Capova cave
Kapova Cave is a cave in Bashkortostan, famous for the drawings made by primitive people during the Paleolithic period. The cave is located on the territory of the Shulgan-Tash Nature Reserve.
There are several versions of the origin of the cave's name. According to one of them, which is confirmed by archaeologists and legends, the cave used to be used as a "shrine" (temple). According to another version, the name was given because of the sound of dripping water (drops). The local peoples also call the cave Shulgan-Tash. The cave is located near the Shulgan River, and "tash" is translated from Bashkir as stone. The Shulgan River flows into the White River and its name "shu-ulgan" comes from the already unused Bashkir dialect and translates as "the water is dead". Hence the name of the cave translates as "the water died in the stone." In addition, in the Bashkir legend "Ural-Batyr" there is a hero named Shulgan.
The total length of the branches of Kapova Cave is 3 km. The branches of the cave form 3 floors, the Underground Shulgan River flows on the lower one, which carved its way into the limestone, forming a cave. The height difference between the lower and upper levels is 165 meters. Next to Kapova Cave lies the Shulgan Canyon, which ends in a dry land with sinkholes and small lakes. Nearby you can also see the "Mammoth Grotto", its name appeared because of the shadow at sunset. The grotto casts a shadow similar to a mammoth.
Kapova Cave became very famous for the drawings on its walls, discovered in 1959 by zoologist Ryumin A.V. At the moment, 173 drawings made with ochre and much less with charcoal have been found and recorded. The drawings are approximately 18,000 years old. In the drawings, you can distinguish the figures of mammoths, horses, and various animals. Drawings of huts, lines, and triangles have been found in the upper and middle levels of the cave. The oldest drawings are located in the upper level. According to the analysis, they are approximately 36,500 years old. After the discovery of the drawings, a lot of tourists came here, who often left their autographs on top of the drawings and broke stalactites with stalagmites. For this reason, the cave had to be grated at the entrance. Under the influence of external conditions, the drawings fade and may be lost. Nowadays, Kapova Cave is a protected area, and you can only get there with guides by paying an entrance fee.
