-curtains
Flowstone
Rare gypsum flower
GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS The map below show some caves known in the Sultanate of Oman that scattered in the central part of the Oman Mountains from Ibri in the north to Wadi Bani Khalid in the south. In the Dhofar area they occur north of Salalah to Tawi Atayr east of Taqah.
The geological location of some of the caves in Oman THE MOST IMPORTAN NORTHERN OMAN CAVE
ORIGIN OF NAME
Care has been taken to use original names which are
customarily used by local people. Near the main opening of the cave lies a
qandilah (a refuge for harboring goats under the cliff). This is also used
as aland mark for the entrance to the main chamber. The cave was originally
named Khoshilat Maqandeli after this qandilah but is also currently known as
Majlis Al Jinn. Local people do not use the name Majlis Al Jinn and say it is an
invention of recent explorers of the cave. LOCATIONGPS
UTM 716000
2531 955
ALTITUDE GEOLOGY
Geologically, the cave is in a plateau made up of
fossiliferous, yellow Eocene Tertiary limestone of the Supersequence C.
Rocks are rich in unicell fossils called nummulites (or angel's money),
gastropods, bivalves, corals, echinoids (sea urchins) and Echinoid spines. THE ENTRANCE
Three vertical sinkhole entraces lead to the main chamber
of the cave.
Air photograph of khosbilat Maqandeli cave with the 3
enterance
THE MAIN CHAMBER
This
is the second largest known cave (4 million m³). It is larger than the size of
the greatest Egyptian pyramid and can accommodate more than 5 Al Bustan Palace
Hotel. The main chamber as semidomed; 300 long by 200 wide with the roof
reaching approximately 120m.Its floor is about 60,000 m² in area. It includes
steep fallen debris cones, particularly below Khoshilat Beya Al Hiyool and
Khoshilat Maqandeli. Much finer debris cones dominate the western, southern and
eastern sides of the chamber. Some of these debris cones grade into gentle
slopes and outwash fans. The northern part of the cave floor is an alluvial
plain covered with mudstone. The lower slopes of the debris on the cones are
covered with up to 10 cm of fine dry dust, must probably blown in through the
cave entrance. Pollen and seeds were also found.
THE MOST IMPORTANT SOUTHERN OMAN CAVE :
GEOLOGY OF THE DHOFAR AREA
Dhofar is characterized by the costal plain and steep mountains rising to form
its backdrop. These mountains form a large plateau which constitutes Jabal
Samhan and Jabal Qamar, both of which are dominated by limestone rocks.
The
geological map of the Dhofar area show the Precambrian crystalline rocks of
830-550 Ma which are exposed in Marbat and the Hallaniyat Islands. These rocks
form the foundation of the geology of the Dhofar. They are made up of the
granite and gneiss rocks. These basement rocks are overlain unconformably by the
pre-Permian equivalent Marbat Formation and El-Hota-Ain Sarit Formation.
THE MOST IMPORTANT CAVES IN DHOFAR :-
Suhur cave, Ayn
Hamran cave, Wadi Darbat caves and Tawi Atayr sinkhole. The distribution of caves in Salalah and Mughsayl
Geological map of Dhofar showing distribution of caves in
Salalah and Mughsayl.
TAWI ATAYR SINKHOLE
(One the largest in the world)
The
Tawi Atayr sinkhole is one of the largest in the world about 975,000 m³. It is
130-150 meters in diameter and 211 meters deep and could accommodate a
multi-story building of 70 floors. It is located to the east of Salalah. LOCATION
GPS
UTM
240200
1893844
ALTITUDE
(680
Formation of the Atayr sinkhole
The
Tawi Atayr shaft is certainly a karst sinkhole feature rather than a meteor
impact as some people once believed. Features of karst topography are evident by
the numerous waterholes in the surrounding area. The abundance of stalactites,
stalagmites and flowstones at various levels of the sinkhole indicate a series
of migrating downward cave systems which later collapsed in an upward sequence.
Large caves ultimately break through to the surface to become sinkholes. The
upper levels of the sinkhole were therefore older caves than the lower but the
latter collapsed earlier.
The
walls of the sinkhole are decorated by cave formation of stalactites,
stalagmites and flowstones. The water table can be seen from the platform in the
middle level.
The
dissolution of limestone is continuing and a drop in the water level would
possibly create further chambers.
Raod map of Tawi Atayr sinkhole
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