Zhijindong Cave
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19-Features of shields in Zhijindong Cave
Timer：2024-05-08
The shields in Zhijindong Cave are relatively well developed, which are mainly distributed in the branch cave of Crystal Palace and also sporadically developed in Talin Palace, Golden Mouse Palace and Pipa (Chinese lute) Palace. They are of various shapes and different sizes and scales. Meanwhile, they usually develop symbiotically with stalactites and stalagmites, together forming rare, beautiful, diverse and unique stalactites landscapes, such as shield-shaped columns, stalactites and Chinese lute-shaped columns.
Main morphotypes and features of shields in Zhijindong Cave
| Morphotype | Main development features | Main development area |
| 1 Flat shield | Most of the shield surfaces are elliptical and nearly horizontal, with an incline angle less than 10º. The sizes of them are different with the diameter ranging from 15 cm to 650cm and thickness ranging from 2 cn to 30 cm | Mainly distributed in the branch cave of Crystal Palace and sporadically developed in Talin Palace, Golden Mouse Palace and Pipa Palace. |
| 2 Tilt shield | Most of the shield surfaces are elliptical with a big incline angle between 15º and 80 º, and the sizes of them are different with the diameter ranging from 15 cm to 650cm and thickness ranging from 2 to 30 cm | |
| 3 Ground shield | Growing from the cave bottom vertically, its shield surface is elliptical with a width of 95cm, height of 160m and thickness of 15 to 30cm. | Only 2 ground shields in the Crystal Palace have been found at present. |
| 4 Vertical shield | The shield surface is elliptical, hanging at the ceiling of the cave vertically, with a diameter between 220cm and 550cm and a thickness between 35cm to 55cm. | Inverted Pipa (Chinese lute) is only found in Pipa Palace. |
