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Jortsku Cave Natural Monument
Jortsku Cave Natural Monument (Georgian: ჯორწყუს მღვიმე) is a karst cave located 5.5 km to the north of village Second Balda in Martvili Municipality in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region of Georgia, 653 meters above sea level.[1] Cave is on the left bank of Jortsku river, the tributary of Abasha river. MorphologyJortsku Cave has two storey and maximum length of 276 m. Large entrance hallway leads to a meandering corridor, 3-5 m high and 4-5 m wide. Near the cave entrance ceiling collapsed in the past. Further inside, about 100 meters from the entrance, two branches emerges, one of which opens to the second floor with 30 m long hall. Stalactites are predominant feature of Jortsku Cave, but a few stalagmites also can be seen. 3.5 to 4 m thick plastic clay is in abundance in the cave hall. The stream flows into the cave, than joins the second stream, and after 15 m passes through to emerge as a spring on the left bank of the Jortsku river.[2] The temperature in the entrance part of the cave is 18°C, gradually dropping to 11.5°C in the last section of the cave.[3] Paleontological findingsPaleontological findings established presence of cave dwellers in an ancient past. Bones of cave bears, lynx, and other animals also has been found in the cave.[3][2][4] References Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jortsku Cave Natural Monument.
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