The Akhshtyrskaya cave (Big Kazachebrodskaya) is a notable

archeological site An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or historic or contemporary), and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology an ...

in the

Western Caucasus The Western Caucasus is a western region of the Caucasus in Southern Russia, extending from the Black Sea to Mount Elbrus. World Heritage Site The Western Caucasus includes a natural UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising the extreme western e ...

. It is located on the right side of Akhshtyrskaya gorge of the

Mzymta River Mzymta (, , lit. 'the place (-ҭа) of the river Мӡым", , ''Mezmytha'') is a river in Western Caucasus, Russia, flowing through Mostovsky District and the city of Sochi (Adlersky City District) of Krasnodar Krai, Russia. Mzymta is the larg ...

near the

Adlersky City District Adlersky City District (russian: А́длерский райо́н) is the southernmost of four city districts of the city of Sochi in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, lying along the Black Sea coast near the southern Russian border with Georgia. The city ...

of Sochi,

Krasnodar Krai Krasnodar Krai (russian: Краснода́рский край, r=Krasnodarsky kray, p=krəsnɐˈdarskʲɪj kraj) is a federal subject of Russia (a krai), located in the North Caucasus region in Southern Russia and administratively a part of ...

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

. It was discovered in September 1903 by Edouard Martel and Gabriel Revinko, a resident of the nearby village of Kazachy Brod. The cave is named after the local village of Akhshtyr and the alternative name after the village of Kazachy Brod.

Description

The cave entrance is located about above the Mzymta River ( above sea level) with an eastern exposure. It extends deep into the rock, first forming a corridor and then splits into two halls, and wide. Further on there is a sharp rise of clay, and two narrow courses coming to a dead end. Near the cave entrance there are two areas connected by a long corridor. The cave received the status of "a unique monument of prehistoric architecture". In 1978 the entrance to the cave was closed and the hallway blocked by iron bars. In 1999 the cave became accessible to the public and is equipped with artificial lighting, stairs and steps.

Discovery and excavations

The Akhshtyrskaya Cave was discovered in September 1903 by

Édouard-Alfred Martel Édouard-Alfred Martel (1 July 1859, Pontoise, Val-d'Oise – 3 June 1938, Montbrison), the 'father of modern speleology', was a world pioneer of cave exploration, study, and documentation. Martel explored thousands of caves in his native Franc ...

and Gabriel Revinko, a resident of the nearby village of Kazachy Brod. In 1936, archaeologist Sergei Nikolayevich Zamyatin excavated the first prehistoric human remains. From 1961 to 1965 excavations resumed by archaeologists MZ Panichkina and EA Vekilova. The stratigraphic sequence is about 5 meters thick and ranges from the Middle Paleolithic era to the early Medieval period. More recent excavations occurred from 1999 until 2008. In total, more than 6,000 bones were found - 92% of which belonged to the cave bear. In addition, there are the remains of deer, bison, goats, wolves, foxes and other animals. Humans -

Neanderthal Neanderthals (, also ''Homo neanderthalensis'' and erroneously ''Homo sapiens neanderthalensis''), also written as Neandertals, are an extinct species or subspecies of archaic humans who lived in Eurasia until about 40,000 years ago. While the ...

s settled in the cave about 70,000 years ago. After a break of about 20,000 years the cave was populated by Cro-Magnon humans between 30,000 and 35,000 years ago.

Results

''Layer Dating:'' Layer 3/1: 40,000 yrs BC; Layer 4/1: 70,000 yrs BC; Layer 4/2: 80,000 yrs BC; Layer 5/1: 112,000 yrs BC; Layer 5/2: 200,000 yrs BC; Layer 6/1: 250,000 yrs BC; Layer 6/2: 270,000 yrs BC; Layer 7: 300,000 yrs BC; Layer 8: 300,000 yrs BC; Layer 9: 350,000 BC

Description and findings

Finding (2005): Mandible of cave bear; hip bone of cave bear; radius; humerus; cervical vertebrae; rib; vertebrae; lumbar vertebrae; thoracic vertebrae Excavation (2005): Level 3 M

Mousterian The Mousterian (or Mode III) is an archaeological industry of stone tools, associated primarily with the Neanderthals in Europe, and to the earliest anatomically modern humans in North Africa and West Asia. The Mousterian largely defines the l ...

. This level is associated with

culture at about 40,000 BC. Some cave bear relics were found. Black spots inside the levels of the cave may be the result of fire usage for cooking and warming. Scientists also found tools: knives, spears and axes. Section (2005): Rock bottom of the cave. Starting about 350,000 years ago. Layer 9: 350,000 BC; Layer 8: 350,000-300,000 BC; The cave was not habitable and was filled with water. Layer 6/2, 6/1: About 250,000 years BC. Tools were found showing Neanderthal habitation; Layer 5/2, 5/1: 112,000 years BC. First level of long-term habitation of Neanderthal people. Layer: 4/2, 4/1: 70,000 years BC. Second level of long-term habitation of Neanderthal people. Layer 3: 40,000 years BC. Late Paleolithic. Stone object of possible Cro-Magnon culture.

Gallery

Photographs of the cave and immediate area File:Akhshtyr.JPG File:Ашхтырская пещера - вход.JPG File:Akhshtyrskaya_Cave.jpg File:Akhshtyrskaya_Cave-1.jpg File:Akhshtyrskaya_Cave-2.jpg File:Akhshtyrskaya_Cave-3.jpg File:Akhshtyrskaya_Cave_(Ахштырская_пещера).jpg

References

* VI Borisov. Реки Кубани. - Krasnodar : Kubánskoye knizhnoye izdatelstvo, 2005 . - 120 pp. * SA Kulakov. О плане музеефикации Ахштырской пещерной стоянки. - 3-я Кубанская археологическая конференция: Краснодар-Анапа, 2001. - pp 70–74.. * SA Kulakov, Baryshinkov GF, GM Levkovskaya. Некоторые результаты нового изучения Ахштырской пещерной стоянки (Западный Кавказ). Кавказ и первоначальное заселение человеком Старого Света. - St. Petersburg : Peterburgskoye Vostovedeniye, 2007, pp. 65–81. * BR Mavliukov, IA Kusi. Черноморское побережье Кавказа от Туапсе до Адлера: путеводитель. - Simon-Press, 2000 . - 272 p. -

External links

*
Secrets Ahshtyrskaya cave

Magnetic, paleomagnetic and palynologic studies of Paleolithic depositions of the Akhshtyrskaya Cave (Russia)
{{Navbox prehistoric caves 1903 archaeological discoveries Caves of Russia Landforms of Krasnodar Krai Archaeological sites in Russia Tourist attractions in Krasnodar Krai Natural monuments of Russia Mousterian Neanderthal sites Cultural heritage monuments of federal significance in Krasnodar Krai