Berliner Höhlenkundliche Berichte,
Contents and abstract volume 72:
Michael Laumanns:
Iran 2000–2003. The Show Caves of Ghar Alisadr and Ghar Katalehkhor
[Table of contents]   [Abstract]

Table of contents

Chapter Title Page
1. Acknowledgements 5
2. Ghar Alisadr and surroundings 6
2.1 Introduction 6
2.2 Geological and hydrological settings 6
2.3 Speleogenetic model 9
2.4 Ghar Alisadr 12
2.4.1.1 History of exploration of Ghar Alisadr 12
2.4.1.2 Speleological investigations 2000/2001 13
2.4.1.3 Description of Ghar Alisadr 14
2.4.2 Tourist–management survey (by Dipl.–Geogr. B. Köppen) 18
2.4.2.1 Introduction 18
2.4.2.2 Methodology and general quality of the tourist survey 18
2.4.2.3 Attractiveness, amount of visitors and organisation 19
2.4.2.4 Ghar Alisadr as significant regional economic factor and employer 20
2.4.2.5 Data on the visitors and consumer–behaviour 21
2.4.2.6 Perception of Ghar Alisadr by the visitors 23
2.4.2.7 Opinions of cave visitors to increase the show cave quality 24
2.4.3 Surveying results and position of Ghar Alisadr among comparable caves 25
2.4.4 Recommendations 26
2.4.5. History of exploration of Ghar Soobashi 28
2.4.5.2 Speleological investigation 2001 and description of Ghar Soobashi 28
2.4.6 Ghar Sarab 30
2.5 Other Caves of the Hamadan province 33
3. Ghar Katalehkhor 35
3.1 Introduction 35
3.2 History of Exploration of Ghar Katalehkhor 36
3.3 Geological and hydrological settings 38
3.4 Description of Ghar Katalehkhor 41
3.4.1 First (main) level 41
3.4.2 Second level 44
3.4.3 Third level 45
3.5 Speleogenesis of Ghar Katalehkhor 45
3.6 Outlook and recommendations 47
4. References 48
Appendices:
Photo tables 49
International cave map symbols 60
Surveys of Ghar Alisadr and Ghar Katalehkhor 61
Most important show caves acc. to the length of public underground boat tour (as at 2001). 101

[To the top]

Abstract

This volume replaces volumes 4 and 12 of this series and describes the longest caves known in Iran so far. Ghar Katalehkhor is featured with a detailed survey showing 12,860 m. The same applies to Ghar Alisadr (11,440 m) which is one of the most visited show caves in the world. A number of caves in the surroundings of Ghar Alisadr are also described. In English.

[To the top]

[close window]