CAVES. The geological formation of Syria is highly favourable to the production of caves. It consists chiefly of limestone, in different degrees of density, and abounds with subterranean rivulets. The springs issuing from limestone generally con tain carbonate of lime, and most of them yield a large quantity of free carbonic acid upon exposure to the air. To the erosive effect upon limestone rocks, of water charged with this acid, the forma tion of caves is chiefly to be ascribed. The opera tion of these causes is sometimes exemplified by a torrent perforating a rock, and forming a natural arch, like that of the Nahr el Leben, which falls into the Nahr El Salib, called also the river of Beirout. The arch is upwards of 16o feet long, 85 feet wide, and nearly 200 feet above the torrent (Kitto's Physical History of Palestine, art Geology and Mineralogy'). The subordinate strata of Syria, sandstone, chalk, basalt, natron, etc., favour the formation of caves. Consequently the whole region abounds with subterranean hollows of different dimensions. Some of them are of immense ex tent ; these are noticed by Strabo, who speaks of a cavern near Damascus capable of holding 4000 men (xvi. p. zo96, edit. 1707). This cavern is shewn to the present day. Modern travels abound with descriptions of the caves of Syria. The Cru sade writers record the local traditions respecting them current in their times (William of Tyre ; Quaresmius, Elucid. Ter. Sam.) Tavernier (Voy age de Perse, part ii. chap. iv.), speaks of a grotto between Aleppo and Bir, which would hold neat 300o horse. Maundrell has described a large cavern under a high rocky mountain, in the vicinity of Sidon, containing 200 smaller caverns (Travels, pp. 158, 159). Shaw mentions the numerous dens, holes, and caves, in the mountains on the sea coast, extending through a long range on each side of Joppa. The accounts of the latest and most accurate travellers verify their statements. The first mention of a cave in Scripture relates to that into which Lot and his two daughters retired from Zoar, after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. xix. 30). It was some cavern in the mountains of Moab, but tradition has not fixed upon any of the numerous hollows in that region. The next is the cave of I}laclipelah, in the field of Ephron, which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth (Gen. xxv. 9, to). There Abraham buried Sarah, and was himself afterwards buried ; there also Isaac, Rebecca, Leah, and Jacob, were buried (Gen. xlix. 31 ; L 13). The cave of Machpelah is said to be under a Mohametan mosque, surrounded by a high wall called the Haram ; but even the Moslems are not allowed to descend into the cavern. The tradition that this is the burial place of the patriarchs, is supported by an im mense army of evidence (Robinson, Biblical Re searches in Palestine, ii. 433-440).
The situation of the cave at Illakkedah, into which the five kings of the Amorites retired upon their defeat by Joshua, and into which their car cases were ultimately cast, is not known ( Josh. x. 16, 27). Some of the caves mentioned in the Scriptures were artificial, or consisted of natural fissures enlarged or modified for the purposes in tended. It is recorded (Judg. vi. 2), that, be cause of the Midianites, the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strongholds.' Caves made by art are met with in various quarters. An innumerable multitude of excavations are found in the rocks and valleys round Wady Musa, which were pro bably formed at first as sepulchres, but afterwards inhabited, like the tombs of Thebes (Robinson's Researches, ii. 529). Other excavations occur at Deir Dubbfin (ii. 353) ; others in the Wady lead ing to Santa Hanneh (ii. 395). In the mountains of Kiil'at Ibn Ma'an, the natural caverns have been united by passages cut in the rocks, in order to render them more commodious habitations. In the midst of these caverns several cisterns have been built ; the whole would afford refuge for 600 men' (Burckhardt's Travels, p. 331). Caves were used as dwelling-places by the early inhabitants of Syria. The Horites, the ancient inhabitants of Idumma Proper, were Troglodytes or dwellers in caves, as their name imports. Jerome records that
in his time Idumma, or the whole southern region from Eleutheropolis to Petra and Ailah, was full of habitations in caves, the inhabitants using sub terranean dwellings on account of the great heat (Comm. on Obad. v. 6). The excavations at Deb/ Dubban and on the south side of the Wady, lead ing to Santa Haunch, are probably the dwellings of the ancient Horites' (Robinson, ii. 353), and they are peculiarly numerous around Beit Jibrin (Eleutheropolis) (ii. 425). The Scriptures abound with references to habitations in rocks ; among others, see Num. xxiv. 21 ; Cant. ii. 14 ; Jer. xlix. 16 ; Obad. 3. Even at the present time many persons live in caves. The inhabitants of Anab, a town on the east of the Jordan, lat. N. long. 35° E., all live in grottoes or caves hollowed out of the rock (Buckingham's Travels among the Arab Tribes, p. 6r). In the neighbourhood of Hebron peasants still live in caves, and especially during the summer, to be near their flocks (Wilkinson's Travels, i. 313). Poor families live in caverns in the rocks which seem formerly to have been in habited as a sort of village, near the ruins of El Burj. So also at Siloam, and in the neighbour hood of Nazareth. Caves afforded excellent refuge in the time of war. Thus the Israelites (I Sam. xiii. 6) are said to have hid themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits. See also Jer. xli. 9 ; Joseph. xii. I1. 1. Hence, then, to enter into the rock, to go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth' (Is. ii. 59), would, to the Is raelites, be a very proper and familiar way to ex press terror and consternation. The pits spoken of seem to have consisted of large wells, in 'the sides' of which, excavations were made, leading into various chambers. Such pits were sometimes used as prisons (Is. xxiv. 22 ; li. 14 ; Zech. ix. ir) , and with niches in the sides, for burying-places (Ezek. xxxii. 23). Many of these vaulted pits re main to this day. The cave in which Lazarus was buried was probably something of this kind. The tomb shewn as his, at Bethany, is not attended with the slightest probability (Robinson, ii. too). The strongholds of Engedi, which afforded a retreat to David and his followers (I Sam. xxiii. 29 ; xxiv. r), can be clearly identified. They are now called 'Ain Tidy by the Arabs, which means the same as the Hebrew, namely, `The Fountain of the Kid.' On all sides the country is full of caverns, which might serve as lurking-places for David and his men, as they do for outlaws at the present day. The whole scene is drawn to the life' (Robinson, ii. 203). The cave of ildullam, to which David retired to avoid the persecutions of Saul (I Sam. xxii. 1, 2), and in which he cut off the skirt of Saul's robe (I Sam. xxiv. 4), is an im mense natural cavern at the Wady Khureitun, which passes below the Frank mountain (Hero dium : see the Map of Palestine). For a descrip tion of this cave by Irby and Mangles, and the reasons for believing its identity, see article ADUL LAM. Dr. Pococke refers to a tradition that 30,00o persons once retired into it to avoid a malaria. Such is the extent of the cavern, that it is quite conceivable how David and his men might remain in the sides of the cave,' and not be noticed by Saul (Travels, voL ii. p. 41). Caverns were also frequently fortified and occupied by soldiers. Josephus often mentions this circum stance. Certain caves were afterwards fortified by Josephus himself during his command in Galilee under the Romans. In one place he speaks of these as the caverns of Arbela (Vita, sec. 37), and in another as the caverns near the lake Genne sareth (De Bell. yud. ii. 2o. 6). A fortified cavern existed in the time of the Crusades. It is men tioned by William of Tyre (xxii. 15-21), as situate in the country beyond the Jordan, sixteen Roman miles from Tiberias. The cave of Elijah is pre tended to be shewn, at the foot of Mount Sinai, in a chapel dedicated to him ; and a hole near the altar is pointed out as the place where he lay (Robinson, i. 152).—J. F. D.