Karaftu Cave

Karaftu Cave is an ancient cave and historical monument in Kurdistan Province. It lies in a high cliff east of the city of Saqqez and northwest of Divandarreh County. The cave is a limestone cave that formed during the Tertiary period of geological time. According to research, the area was underwater during the Mesozoic era, and toward the end of that era its heights emerged from the water. Parts of the cave are hand-carved, and it contains inscriptions from prehistoric times.

There are various opinions about the origin of the name Karaftu. It is said that Karaftu is probably a combination of two words, "Karaf" and "Tu". In Middle Persian (Pahlavi), "Karaf" or "Karfat" means good deed or divine reward, and in the Avesta it means "praise". The word "Tu" in ancient languages such as Sumerian and Elamite means sun and heat. In modern Kurdish, "Tāw" is used for heat and "Hetāw" for the sun. So if this composition is correct, Karaftu means "the place of worship of the sun", and it is possible that this cave and fortress was one of the Mithraic temples in Kurdistan.

The cave can be reached from Saqqez via the paved road from Saheb to Mirsaeed, from Divandarreh via the Takab–Gurbaba Ali fork, and from Takab via the dirt road to Aliabad village. On 20 Bahman 1318 (Solar Hijri), the site was registered as one of Iran's national monuments under registration number 330. The cave was also added to UNESCO's Tentative List on 24 Aban 1401 (Solar Hijri).

Exploring the inside of Karaftu Cave requires special equipment because of its difficult and complex conditions, such as a helmet with a headlamp, suitable footwear, waterproof clothing, and lifting systems. Before you begin exploring Karaftu Cave, be sure to check your safety and protective equipment with the guides and specialists of Karaftu Cave. Also make sure that your gear is safe and in good condition.