İncirliin Cave
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| İncirliin Cave | |
|---|---|
| İncirliin Mağarası | |
 | |
  Location of İncirliin Cave in Turkey | |
| Location | Milas, Muğla Province, Turkey |
| Coordinates | 37°11′23″N 27°45′43″E / 37.18972°N 27.76194°E |
| Depth | 3–10 m (9.8–32.8 ft) |
| Length | 345 m (1,132 ft) |
| Height variation | 2–20 m (6.6–65.6 ft) |
| Entrances | 1 |
| Show cave opened | April 2016 |
| Show cave length | 155 m (509 ft) |
| Lighting | yes |
İnicrliin Cave (Turkish: İncirliin Mağarası) is a show cave located in Gökçeler Canyon in Milas district of Muğla Province, Turkey. It is the most significant one and the only show cave in a group of nearly 30 caves in the canyon area. It is on the northern hillside of Mount Manastır overlooking the canyon.
The cave is 345 m (1,132 ft) long. It is a horizontal lying spring cave. Its forming was affected by a distinctive fault in a karst formation. The cave has a wide entrance. It is 3–10 m (9.8–32.8 ft) wide and has a clearance of 2–20 m (6.6–65.6 ft).[1][2] It features ponds, giant stalactites and stalagmites. There are many rooms separated from the main gallery by stalactites. The rooms are mostly connected with each other by 6–7 m (20–23 ft) high passages. The "Gösteri Salonu" (literally "Show Room") in the middle of the cave is 7 m (23 ft) below the entrance level. The "Damlataş Galerisi" ("Dripstone Gallery") at the end of the show cave, which was formed on the fault, is situated 12 m (39 ft) higher than the entrance level.[3]
In terms of hydrogeology, the cave is in a vadose zone. It remains totally dry but becomes wet by dripping water from the cave ceiling during the rainy period.[3] Generally, the stalactites and stalagmites in the entrance, the "Yarasa Galerisi" ("Bat Gallery"), the "Havuzlu Salon" ("Pond's Room") and the "Gösteri Salonu" are partially fossilized, while the formation of the stalactites, stalagmites, columns and draperies in the "Damlataş Galerisi" ("Dripstone Gallery") is still continuing.[1][3]
