Ignatievskaya cave: a monument of nature, shrouded in secrets

Not far from the village of Serpiyivka in the Chelyabinsk region is the Ignatievskaya Cave, which is famous not only in Russia, but all over the world. It is one of 9 unique monuments of the Paleolithic era, where the most ancient drawings created by man were found. It is often compared with such famous caves as Altamira (Spain) and Lascaux (France).

Secrets of the Ignatiev Cave

Ignatievskaya cave was visited by archaeologists from many different countries. But only in 1980 there was a sensational discovery: in one of the distant parts of the site were found the drawings of an ancient man. They were located on the ceiling and on the walls. Since that moment the caves of the Chelyabinsk region have gained worldwide fame. According to scientists, the drawings were found 14-16 thousand years ago. In all there are about 40 groups.

Here you can see realistic images of mammoth, bull, rhino and other animals, as well as mysterious geometric symbols. But it is worth noting that galleries with drawings are placed in hard-to-reach places, far from daylight. Modern scientists believe that in ancient times Ignatievskaya cave was the place of ritual activities. For a primitive man, the cave symbolized the intermediate state between life and death.

Surprisingly, the history of the Ignatiev cave did not end in ancient times. Over the centuries, it was a hiding place for both ordinary lawbreakers and Old Believers who hid from the oppression of the official Orthodox Church. According to legend, this cave received its modern name on behalf of the hermit Ignatius, who lived here in the 19th century.

First Ignatievsk cave was for him a house, and then a burial place. Back in the 50s of the last century, you could see the remains of a wooden log house where Ignatius lived. The last ones after death began to be read. So, during the tsarist Russia every 9th Friday after Easter, a large number of pilgrims flocked to Ignatievskaya cave.

It is still unknown who the hermit Ignatius really was. Some say that he was a Scheme adopted by the Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich (brother of Nicholas I), while others believe that under the name of Ignatius, the departed Emperor Alexander I was hiding. Now the old man who once lived here recalls only a small figure of a woman who is carved On one of the walls of the cave.

Microclimate of Ignatievskaya cave

The constant temperature in the Ignatievskaya cave is +5 ° С. The flow of clean air in the cave is rather weak. In this case, aerosols of magnesium, potassium and sodium are contained in the air. And, of course, there is a high level of humidity. Like other caves in Russia, this creation of nature is rich in calcite formations, stalagmites, stalactites and calcite rivers. In addition, here you can find a real cave pearl. Thus, Ignatievskaya cave will appeal not only to lovers of history, but also to speleologists. Moreover, not far from it is located no less popular Essuva cave.