Stalagmites owe their existence to their twins from above: the stalactites. Their growth occurs gradually, from the ground up, built from the mineral-rich droppings off the stalactites on the ceiling. Stalactites and stalagmites are on a quest to meet each other from the moment the first drip drops. Over the passage of time and the layering of minerals, they move by infinitesimal fractions towards their twin.
Like stalactites, it takes many years for a stalagmite to develop. The longest stalagmite in existence can be found in the Doolin Cave in Claire, Ireland. It is said to project from the ground at around 21 feet high, which is about the length of George Washington’s nose… on Mount Rushmore that is.
Stalactites - A Natural Wonder
Stalactites are among the very first things that catch your attention whenever stepping inside a cave. They feel like long needles, reaching down from the cave’s ceiling, ready to thrust into you at any minute. They are also beautiful to look at, majestic, like the natural pillars of an ancient, subterranean kingdom.
These natural wonders are gradually formed by sediment-heavy water dripping from the ceiling of the cave. As you might expect from something formed by slow drips, they aren’t the quickest of growers. It can take up to 1,000 years for a stalactite to grow just four inches (the length of a smartphone… or a Baja spider!). Speleothems are the most common type of stalactite in the world, due to the abundance of limestone in caves. The longest stalactites on Earth can be found in Jeita Grotto in Lebanon, measuring up to 27 feet in length.
Cave Art
Caves make us feel as though there is always something exciting lurking in their depths. Filled as they are with dark, craggy corridors, our sense of adventure tells us there simply must be at least a thing or two for us to discover within. While they are a place of mystery and exploration for modern humans, back in prehistoric times people lived in caves. For early humanoids, caves were a rare and welcome shelter against hostile external conditions. So, finding relics and links to this long-forgotten past isn’t far-fetched at all.
In fact, in this Argentinean cave, explorers have discovered dozens of hand-prints lining the rugged walls. These have been interpreted as an early form of art, with red chalk used as a medium. The work is said to be 9,500 to 13,000 years old, and this discovery tells us as much about prehistoric man’s nature as it does about modern man. It seems that, through the millennia, we have always been possessed by an inherent need to express ourselves creatively.
Marvel at the Marble
Mother Nature surely outdone herself when she created the Marble Cave in Patagonia, Chile. This stunning natural Marble formation formed over 6,000 years from the waves of the Lake General Carrera that constantly washed against the solid stone.
The colors are absolutely natural as well, the various hues of blue occurred as a result of the lake’s azure waters, that indented patterns based on water levels at the time. There are three main marble formations: El Catedral (the Cathedral), La Capilla (the Chapel), and La Cueva (the Cave).
Scrolls from the Dead Sea
It’s important to be open-minded when discovering a new cave. They are known to hold many secrets, some accumulated through time, others evolving within it. You are as likely to find relics from past civilizations as you are some never-before-seen subterranean creature.
In this cave located in the Judean desert, explorers were shocked to discover more than they ever anticipated. More than secret lakes and rare minerals, this cave was home, in 1947, to the discovery of evidence of the coveted Dead Sea Scrolls. They were disheartened to find, too, that the scrolls themselves had been looted many years earlier. But other artifacts and scrolls remained. One of the manuscripts, written on papyrus and animal skin, contained texts dating back to the 4th century BC and the 2nd Century AD.