Shekarchian Cave

Shekarchian Cave, also known as Bisotun Cave, lies on the slopes of Mount Bisotun, near the Hercules relief in the town of Bisotun in Kermanshah Province. The cave covers an area of about 35 square metres and was registered as one of Iran's national monuments on 19 Esfand 1380 (registration number 4889).

In excavations carried out in the cave in 1949 by the American archaeologist Carleton Coon, more than 22,000 objects were found. They included stone and bone tools, Achaemenid and Assyrian pottery, and animal bones from species such as wild boar, wild cattle, gazelle, leopard, jackal and red fox, as well as part of a Neanderthal human forearm bone. These finds show that Neanderthals lived in this region during the Paleolithic era.

To visit Shekarchian Cave, head from the town of Bisotun toward Mount Bisotun and walk a short distance to the cave entrance. A visit usually takes 1 to 2 hours. The best time to go is during the mild seasons, especially spring and autumn, when the weather is pleasant. Please practise responsible nature tourism and strictly avoid carving graffiti on the rocks or leaving litter behind.