12,900-year-old cave reveals forgotten hunter-gatherer world in Türkiye
Archaeologists have discovered a 12,900-year-old hunter-gatherer site in Türkiye's Koskarlı Cave, providing rare evidence of human activity during the Epipalaeolithic period. The site contains stone tools, hearths, and ornaments, offering insights into prehistoric migration and culture.
Why it matters
This discovery fills a significant gap in the archaeological record of the eastern Black Sea region, helping researchers understand early human movement between Anatolia and the Caucasus.
In 2019, researchers identified Koskarlı Cave near Trabzon, in Türkiye’s eastern Black Sea region. According to a study published in the journal Antiquity, later excavations at the cave revealed a 12,900-year-old hunter-gatherer layer containing a hearth, stone tools and personal ornaments. The findings provide rare archaeological evidence of human activity in the region during the Epipalaeolithic period, offering researchers a glimpse into the lives and activities of communities that lived there thousands of years ago.The discovery is significant because the cave provides the first systematic archaeological evidence of an Epipalaeolithic occupation in this part of the eastern Black Sea region.
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