QELEH KURD
at Zagros Mountains in Kurdistan
A collaborative team of French and Iranian archaeologists has unearthed evidence of early human occupation in Iran’s Central Plateau.
(Iran is ockupying the Eastern part of Kurdistan)
The discovery at Qaleh Kurd Cave in Qazvin has extended the timeline of human settlement in the region by over 300,000 years, according to research published in the Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology on May 23. This significant finding includes a human deciduous tooth and a rich assemblage of lithic and faunal materials, providing new insights into early human dispersals and cultural interactions across the region.
The Iranian Central Plateau, flanked by the Alborz and Zagros Mountains, is a critical archaeological area due to its strategic position at the crossroads of the Levant, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and East Asia. This location has historically served as a vital corridor for human migration and interaction during the Pleistocene epoch.
The joint Iranian and French Paleoanthropological Project focused on Qaleh Kurd Cave, situated at the western edge of the Central Plateau near the Zagros Mountains. The excavations revealed that the cave was occupied by humans between approximately 452,000 and 165,000 years ago. This period predates the previously known evidence of human habitation in the area, which had been dated to around 80,000 years ago.
A human deciduous tooth found in Qaleh Kurd Cave. Credit: Vahdati Nasab, H. et al.
Central to this discovery is a human deciduous first upper molar, found in the upper part of the Middle Pleistocene sequence. This tooth, along with a diverse collection of lithic tools and faunal remains, indicates that the cave was recurrently occupied by early Middle Paleolithic cultures. The faunal assemblage, predominantly composed of horse bones, shows extensive evidence of butchery.
The findings at Qaleh Kurd Cave suggest cultural connections with contemporary assemblages in the Caucasus and the Levant, and later Middle Paleolithic cultures in the Zagros region. This discovery enriches our understanding of human evolution during the Middle Pleistocene and underscores the significance of the Iranian Plateau as a crossroads for ancient human populations moving between the Levant, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and East Asia.
researcher from the University of Tehran, who spoke with bne IntelliNews, emphasized the discovery’s importance: “This discovery not only enriches our understanding of human evolution in the Middle Pleistocene but also underscores the significance of the Iranian Plateau as a crossroads for ancient human populations.”
With 27 sites, Iran is among the top 10 countries with the most cultural heritage sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage List and remains a focal point for archaeological research and conservation efforts. While significant discoveries continue to be made, conducting archaeological research in the region is not without challenges. Political instability, logistical issues such as visa restrictions, and environmental factors like increasing rainfall pose threats to archaeological sites.
Despite the challenges, each discovery, such as the 450,000-year-old tooth at Qaleh Kurd Cave, reaffirms the region’s pivotal role in the mosaic of human history.
Qaleh Kurd Cave in Qazwin in Eastern Kurdistan
Mirov cara yekê ji Zagrosan (Kurdistanê) hem ber bi Rojhilat (Hindistan û Çîn'ê) û hem jî ber bi Rojava (Ewrûpa'yê) çûne.
Qeleh Kurd - Akeologên Frensî li Rozhilata Kurdistan'ê, li Çiyayên Zagros'ê di skefta "Qeleh Kurd" de niştegeheke 450.000 salî kifş kir. Qasî ku xuya dibe ev şkeft ango niştegeh heta berî 165.000 salan rêk û pêk ji hêla mirovan ve hatiye bi karhanîn, yanî kalikên kalikên kalikên kurdan li vir bûne. Berê dihat gotin ku cara yekem mirov berî 80.000 salî li vê herêmê bi cî bune. Tê gotin ku dê ev bermayiyên dîtî dîroka mirovatiyê ser û bin bikin. Li gorî ku zaniyar radigiyînin divêt mirovatiyê cara yekem forma xwa li vir girtiye. Ji Zagros'ê ber bi deverên din yên cîhanê va çûne. Li skefta Qeleh Kurd'ê aletên herî kevinar çêkirine. Ax Kurdino ax' Ev welatê ku hûn tê de dijîn, DAYIKA HEMÎ MIROVAYETIYÊ YE lê hûn hîna jî vê rastiyê nizanin.
(Afrika çıkışı sonra insan soyu İLK olarak Kürdistan'dan (Zagroslardan) hem Uzakdoğu'ya ve hemde batıya yayıldılar. Ayrı ırklar ve kavimler bu yayılmadan sonra coğrafik etmenler vasıtasıyla şekillenip oluştu. İnsanların Nuh'un kavmi olduğu efsanevi söylencesi doğru olablildiği gibi, Nuh kavminin kürdler olabileceği rivayetinin de doğru olma ihtimali vardır. Çünkü bu rivayetler durup dururken edilmemiştir, mutlaka dayandıkları somut bir fenomen olmalıdır. Nitekim Nuh tufanı rivayetinin gerçek jeolojik bir vakıa olduğu bilim adamları tarafından ispatlanmıştır bugün.)
Qaleh Kurd Cave in Qazwin in Eastern Kurdistan
French archaeologists discovered a 450,000-year-old settlement in the "Qeleh Kurd" cave in the Zagros Mountains in Eastern Kurdistan. As it seems, this cave or settlement has been regularly used by humans until 165,000 years ago, the earliest humans were here. It used to be said that people settled in this area for the first time 80,000 years ago. It is said that these remains will change the history of mankind. According to scientists, humanity must have taken its form here for the first time. They went from Zagros to other parts of the world. They made the oldest tools in Qeleh Kurd's skeft.
After leaving Africa, the human race FIRST spread from Zagros Maountaıns (Kurdıstan) to both the Far East and the West. After this spread, separate races and tribes were shaped and formed through geographical factors.
Foundation For Kurdish
Library & Museum