SAEDNEWS: Emergency excavations at Kunakhera Cave in western Iran have revealed Neanderthal occupation dating back 40,000–80,000 years. The discovery, including Mousterian tools and animal remains, highlights the region’s importance in Paleolithic research.
According to SAEDNEWS, In the Zagros Mountains of Kermanshah province in western Iran, Kunakhera Cave has yielded significant findings that point to its use by Neanderthals in ancient times, as revealed by recent archaeological investigations.
Launched as an urgent archaeological effort, the excavation at Kunakhera Cave was initiated to protect the site from ongoing threats such as illegal excavations and environmental erosion.
Nemat Hariri, who heads the excavation team, reported that the findings clearly demonstrate Neanderthal activity in the cave dating back between 40,000 and 80,000 years. He noted that the operation received official clearance from the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Research Institute and was backed by the regional heritage authorities due to the significant destruction the site had endured in recent times.
This initiative was guided by two primary goals: first, to salvage and record fragile cultural and biological materials in danger of being lost, and second, to deepen the scientific understanding of the area's Paleolithic context. Notably, the cave lies close to other important archaeological landmarks, including the prominent Bawa-Yawan rock shelter.
The excavation yielded Mousterian-style stone implements and sedimentary sequences closely resembling those documented at the Bawa-Yawan shelter, a site already associated with Neanderthal habitation. These parallels support the idea that Neanderthal populations frequented Kunakhera Cave multiple times during the Late Pleistocene, despite its elevation near persistent snow levels around 1,800 meters.
Hariri noted that the latest discoveries reinforce a growing scholarly perspective that portrays Neanderthals not as rudimentary beings, but as intellectually capable hominins with advanced cultural practices and adaptive survival strategies.
Among the items unearthed were animal bones bearing cut marks and signs of exposure to fire, indicating the use of hearths. The faunal remains belonged to a variety of species—including cave bears, equids, bovids, caprids, jackals, rabbits, and freshwater turtles—reflecting a broad and flexible diet adopted by these prehistoric inhabitants.
In addition to artifact discoveries, the identification of hearth structures and ash deposits further illustrates the intentional and sustained use of the cave as a Neanderthal refuge. Hariri emphasized that this urgent excavation effort not only safeguards irreplaceable archaeological data but also deepens insight into the lifestyle and adaptations of Neanderthals within the central western Zagros.
The archaeological revelations at Kunakhera Cave hold the potential to redefine current interpretations of prehistoric human existence in the mountainous terrains of Iran and highlight the area’s relevance in the expansive timeline of human ancestry.
Bawa Yawan, a rock shelter nestled in the Kermanshah province of western Iran, preserves one of the earliest indicators of human existence.
Prominent archaeologist Saman Heydari-Guran asserts that the rock engravings found within Bawa Yawan represent the oldest known manifestations of human ethological expression on the Iranian plateau.
These symbolic artworks provide unparalleled access to the psychological and behavioral dimensions of early humans—insights rarely accessible through other remnants from the late Pleistocene.
Globally, Paleolithic imagery—ranging from stylized engravings to figurative depictions—has consistently intrigued researchers, and Bawa Yawan now joins that international narrative through its significant contributions.
Heydari-Guran noted that the recent Paleolithic investigations in the region led to the exceptional identification of rock symbols, establishing the site’s central role in the archaeological landscape of Kermanshah.
Comparative analysis reveals that Bawa Yawan’s motifs share striking resemblances with Paleolithic art traditions observed in Europe in both design and symbolic depth.
Further statistical assessments suggest that the motifs may reference aspects of human reproduction or childbearing, implying early attempts at record-keeping or symbolic communication.
The stratigraphic context associated with these motifs places their origin at roughly 13,400 years before present, according to Heydari-Guran.
Regarding Neanderthals' enduring occupation of western Eurasia, the study indicates that this hominin branch demonstrated remarkable resilience. However, both archaeological traces and fossil records point to a dramatic contraction of their territorial range near the time of their extinction, likely driven by dwindling food availability and environmental pressures.
