Hoq Cave

Hoq Cave

The Hoq Cave or Hawk Cave is a limestone cave on Socotra Island, which is located in the Hala patch, about 1.5 kilometers from the northeast coast, opposite the open sea. It has good visibility from the sea, although it is difficult to reach as it is 350 meters above sea level. The cave, which is about 2 kilometers deep, has a main entrance averaging 50 meters wide and 20 meters high. The temperature is between 25 and 27°C all year round and the humidity is above 95%. Along the way leading into the cave, there are all types of speleothems, which are home to many endemic troglobionts. In the back of the cave, a number of epigraphic inscriptions from the 1st century to the 6th century AD have been found, showing that Socotra was a major site of overseas trade in antiquity, where traders from the northern Indian Ocean met. The cave is under protection by law and a path has been built to preserve it. Even today, the end of the cave is still being explored for future archaeological research. When a team of Belgian cave explorers explored and inspected the cave in 2001, they found a number of graffiti and drawings on the cave rocks and floor. Later investigations suggested that these were the work of navigators or traders who frequented the island during the early part of the first millennium. The writings are in Indian Brahmi, South Arabic, Ethiopian Geʽez, Old Greek, Palmyrene and Bactrian scripts, and all are quite short, including names of persons, hometowns, occupations, ethnic and religious background.