Kis Tamás Cave

Kis Tamás-lik is one of the caves located on Csúcs Hill in the Pilis Mountains within the Danube–Ipoly National Park, from which Upper Pleistocene bone remains may have been seen.

Description

At the edge of Csobánka, in the stone quarry on the north side of Csúcs Hill, 40 metres south of Tamás-lik, is its entrance. At the foot of a rock wall is the natural fissure-like entrance, to which a small stepped path leads from Csobánka to the tourist trail marked with a red stripe that goes to Kevély Saddle.

Formed in Upper Triassic Dachstein limestone along a fracture under phreatic conditions. By crawling through the entrance one can reach a comfortably walkable standing fissure. After about five metres, following a two- to three-metre descent, the deepest point of the cave is reached. From there, after a flat, narrow corridor to the right, there is a spherical niche, which is the end point of the cave. The passages contain many speleothems. Stalactites, flowstones, wolf teeth and popcorn stalagmites can be observed. No signs of vandalism are found, and the speleothems can be studied in their original beauty. Basic caving equipment is required for exploration.

From the 16‑metre long, 6‑metre deep cave, bone remains probably dating to the Upper Pleistocene have been found, including bones of various bird species, snake, rabbit, hamster, fox, young bear, deer, goat and cattle. The exact age of the found remains cannot be determined, but they are probably younger than the finds previously recovered from Sunyi Hole.

In the literature it also appears as Kis‑Tamás‑lik (Baja 1998), Kis Tamáslik (Kucsera 1993), Kis Tamás lik (Kucsera 1993) and Tamás‑lik II. (Kárpát 1991). In 1997 the cave was first called Kis Tamás‑lik in the literature. It lies not far from the previously discovered Tamás‑lik, from which it received the name Kis Tamás‑lik.

Research History

It was discovered in 1991 by the Aragonit Cave Research Group. During the excavation, bones were recovered from the cave on 7 July 1991 about three metres from the entrance, identified by László Kordos. The preservation state of the bones and the bear, which may indicate the presence of a cave bear, suggest that the assemblage is probably Upper Pleistocene. In 1991 the group determined that the cave was about 15 metres long and formed along a fracture, created by the action of warm water dissolution, as indicated by the presence of karstic dripstones.

In the 1991 manuscript written by József Kárpát, the Tamás-lik II (Csobánka) is mentioned as being 5 m long and 2 m deep. In 1992 the Aragonit Barlangkutató és Természetbarát Egyesület investigated it. In the association’s 1992 report it can be read that its length is about 25 metres and 8 metres deep. The members planned to continue the research in 1993 and to close the entrance. In 1996 the association deepened it by two metres.

On 28 May 1997 Sándor Kraus prepared its floor‑plan map with two cross‑sections and a longitudinal section map. In May 1997 Sándor Kraus drew a site plan showing the geographic location of the Csúcs‑hegy caves. The drawing shows the geographic location of the cave marked as Kis Tamás. In Sándor Kraus’s 1997 report it can be read that the significant Kis Tamás-lik cave was already known before 1997 and that the cave map was produced in 1997. The 1997 site plan was included in the report.

From 14 May 1998, according to Ministerial Decree 13/1998. (V. 6.) KTM of the Ministry of Environment and Regional Development, Kis‑Tamás-lik located in the Pilis Mountains within the jurisdiction of the Danube–Ipoly National Park Directorate is visitable with the Directorate’s permission. From 1 September 2005, according to Ministerial Decree 22/2005. (VIII. 31.) KvVM of the Ministry of Environment and Water Management, Kis‑Tamás-lik located in the Pilis Mountains within the operational area of the Danube–Ipoly National Park Directorate is visitable with the supervisory authority’s permission.