The Anniversary Celebrates the People of the Society: Emil Racoviță and Marcian Bleahu
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52340/ggj.2026.06.01.02Keywords:
speleology, Emil Racoviță, Marcian Bleahu, karst morphology, cave exploration, underground heritageAbstract
This paper highlights the monumental contributions of Emil Racoviță and Marcian Bleahu to Romanian speleology, marking milestones such as the anniversary of the Romanian Geographical Society. It traces the development of biospeleology and physical speleology from early campaigns in the Apuseni Mountains to the foundation of the world's first speleological institute. Additionally, the text reviews recent advancements by the Romanian Federation of Speleology, including the 2020 Karst Map, LiDAR scanning, and 3D cave visualisation projects. Exceptional natural landmarks are discussed, including the record depth of Grind Shaft and the length of Wind Cave, the unique ecosystem of Movile Cave, the unique beauty of Piatra Altarului Cave, and the oldest evidence of prehistoric art in Coliboaia Cave. Over 10,000 new caves have been discovered since 1976, with the establishment of the Central Commission for Sport Speleology (CCSS), explored, documented, and registered in the National Cadastre of Caves in Romania, maintained by the "Emil Racoviță" Institute of Speleology (ISER), leading to a current total of over 12,600 caves inventoried by ISER. Through these examples, the work demonstrates the interdisciplinary character of modern exploration. In conclusion, this highlights the importance of protecting and preserving underground heritage.
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