Iran (IMNA) - This marks the first time Iran has had a cluster of Paleolithic-era sites recognized on this prestigious list, representing a major milestone in the study of early human history in the Zagros Mountain.
The prehistoric caves of Khorramabad Valley, including Yafteh, Kaldar, Qomri, Konji, and Gilvaran, date back over 60,000 years and are among the oldest known human habitats. These sites lie along a crucial migratory corridor once used by early humans moving from Africa into Asia and Europe. Iranian officials emphasize that the area provides exceptional, well-documented evidence of continuous human habitation from the Paleolithic through to the Iron Age.
Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, Reza Salehi-Amiri, hailed the inscription as an intelligent cultural response to Iranophobia and a significant achievement in Iran’s cultural diplomacy, reflecting the country’s rich civilizational heritage.
Located in the western Zagros mountain range, the Khorramabad Valley has served for millennia as a vital cultural and ecological corridor linking Mesopotamia, the Iranian Plateau, and Central Asia. UNESCO experts underscored the site’s uniqueness, noting that no other location with such ancient, verified human habitation has been recognized globally.
The inscription results from years of extensive interdisciplinary research and collaboration among Iranian and international archaeologists and heritage professionals. The Khorramabad Valley now joins a distinguished group of Paleolithic sites worldwide, including France’s Vézère Valley, Spain’s Altamira Cave, China’s Zhoukoudian, Indonesia’s Sangiran, and India’s Bhimbetka.
For the international archaeological community, this recognition is both a scholarly triumph and a cultural milestone. It firmly establishes Khorramabad Valley as a key reference point in human evolutionary history, connecting continents, timelines, and species within a single valley that has witnessed over 60,000 years of human presence.
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