Ancient humans estimated to have lived 40,000 to 80,000 years ago

In the Qamari Cave, located in Khorramabad, Lorestan Province, archaeologists have uncovered evidence of Neanderthal habitation. The remains are estimated to be between 40,000 and 80,000 years old, as informs Ata Hassanpour, the director-general of Lorestan's Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Department.

During the excavations, stone tools, bones of hunted animals (such as ibex and deer), and traces of fire use were discovered. These findings confirm the presence of Neanderthals in the region.

Additionally, fragments of red pottery from the Chalcolithic period (over 5,500 years ago) were found in the cave, indicating long-term use by shepherds. Artifacts from the Iron Age, as well as the Seleucid and Parthian periods, were also uncovered, as reported by IRNA, a partner of TV BRICS.

Hassanpour added that a stone shelter was discovered near the cave, containing traces of habitation from the Middle Paleolithic and Chalcolithic eras. It is likely that this shelter was used simultaneously with the cave by the inhabitants of Qamari.

Qamari Cave is a significant site for studying cultural and biological changes in western Iran. In 2001, it was listed as a national heritage site.

Photo: IRNA