Solkota Cave Natural Monument | |
Iucn Category: | III |
Map: | Georgia#Georgia Imereti |
Relief: | 1 |
Nearest City: | Tskaltubo |
Coordinates: | 42.3896°N 42.6176°W |
Area Km2: | 0.0 |
Established: | 2011 |
Governing Body: | Agency of Protected Areas |
Website: | სოლკოტას მღვიმის ბუნების ძეგლი |
Solkota Cave Natural Monument (Georgian: სოლკოტას მღვიმე) is a karst cave 2.3 km to the north of village Kumistavi, known for nearby Prometheus Cave Natural Monument, in Tskaltubo Municipality in Imereti region of Georgia.[1] Cave is located on the left bank of river Semi, 379 meters above sea level.[2]
Solkota Cave formed in Sataphlia-Tskaltubo karst massif. Cave entrance is at the bottom of a well in a karst topography covered by vegetation. From here steep corridor expands to 10-15 m and morphs into horizontal floor that leads to a chamber with height of almost 30 m.Cave has an interesting diversity of chemical sediments, stalactites and stalagmites. Of particular interest are stalactites of 5 m thickness, size which is rare in Europe.Also notable is an 8 m high stalagmite with the circumference of 8.5 m at it bottom and 4.5 m in the middle.
The inhabitants of the cave include Trachysphaera, Colchidoniscus, Laemostenus, Arrhopalites, Pygmarrhopalites, Plutomurus and Oxychilus.
The cave is a paleontological and in particular a molecular paleontology monument. Solkota Cave stalagmites preserved ancient DNA molecules of mammals (bear, roe deer, bats) and plants (chestnut, hazelnut, flax).[3] Bones of cave bear has been found here.[4]