Kalabera Cave

Kalabera Cave in northern Saipan is a large limestone chamber with a collapsed roof letting light in, and its walls carry drawings made by ancient Chamorro in charcoal and pigment: figures, marks and shapes whose meaning is not settled. Human remains were found in the cave, which is where the name, from the Spanish for skull, comes from. It is a culturally sensitive site. Similar drawings survive in a handful of other Marianas caves, but this is the most accessible of them.

Background

The cave lies in Kalabera, on Saipan, and served in prehistoric times as a burial place. Inside are more than forty-five petroglyphs and rock engravings from prehistoric times, each between 5 and 10 inches in size, and most of them show human figures without heads. The site has been fitted with a trail, a ramp at the entrance, interpretive panels on the pictographs and petroglyphs, an area for prayer or offerings, replica latte huts and landscaping around it.

Source: Wikipedia, "Kalabera Cave"

What's there

• The rock drawings - ancient Chamorro figures and marks on the walls.
• The collapsed roof - the opening letting daylight into the chamber.
• The limestone chamber - the large space the cave forms.
• The burial context - the human remains that gave the cave its name.

When to go

December to June is the drier season. The cave is accessible year round. Morning light reaches the drawings best.

Practical notes

The drawings are faint and have suffered from graffiti and touching. It is a burial site and behaviour matters. The track in is rough and there are no facilities.

Nearby

Bird Island is north, and Mount Tapochau is south.

Key facts