Avshalom Cave
Avshalom Cave, known in academic literature as Soreq Cave and popularly as Stalactites Cave, is a 5,000 m2 cave on the western side of Mt. Ye'ela, in the Judean hills in Israel, known for its dense concentration of stalactites and other cave formations. It is a popular show cave, as well as a highly valued witness of the climate evolution over the last 185,000 years.
Name
The cave is named after the Soreq/Sorek Valley and after Avshalom Shoham, an Israeli soldier killed in the War of Attrition.Location
Avshalom Cave is situated near Hartuv, 3 km east of Bet Shemesh, Israel.Discovery
The cave was discovered accidentally in May 1968, while quarrying with explosives.After its discovery, the location of the cave was kept a secret for several years for fear of damage to its natural treasures.
Description
The cave is 83 m long, 60 m wide, and 15 m high.The temperature and the humidity in the cave are constant year round.
Some of the stalactites found in the cave are four meters long, and some have been dated as 300,000 years old. Some meet stalagmites to form stone pillars.