Ceiling erosion in caves: early studies and Zdeněk Roth as author of the concept

Abstract

Ceiling channels belong to specific geomorphological forms occurring only in caves. Their origin has been commonly connected with the paragenesis. According to review articles, the terms of ceiling channel and paragenesis were defined by Philippe Renault (1958) for the first time. Nevertheless, Zdeněk Roth in his study of morphology and geomorphological evolution of the Domica Cave (southern Slovakia) published in 1937 (in Czech with long French summary) not only described ceiling channels, but he presented also their definition. Roth and other authors used the term later in describing features of several caves in Slovakia and Hungary. Based on original Roth observations, Josef Kunský defined the term generally in his textbook (1950 in Czech, 1956 in Polish and 1958 in French). The description of paragenetic ceiling channels by Renault (1958) can be considered as the first one only in Western European karstology literature.