Mirmalas Cave

Mirmalas Cave is one of the oldest and most distinctive historical and natural attractions in Iran. It lies in a valley of the same name on Mount Sarsarkhan, about 30 kilometers from the city of Kuhdasht in Lorestan Province. Today the cave looks more like a rock shelter, because over time part of its natural structure has eroded and collapsed. Even so, a valuable prehistoric legacy survives on the walls of this stone refuge, which makes it all the more significant.

The northern and southern walls of the cave bear paintings nearly 12,000 years old, most of them depicting scenes of hunting, combat, and the presence of humans and animals. Figures of horsemen shooting arrows, deer, cattle, dogs, foxes, and other animals were created in natural red and black pigments and are of great historical value. After the famous caves of Lascaux and Rouffignac (Kargas) in France, these images are considered the third known example of colorful cave wall paintings in the world.

Despite the global importance of these works, Mirmalas Cave has unfortunately not been adequately protected, and in recent years parts of the rock art have been damaged and stolen. Even so, visiting the cave is still an exceptional opportunity to touch the history and art of the earliest humans: art that has been immortalized in the mountains of Lorestan and reveals a deep bond between nature, history, and human culture.