Middle Pleistocene Cave of Qaleh Kurd: the oldest human occupation in IRAN

More than a decade of surveys and excavations in the Paleolithic sites of the northern edge of the IranianCentral Plateau has shown an invaluable potentials of the region as a dwelling place for the Pleistocenehominins. The Iranian-French Paleolithic mission had initiated its investigations on the cave of Qaleh Kurdin Qazvin province in ۲۰۱۸ and continued till ۲۰۱۹. The excavation at the cave of Qaleh Kurd was initiallydesigned to address issues such as: to investigate the presence of in situ Paleolithic materials, to addressthe site formation processes, to reconstruct the dietary regimes of the human populations, to compare lithictechno-typologies between the eastern and western parts of the northern part of the Iranian Central Plateau,and to look for any hominid remains. Two consecutive field missions in Qaleh Kurd cave (۲۰۱۸ and ۲۰۱۹)provided vital and abundant cultural materials in form of human remains, lithics and fauna. Together, ۲۰human teeth were recorded in Qaleh Kurd, which one has been associated with the Neanderthals. Inregards to lithic techno-typology, Qaleh Kurd lithic assemblage consists of high frequency of flakes,prepared platforms, heavy retouching, and profusion of the Zagros Middle Paleolithic diagnostic elements.Concerning the fauna, remains of various types of extinct wild horses, Rhinoceros, Brown Bear, anddifferent species of bovidae alongside with rich collections of microfauna are among the most distinctivefeatures of the site. Sedimentological analyses specify two main sequences of Holocene and Pleistocene inthe excavated layers. Preliminary results of absolute dating of the Pleistocene layers have provided datesthat correspond to middle Pleistocene time with a minimum age of ۱۵۰ka, which makes Qaleh Kurd theoldest known archaeological site in IRAN.