Nahal Me'arot Nature Reserve
Archaeological site in northern Israel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Caves of Nahal Me’arot / Wadi el-Mughara ("Caves Creek"), named here by the Hebrew and Arabic name of the valley where they are located, are a UNESCO Site of Human Evolution in the Carmel mountain range near Haifa in northern Israel.[1][2]
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
| |
  Location within Near East  Location within West and Central Asia  Location within Israel | |
| Official name | Sites of Human Evolution at Mount Carmel: The Nahal Me’arot / Wadi el‑Mughara Caves |
| Location | Mount Carmel, Israel |
| Criteria | Cultural: (iii), (v) |
| Reference | 1393 |
| Inscription | 2012 (36th Session) |
| Area | 54 ha (130 acres) |
| Buffer zone | 370 ha (910 acres) |
| Coordinates | 32°40′12″N 34°57′55″E |
The four UNESCO-listed caves are:
- Tabun or Tanur Cave (lit.: "Oven")
- Gamal or el-Jamal Cave ("Camel")
- El Wad or Nahal Cave ("Stream")
- Skhul or Gedi Cave ("Kid")
The four caves were proclaimed a site of "outstanding universal value" by UNESCO[1] in 2012. They are protected within a nature reserve.[2]
The caves were used for habitation by hominins and prehistoric humans and contain unique evidence of very early burials, at the archaeological site of el-Wad cave in the Nahal Me'arot Nature Reserve.
Gallery
A Paleolithic reconstitution in Jamal Cave
Paleolithic tools in Jamal Cave (replica)
Entrance to el‑Wad Cave
Inside el‑Wad Cave
Excavation work in el‑Wad Cave's terrace
El‑Wad point microlith
Homo neanderthalensis fossil from Tabun C1 (replica). 120000 – 50000 BP (National Museum of Natural History)
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