The Palaeolithic Era in Iran is the prehistory of
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
in the period from c. 800,000 BCE to c. 11,000 BCE and can be divided into the
Lower Paleolithic,
Middle Paleolithic and
Upper Paleolithic periods.
[{{cite book, last=Conard , first=Nicholas J. , year=2013 , title=The Paleolithic of Iran, in: Oxford Handbook of Ancient Iran , volume= , location=Boston , publisher= , isbn=9780199733309]
Lower Paleolithic Period
* c. 800,000-200,000 BCE: Prehistoric hominins lived in the
Iranian plateau specifically in Baqbaqu near
Kashafrud, Kanisib near
Piranshahr,
Ganj Par and
Darband Caves in Gilan, and
Shiwatoo near Mahabad.
[The Paleolithic Age in Iran]
Retrieved January 9, 2025.
Middle Paleolithic Period
* c. 200,000-40,000 BCE:
Mousterian culture was present in both Zagros and central Iran during this period. according to archaeological evidence from
Bisitun Cave,
Neanderthal
Neanderthals ( ; ''Homo neanderthalensis'' or sometimes ''H. sapiens neanderthalensis'') are an extinction, extinct group of archaic humans who inhabited Europe and Western and Central Asia during the Middle Pleistocene, Middle to Late Plei ...
Man was present in the
Zagros range during this period. The most well known sites of this period are ''Tamtameh Cave'' in the provinces of
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...
, Ghamari Cave, Gar Arjeneh Rock Shelter, Kunji Cave, Gilvaran Cave and Kaldar Cave in
Luristan, ''Kiaram cave'' in
Gorgan, Kobeh,
Warwasi,
Do-Ashkaft Cave,
Bisitun Cave, Mar Tarik in
Kermanshah,
Niasar and Kaftar Khoun, and
Qaleh Bozi in
Esfahan.
Upper Paleolithic Period
* c. 35000:
Zagros mountains, in ''Pa Sangar'', ''Arjeneh'' caves at
Luristan, as well as ''Mar Ruz'', ''Mar Gorgalan Sarab'', ''Dar Mar'', ''Gogel'', at ''Hulailan valley'', ''Ghar-i-Khar'', Warwasi,
Malaverd, and Warkaini caves in the vicinity of
Kermanshah, Eshkaft Gavi near
Shiraz, Boof Cave near Dasht-e Rostam and
Sefid-Ab
Sefid-Ab is an archeological site in central Iran and is the first known evidence for Upper Paleolithic occupation of that region.
The site is associated with an old spring which was an important water source for Upper Paleolithic people in th ...
near Kashan. Blade and
Bladelet tools characteristic of Upper Palaeolithic period were made and used.
* c. 13000-11000 BCE: Hunters and fishers appeared along the
Zagros mountains such as Warwasi, Pa Sangar and Shalam, and central and northern Iran, specifically at ‘’Kamarband’’, ‘’Hotu’’, and ‘’Ali Tappeh’’ caves. Various bladelets made of flint were made and used in this period, which were both smaller and more sophisticated than those made in the earlier periods.
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See also
* List of years in Iran
* Prehistory of Iran
References
External links
Iran Miras (in Persian)
Free download papers about recent Paleolithic studies in Iran
Paleolithic
Archaeology of Iran
Prehistoric Iran