Buk û Zava

Buk û Zava is an as yet unexplored cave system on one of the cliff sides of the Euphrates River in Turkey. It lies near Ciftekoz, a Kurdish village in Araban (Southeastern Anatolia), in the province of Gaziantep.

The name Buk û Zava is Kurdish and means “Bride and Groom”. The cave system has nine levels and is about 40 metres high. On the interior wall of one level the outlines of two humans are carved, which the locals referred to as a bride couple.

The Buk û Zava cave system, which consists of (predominantly) vertical passages, has two entrances. The main entrance is two‑storeyed and is located on the riverbank. The second entrance is situated somewhat higher and can be reached via a stone staircase cut into the limestone ground. The staircase is about 15 m long and has roughly 30 steps.

A striking feature of Buk û Zava is its external appearance: an orange‑rusty arch marks the spot through which the cave system runs. This coloration is probably caused by the oxidation of the limestone surface worked on by humans.

Purpose and age of the complex are unknown.