The head of the excavation team at Qaleh Kord Cave, Hamed Vahdati-Nasab, announced this significant find during the fifth season of archaeological excavations in the cave.
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Previous Discoveries in Qaleh Kord Cave
Vahdati-Nasab noted that a 175,000-year-old Neanderthal child’s tooth was previously discovered in the cave. He mentioned, “In the second season of excavations, a 175,000-year-old Neanderthal child’s tooth was found.
The dating of the cave, conducted in 2019, indicated that this historical site dates back 455,000 years. Since then, we have explored deeper layers, and we anticipate discovering even older samples in the new dating.”
Recent Excavation Findings
He further explained that, like in previous seasons, more layers have been examined, and a new trench has been opened to investigate the cave’s wall strata.
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During this season, a significant find was made—a 180,000-year-old child’s tooth. Vahdati-Nasab remarked, “The difference between the previous season and this one is the discovery of another child’s tooth, approximately 180,000 years old. Whether this tooth belongs to a Neanderthal or a Homo sapiens is yet to be determined. If it is Neanderthal, it will be the fifth Neanderthal remain found on the Iranian plateau. If it belongs to a Homo sapiens, it would be astonishing, as no such remains have been found in this region with this age.”
Animal Remains and Stone Tools
Vahdati-Nasab added, “In this excavation season, we also uncovered remains of hyenas, wild boars, and bears. As in previous seasons, equids have been the most prevalent animal remains, and stone tools have been discovered in all the excavation layers.”
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This discovery further enriches our understanding of human history and the prehistoric life that once inhabited the Iranian plateau. SURFIRAN continues to bring you the latest updates on archaeological discoveries across Iran.
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