🇮🇷 Iran · Cave
Yafteh Cave
Upper Palaeolithic (c.35,000–30,000 BP) · Baradostian (Zagros Aurignacian)
UP Aurignacian cave (35–30 ka, Baradostian blades, shell beads) west of Khorramabad.
🇬🇷 Greece · Rock art
Franchthi Cave — Koilada, Argolid
Upper Paleolithic to Neolithic (c.38,000–3000 BCE) · Paleolithic–Mesolithic Greek and Early Aegean Neolithic
Franchthi Cave (Upper Paleolithic to Final Neolithic c.38,000–3000 BCE) is a vast 30-m wide limestone cavity on the Koilada Bay cliff 10 m above the now-submerged plain, containing a 5-m stratified…
🇱🇧 Lebanon · Cave
Jeita Cave
Middle Palaeolithic to present (c.80,000 BP–modern) · Mousterian → Aurignacian → Holocene
Keserwan 9 km karst system (Mousterian–Aurignacian, 5 m speleothems) on Nahr al-Kalb gorge.
🇮🇷 Iran · Cave
Kaldar Cave
Middle to Upper Palaeolithic (c.54,000–30,000 BP) · Zagros Mousterian → Baradostian
Khorramabad MP–UP cave 5 m (54–30 ka, first Baradostian 54 ka, AMH beads) 5 km N Khorramabad.
🇮🇱 Israel · Cave
Tabun Cave
Lower to Middle Palaeolithic (c.500,000–40,000 BP) · Acheuleo-Yabrudian → Mousterian (Neanderthal)
Mount Carmel UNESCO cave (500–40 ka, 25 m sequence, Neanderthal Yabrudian–Mousterian, Garrod/Jelinek).
🇮🇷 Iran · Cave
Ghar-e Boof
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.
🇮🇷 Iran · Cave
Kunji 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.
🇮🇶 Iraq · Cave
Shanidar 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.
🇮🇶 Iraq · Cave
Peri Ali Beg Cave — Rawanduz Gorge
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).
🇹🇷 Turkey · Cave
Yarımburgaz Cave
Lower Palaeolithic to Middle Ages (c.400,000 BP–1400 CE) · Acheulean → Mousterian → Neolithic (Fikirtepe) → Byzantine
Bosphorus Palaeolithic twin cave (400 ka) with Acheulean and Fikirtepe burials on Küçükçekmece.