Kő-lik-völgyi No 2 Cave

The Kő-lik-völgy 2nd chamber is a cave located in the Vértes Mountains of the Danube–Ipoly National Park, in Csákvár.

Description

The cave is situated in the outskirts of Csákvár, in a specially protected area, in a forest. The entrance to the cave is at the beginning of the Kő-lik-völgy, on the east–west side of the valley, at an altitude of 227 m a.s.l., at the base of a rock cliff that rises from right to left. The entrance to the Kő-lik-völgy 2nd chamber is 6 m to the north (to the left) of the Kő-lik-völgy 1st chamber entrance. The elongated flat entrance of the Kő-lik-völgy 2nd chamber is 5 m wide, 0.8 m high, natural in character, curved and oriented along the slope axis.

The cave extends 2 m in length, 0.8 m in vertical extent, 0.8 m high, 0 m deep and 5 m in horizontal extent. The cave entrance connects to a just‑cave‑sized, also flat passage. The cavity in the Triassic dolomite conglomerate was formed by freeze‑thaw rock disintegration. The cave is divided into two parts by a fallen block of rock from its ceiling. Both parts are formation‑free and insignificant for further investigation. Its filling consists of sand and rock debris. It can be visited without a permit and without basic cave‑walking equipment.

In 1979 the cave was first called the Kő-lik-völgy 2nd chamber in the literature. The cave also appears in the literature as Kőlik-völgy 2nd cave (Kordos 1984). The name Csákvár 17/a cave (Kordos 1979) is also probably the name of this cave.

Research history

According to a manuscript prepared by the Alba Regia Cave Research Group in 1979, the Kő-lik-völgy 2nd chamber (K2) had not previously been mentioned in the literature. The cave is located on the edge of Csákvár (Fejér County, Bicske District). The entrance to the Kő-lik-völgy 2nd chamber is to the left of the Kő-lik-völgy 1st chamber entrance, 6 m away, about 1.5 m higher, situated at the foot of the same rock wall. The elongated, flat entrance of the Kő-lik-völgy 2nd chamber, 5 m wide and 0.8 m high, opens at the base of the rock wall that rises from right to left. Ferenc Szolga can show the cavity, which may require a lamp for entry. Members of the Alba Regia Cave Research Group visited, surveyed and photographed the cave on 11 February 1979, and carried out a detailed collection in it. The locally significant cavity is 0.8 m high, its horizontal extent (width) is 5 m, and it can be entered for up to 2 m in length.

The cave is a flat, dry fissure with a fox‑tail‑like end. Its enclosing rock is the same dolomite conglomerate as the Kő‑lik‑völgyi 1st chamber. Its filling consists of some clay, many dolomite fragments and stone pieces. It was formed in the same way as the Kő‑lik‑völgyi 1st chamber. It becomes even flatter inward and narrows from the side. It appears that at the end it continues in a fox‑tail‑like debris passage, but it is impassably narrow. A large flat stone block that has broken off from the cave ceiling divides the cave into two parts. There are no formations in the chamber. Around the stone block there is a seemingly thick filling that can be broken off. Bone and snail remains are on its surface. From this group a sample was collected and then handed over to László Kordos on 19 February 1979. (Sample number 17/A.) At its narrowing end there are signs of fire (fox exhalation?). Most certainly a badger or fox lives in it, but spiders also occur in the cave. At its entrance there is a layer of moss, grasses, lichens, and above the entrance three small cypress shrubs grow. The Kő‑lik‑völgyi 3rd chamber, like the Kő‑lik‑völgyi 2nd and 1st chambers, was formed by collapse.

The manuscript includes the cave plan map, longitudinal section map and cross‑section map. On the map sheet there is a sketch showing the geographical position of the Kő‑lik‑völgyi 2nd chamber relative to the Kő‑lik‑völgyi 1st chamber (M = 1:200). The cave maps depict the cave at a scale of 1:100. The plan map and the sketch indicate the east direction on the map sheet. The location of the cross‑section in the cave can be seen on the plan map. The cave was surveyed by Ferenc Szolga, Imréné Gönczöl, Ferenc Zentai and Tibor Widermann on 11 February 1979. The maps were drawn by Ferenc Szolga on 23 February 1979.

The manuscript shows a map of the western part of Csákvár (approx. 1:25,000 scale). The map marks the east direction. The map shows the geographical location of the Kő-lik-völgy 2nd chamber (on the map: K2). The manuscript contains three photographs that illustrate the cave. The first photograph shows the view of Kő-lik-völgy. The photograph was taken at the southern end of the Csákvár cemetery. The photograph marks the location of the Kő-lik-völgy 2nd chamber. The second photograph shows the cave entrance and entrance area photographed from the left, and the third photograph shows the rock formation above the cave entrance (where a cypress-like plant grows). The photographs were taken by Ferenc Zentai.

In the 1979 MKBT Report it is recorded that in the compilation written by László Kordos it is readable that in 1979 the Alba Regia Cave Research Group collected bone of Aves (bird), Lepus europaeus (European hare) and Martes sp. (marten or weasel) from the Csákvár 17/a.sz. cave (MÁFI Gy. no.: 1979/12). The finds date from the Holocene.