Csúcs-hegyi Cserepes Cave

The Csúcs-hegyi Cserepes Cave is one of the caves located on Csúcs-hegy in the Pilis Mountains within the Danube–Ipoly National Park. Archaeological finds have been recovered from it.

Description

At the edge of Csobánka, in a forest, in a rock group on the north‑west part of Csúcs-hegy, on the mountainside, at the base of a rock wall, there is an entrance. At the edge of the settlement, where the tourist trail marked with a red stripe heading toward Kevély saddle leaves the asphalt road, one must turn upward in the direction of the slope and then can reach the rock outcrop whose southern corner contains the cave. The 6‑metre‑long, 6‑metre‑vertical cave begins with a sloping, comfortably walkable chamber extending from a stone‑cell‑like, spacious entrance hall. Spherical chambers and spherical niches segment the walls.

Archaeological site identification number 59468.

In the literature it also occurs under the names Cserepes Cave (Kucsera 1993), Csontos Cave (Kárpát 1991) and Csúcs-hegyi Csontos Cave (Kraus 1997). In 1997 the cave was first called Csúcs-hegyi Cserepes Cave in the literature. There is another Csontos Cave in Csobánka, which is part of the Pénzes‑Csontos Cave.

Research history

In the nationwide cave list of the book *Caves of Hungary* published in 1984, there is mention of a Csontos Cave among the caves of the Pilis Mountains, which is part of the Pénzes‑Csontos Cave. The Csúcs-hegyi Cserepes Cave was discovered in 1987 by the Aragonit Cave Research and Nature Lovers Association and was also explored in 1988. After extracting the debris of the cave entrance, several small chambers and narrow passages were found, which were further enlarged. From the debris, fragments of pottery and bone tools were recovered, after which further excavation was halted until assistance for archaeological research was obtained. In 1990 József Kárpát surveyed and prepared a plan map with a cross‑section, drawn at a scale of 1:100.

In the manuscript written by József Kárpát in 1991, it is mentioned under the name Csontos-barlang (Kucsera-féle). According to the manuscript, the Csobánka cave is 8 m long and 3 m deep. It also includes another Csobánka Csontos-barlang. The latter is part of the Pénzes-Csontos-barlang, the Csontos-barlang. During the 1992 excavation, bone tools and pottery sherds were discovered. The 1992 report of the Aragonit Cave Research and Nature Lovers Association states that the cave is 6 m long and 3 m deep. On 27 March 1997 József Regős surveyed it and, based on the survey, Sándor Kraus drew a floor‑plan map on 29 March 1997, which was made at a scale of 1:50.

In May 1997 Sándor Kraus drew a site map showing the geographic location of the caves of Csúcs-hegy. The map shows the geographic location of the cave marked as Cserepes (Csontos). Kraus’s 1997 report reads that the Csúcs-hegyi Cserepes-barlang (Csúcs-hegyi Csontos-barlang) was already known and had a map before 1997. A new map was produced in 1997. The significant cave requires further research. The 1997 site map was included in the report. From 12 August 2013, according to Minister of the Interior decree 43/2013. (VIII. 9.) BM, the Csúcs-hegyi Cserepes-barlang, with Pest county, Csobánka, cave registry number 4820‑44 and site identifier 59468, is classified as an archaeologically significant cave.