DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5542#0257
246
EXTENSIVE CAVES.
[Chap. xliv.
that he was only anxious about himself. He procured two
old men to show me the way, and borrowed some large
wax torches from the mosque to light us into the recesses
of the cavern.
Leaving the village, we proceeded down the ravine along
the foot of the cliff, to the end of the table-land, when
we ascended the talus to the caves cut in the rocks above,
many of them, being arranged in regular floors one above
the other, are at such a height that they cannot be ap-
proached from without; I afterwards ascertained that they
were reached by narrow chimneys and flights of steps cut
in the centre of the rock. At length the guides halted to
light their torches, and I followed them by several winding
passages into the very centre of the hill, until we reached
the celebrated cave, consisting of three apartments, and
containing several niches and tombs cut in the side walls.
The middle apartment was the largest; in the centre of it
two small natural altars of rock were left standing, on one
of which was lying the book I was in search of. It was a
Greek Menologion on parchment, much worn and damaged,
and apparently of the twelfth or thirteenth century. On
examining the black and smoky walls, I perceived that they
had been painted over with figures of saints in old Byzantine
style : one figure, in armour, and covered with a coat of mail,
was probably intended for St. George of Cappadocia; the
walls were also covered with writings in modern Greek, by
persons who had lately visited the place, besides a few in
Armenian characters. No Greeks reside in Tatlar, but
they visit it in great numbers from distant parts.
On quitting the cave I explored some of the other
excavations, and, entering the lower ones, was able to
ascend to an upper tier by the same kind of chimney
which I had seen in the caves near Buldur. The insulated
conical hill before mentioned was excavated in the same
manner, containing several chambers and apartments one
above the other, the largest of which had evidently been a
chapel.
EXTENSIVE CAVES.
[Chap. xliv.
that he was only anxious about himself. He procured two
old men to show me the way, and borrowed some large
wax torches from the mosque to light us into the recesses
of the cavern.
Leaving the village, we proceeded down the ravine along
the foot of the cliff, to the end of the table-land, when
we ascended the talus to the caves cut in the rocks above,
many of them, being arranged in regular floors one above
the other, are at such a height that they cannot be ap-
proached from without; I afterwards ascertained that they
were reached by narrow chimneys and flights of steps cut
in the centre of the rock. At length the guides halted to
light their torches, and I followed them by several winding
passages into the very centre of the hill, until we reached
the celebrated cave, consisting of three apartments, and
containing several niches and tombs cut in the side walls.
The middle apartment was the largest; in the centre of it
two small natural altars of rock were left standing, on one
of which was lying the book I was in search of. It was a
Greek Menologion on parchment, much worn and damaged,
and apparently of the twelfth or thirteenth century. On
examining the black and smoky walls, I perceived that they
had been painted over with figures of saints in old Byzantine
style : one figure, in armour, and covered with a coat of mail,
was probably intended for St. George of Cappadocia; the
walls were also covered with writings in modern Greek, by
persons who had lately visited the place, besides a few in
Armenian characters. No Greeks reside in Tatlar, but
they visit it in great numbers from distant parts.
On quitting the cave I explored some of the other
excavations, and, entering the lower ones, was able to
ascend to an upper tier by the same kind of chimney
which I had seen in the caves near Buldur. The insulated
conical hill before mentioned was excavated in the same
manner, containing several chambers and apartments one
above the other, the largest of which had evidently been a
chapel.