Mystery of the Nepalese cave kingdom

[Still Waters]

Hidden within the Himalayas, 155ft from the ground, these man-made caves are one of the World's greatest archaeological mysteries.

Thousands of holes are carved into the fragile, sandy-coloured cliff in a gorge so large it dwarfs the Grand Canyon.

The astonishing number of caves, some dug into the cliffside, others tunnelled from above are thousands of years old but who built them and why remains a mystery.

http://www.dailymail...aves-Nepal.html

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

Helena Blavatsky's Ascended Masters?

[Ealdwita]

The Mustang Caves are relatively close to my home in Nepal and were first located in 2007. I know people who have visited the cave system, and I have seen them myself several times from the air.

[brlesq1]

They're beautiful, and oh, so mysterious. I wouldn't have the courage to tackle something like that.

[haneyhkw]

I know people who have visited the cave system

[Crabby Kitten]

These look fantastic.

[Toon Pimpinz]

[Aggie]

Pete Athans, a geologist and expert Alpinist who also climbed Everest, said: "Many of the caves appear impossible to reach, you'd have to be a bird, it seems, to gain entry".

So how did people reach the caves thousands of years ago?

Also, from his article in the National Geographic: "...in some of the more accessible caves we found several dozen bodies, at least 2000 years old, aligned on wooden beds and decorated with copper jewelry and glass beads, products not locally manufactured"..

His article is very interesting, if you want to read: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2012/10/mustang-caves/finkel-text?rptregcta=join_free_np&rptregcampaign=20130903_lightbox_membership_nonhp_all#

[Thurlow]

"The rocks looks like a lithified river or scree deposit into which the modern day river has eroded thereby deepening the valley floor and removing the access to the cave dwellings. Thousands of years ago the valley floor would have been much higher, enabling foot access to the caves."