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CategoriesCaves
Caverns used as shelter, sanctuary or burial place — and often painted.
🇮🇷 Iran · Cave
Middle Palaeolithic to Epipalaeolithic (c.80,000–15,000 BP) · Zagros Mousterian → Baradostian → Zarzian
Dasht-e Boof Palaeolithic shelter 2 m (80–15 ka, Neanderthal parietal, Zarzian microliths) at 1350 m.
🇩🇿 Algeria · Cave
Mississippian (800–1600 CE) · Mississippian
Rig Ach Grotto in Tassili n'Ajjer, Algeria is a Mississippian (800–1600 CE) cave attributed to Mississippian culture.
🇸🇴 Somalia · Archaeological wonder
Neolithic Pastoral (c.5000–3000 BCE; dated by stratum ceramics) · Early Cushitic Pastoral Neolithic / Horn of Africa pastoralists
Exceptionally preserved Neolithic rock art shelters discovered 2002 by French team (Xavier Gutherz): 10 granite alcoves with polychrome paintings 5000–3000 BCE – long-horned cattle with udders,…
🇰🇷 South Korea · Cave
Hellenistic (323–31 BCE) · Hellenistic
Harbor Grimston Grotto in Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea is a Hellenistic (323–31 BCE) cave attributed to Hellenistic culture.
🇮🇷 Iran · Cave
Middle to Upper Palaeolithic (c.70,000–30,000 BP) · Zagros Mousterian → Baradostian
Lorestan cave 8 m deposits (70–30 ka, Mousterian→Baradostian, Neanderthal→UP) near Khorramabad.
🇨🇱 Chile · Cave
Mississippian (800–1600 CE) · Mississippian
Mound Cave in Coquimbo, Chile is a Mississippian (800–1600 CE) cave attributed to Mississippian culture.
🇮🇳 India · Rock-cut
Satavahana (100 BCE) Hinayana; repainted 5th c. · Buddhist Hinayana then Mahayana
Ajanta Caves 9–10 — Early Hinayana Group in Maharashtra, India is a Satavahana (100 BCE) Hinayana; repainted 5th c. rock_cut attributed to Buddhist Hinayana then Mahayana.
🇮🇱 Israel · Ancient city
Middle Palaeolithic to Natufian (c.200 ka–9600 BCE) · Mousterian → Aurignacian → Natufian
Karst cave at the mouth of Nahal Me’arot, type site of the Natufian culture (excavated Dorothy Garrod 1929–1934). 4 m st...
🇮🇶 Iraq · Cave
Middle Palaeolithic to Neolithic (c.80,000–9000 BP; Neanderthal Layer D c.70–50 ka) · Mousterian Neanderthal → Baradostian → Zarzian → Neolithic
Zagros Neanderthal cave (80 ka) with nine burials including 'flower burial' Shanidar 4.
🇮🇳 India · Rock-cut
Vakataka–Kalachuri (450–600 CE) · Buddhist Mahayana Tantric
Aurangabad Caves 6–7 — Nagthar Hill North Cluster in Maharashtra, India is a Vakataka–Kalachuri (450–600 CE) rock_cut attributed to Buddhist Mahayana Tantric.
🇮🇳 India · Rock-cut
Satavahana to Traikutaka (200 BCE–500 CE) · Buddhist
Kuda Caves — Buddhist Coastal Monastery in Maharashtra, India is a Satavahana to Traikutaka (200 BCE–500 CE) rock_cut attributed to Buddhist.
🇮🇶 Iraq · Cave
Middle Paleolithic to Neolithic · Zagros Paleolithic type-site Zarzian
Hazar Merd Cave — Sulaymaniyah in Sulaymaniyah Governorate, Iraq is a Middle Paleolithic to Neolithic cave attributed to Zagros Paleolithic type-site Zarzian.
🇮🇳 India · Rock-cut
Kalachuri–Rashtrakuta (550–600 CE) · Shaivite Hindu
Elephanta — North Bay Small Shrine Cave in Maharashtra, India is a Kalachuri–Rashtrakuta (550–600 CE) rock_cut attributed to Shaivite Hindu.
🇮🇶 Iraq · Cave
Middle Paleolithic to Neolithic (80000–7000 BCE) · Zagros Paleolithic (Hazar Merd group)
Peri Ali Beg Cave — Rawanduz Gorge in Erbil Governorate, Iraq is a Middle Paleolithic to Neolithic (80000–7000 BCE) cave attributed to Zagros Paleolithic (Hazar Merd group).
🇪🇬 Egypt · Rock art
Holocene humid (7000–3000 BCE rock art) · Gilf hunter-gatherers (pre-pastoral)
Wadi Sura excavated by Almásy 1933 and Kuper 2009–, 7000 BCE hands, Lacan 7000.
🇮🇱 Israel · Cave
Chalcolithic (3500 BCE) · Ghassulian
Nahal Mishmar — Treasure Cave in Judean Desert, Dead Sea cliffs, Israel is a Chalcolithic (3500 BCE) cave attributed to Ghassulian culture.
🇮🇳 India · Rock-cut
Gupta to Vakataka (380–600 CE) · Buddhist Mahayana
Bagh Caves — Mahishmati Buddhist Vihara in Madhya Pradesh, India is a Gupta to Vakataka (380–600 CE) rock_cut attributed to Buddhist Mahayana. 9 Buddhist rock-cut viharas with 4th c.
🇪🇬 Egypt · Rock art
Early Holocene (7000–6000 BCE Beasts) · Gilf early Holocene cattle herders and hunters
Sura Beasts excavated by Kuper 2010, 7000 BCE 13k stencils Africa biggest.
🇬🇷 Greece · Cave
Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age · Final Neolithic / Early Helladic
Vast Neolithic cave complex at Diros Bay, Laconia, used as settlement and burial site 6000–3200 BCE before earthquake sealed entrance.
🇮🇱 Israel · Ancient city
Middle to Upper Palaeolithic (c.55000–16000 BCE) · Late Mousterian → Aurignacian → Kebaran/Geometric Kebaran
Active Levantine cave site (55 ka–16 ka) in the Galilee karst, excavated by Ofer Marder and Omry Barzilai. Mousterian th...
🇪🇬 Egypt · Rock art
Early Holocene (8000–5000 BCE) hunter art · Gilf Holocene hunter
Wadi Hamra cave painted 7000 BCE hunters, Zerzura legend Almásy arch.
🇧🇬 Bulgaria · Cave
Early to Late Pleistocene · Oldowan / Mousterian / Kozarnikian
Palaeolithic cave in northwest Bulgaria with 1.6 million year sequence, yielding Early Pleistocene lithics, Homo erectus remains, Middle Palaeolithic layers and Upper Palaeolithic Kozarnikian…
🇮🇱 Israel · Ancient city
Middle Palaeolithic to Natufian (c.60000–12000 BCE) · Mousterian (Neanderthal) → Aurignacian → Kebaran → Natufian
Deep Mount Carmel cave with 15 m stratified sequence from Middle Palaeolithic (Mousterian, Neanderthal ‘Kebara 2’ pelvis...
🇪🇸 Spain · Cave
Upper Palaeolithic to Bronze Age · Magdalenian / Bronze Age
Karstic cave network in Navarre Pyrenees foothills with Upper Palaeolithic engravings and Holocene deposits, including Magdalenian mobiliary art and early Bronze Age burials.
