Surtshellir
The Surtshellir lava cave is located about 8 kilometers northeast of Kalmanstunga in the Hallmundarhraun lava field west of the Langjökull glacier in Iceland . The lavas flowed out of craters on the northwest side of Langjökull in the 9th century.
Name and origin
The Surtshellir was created over 1000 years ago by flowing lava . The walls froze faster than the inner lava flow, which drained and dried up. This explains the name of the cave as a derivation from the Germanic fire giant Surt (as well as the name of the island Surtsey ).
It is the most famous lava tube in Iceland.
Further data
Its length is 1,970 m with a height difference of 37 meters. The temperature is 2 to 5 ° C.
The floor is somewhat inclined (approx. 1 m over 100 m length).
The roof has smaller and larger holes. There were presumably openings through which the lava shot out in fountains.
Sagas and history
From the beginning of Icelandic historiography, the cave was known and also feared as a refuge for outlaws. A hunt for such is described in Landnámabók , for example .
The cave is also mentioned in the Sturlunga saga .
Bone finds show that this and the neighboring caves were at least temporarily used as temporary housing.
According to their own account, the researchers Eggert Ólafsson and Bjarni Pálsson explored the cave in the 18th century . Many followed them in the 19th century. However, this also resulted in considerable damage.
The cave also plays a role in folk tales, whereby the extraordinary length of the room is mentioned again and again.
More caves in the Hallmundarhraun
There are two other caves in the immediate vicinity. These belong together with the Surtshellir to the same lava tube - but are separated from each other by falls.
Stefánshellir
The Stefánshellir has a total length of 1,520 m. The temperature fluctuates between 2 and 5 ° C.
Íshellir
Íshellir means ice cave . It has a length of approximately 500 m. The temperature is 0 ° C. Therefore the ground is partly covered with ice even in summer.
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ cf. Björn Hróarsson: Hellabókin. Leiðsögn at 77 íslenska hraunhella. Reykjavík (Mál og Menning) 2008, p. 163.
- ↑ cf. Íslandshandbókin. 1. bindi. 1989, p. 143
- ↑ Íslandshandbókin, ibid., P. 143f.
Web links
Coordinates: 64 ° 47 '3.1 " N , 20 ° 43' 39.8" W.