According to numerous stories, in ancient times a lake spread on this place, whose name was Batyr (in translation "Brave Warrior"). Subsequently, a hollow formed here, which was associated with the leaching of salty rocks, with karst and subsidence processes that took place on the vast shores of the Caspian Sea. You can find out where the Karagiye Depression is and what it is by reading this article.
Original and unique Karagiy. In spring, locals pick mushrooms here. Snakes, foxes, hares and Korsaks live here of amazing beauty. In the skies above the hollow, vultures soar, searching for prey. And everything happening around is watched with their keen eyes by the mouflon. However, there are many more secrets that this amazing hollow hides.
Karagie Basin: location, description
About 50 kilometers from the city of Alatau, on the Mangyshlak plateau (eastern part), one of the deepest depressions in the world, called Karagie, stretches from the north-western direction to the southeast. Translated from the Turkic language, the name means "Black Maw."
Around the steppe, only in places at the curbs there are green bushes of grass.
This is the fifth largest hollow in the world, part of the vast Ustyurt plateau. The cliffs at the basin are composed of Neogene deposits. Its surface part consists of strong Sarmatian limestones, and the central part consists of soft clay rocks. The relief of the basin continues to form due to mudflows, winds, deformations of river beds. Below we provide more detailed information about this interesting place.
The Karagie Depression has a length of more than 40 km and a width of 10 km. Its depth reaches 132 m below sea level.
About origin
The basis of karst formation is the dissolving and erosive activity of natural groundwater. Due to groundwater seeping into the cracks in limestone, gypsum and dolomite, dissolution of the rocks and expansion of the cracks took place. The consequence of such phenomena was the formation of deep and narrow abysses. Such deepenings, gradually expanding, created large caves and funnels. During the expansion of the caves, their walls and roof collapsed under the weight of the layers lying higher.
Moreover, this process, often repeating itself, was gradually directed inland. In connection with the occurrence of calcareous sediment at a depth, and in connection with the above processes, huge voids arose gradually filling up with crushed rock. Among other things, funnels, niches, blind valleys, depressions, grottoes, cavities, passages, hollows and natural wells arose here. Thus, the Karagiye Depression developed.
Now, having adopted modern shape, the depression has almost formed. But the relief-forming processes continue to this day, as evidenced by ledges and cliffs, dissected by deep gorges (beams and ravines).
Terrain Features
This area has always been the subject of research by scientists.
It turned out that the Karagie basin (almost anhydrous) is a kind of generator of rain clouds. In the summer, under the influence of rising air, rain clouds of many kilometers are formed above it. This is determined by ground-based observations and satellite imagery.
At the bottom of the basin is a small pool and a spring called "Cool" with slightly brackish water flowing from a well that was once drilled. Water flows out of it along the bottom of the cavity and is lost in its southern part, drowning in the sands. The southwestern part is occupied by a drying lake, which can not be reached, since there you can fall through.
Conclusion
The Karagiy depression in each person causes a completely different reaction and sensation. Some, being in these places, feel calm and joy. And others, on the contrary, feel headaches, anxiety, nausea, deterioration of mood and loss of strength.
Many old-timers believe that the "Black Mouth" in this way makes it clear who should stay here and who should not. No one can explain what this is connected with.
UFOs were often observed here, to which the researchers gave different explanations. For example, there was a version that this hollow is a passage to another world. And UFOs come to get into that parallel world. The very first UFO appeared here in 1979.
Whatever the case, many of the mysteries of Karagie have not yet been solved.