kome caves lesotho postcard

The Kome Caves are a group of cave dwellings made out of mud in the district of Berea, Lesotho 25 km east of Teyateyaneng.The caves are still inhabited by the descendants of the original people who built the caves. The site has been classified as a National Heritage Site. The Kome Cave Dwellings were built and protected by Chief Teleka of The Basia(cat) Clan in the early 19th century. The main purpose for the cave dwellings was to serve as a hideout from other Basotho people who resorted to cannibalism during the drought in the late 18th century. The name of Ha Kome comes from the Kome family in the Basia tribe, the first inhabitants of the cave.