CAVE (Latin cavea), a cavern, either below the surface of the ground, or in the face of a rock or hill. The primitive inhabitants of the earth probably dwelt in caves before the art of building was practised; and caves long continued to be the proper habitations of shepherds. In some countries, at this day, caves in the face of rocks, and even below the ground, during winter in high latitudes are used as habitations. The ancient city of Petra may be said to be a city of artificial caves. These are cut in the face of the sandstone rock; and from their great number and extent, some of these were, in all probability, human habitations. In Genesis xix., we read that when Lot went up out of Zoar, "he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters." The primitive method of burial also was to deposit the bodies in caves; and this custom appears to have been the origin of catacombs. Among the Romans, antra or caverns were consecrated to nymphs, who were there worshipped, as other divinities in temples. The grotto of the nymph Egeria is still shown at Rome. The Persians also worshipped their deity Mithras in a natural cavern, consecrated for the purpose by Zoroaster.