TEHRAN - In a landmark archaeological discovery, researchers have uncovered a remarkably diverse assemblage of Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene animal remains from Wezmeh Cave in western Iran’s Zagros Mountains.

The 2019 excavation, directed by archaeologist Fereidoun Biglari of the National Museum of Iran, brought together a multidisciplinary team including zooarchaeologists Hossein Davoudi and Marjan Mashkour, whose analyses are shedding new light on the region’s prehistoric biodiversity, extinct megafauna, and human-animal dynamics.

“The sheer range of taxa from Wezmeh Cave is unlike anything previously documented on the Iranian Plateau”, said Hossein Davoudi of the University of Tehran. “From large carnivores like hyenas and bears to domestic sheep and goats, the site offers a continuous record of faunal transitions spanning tens of thousands of years. ”

Marjan Mashkour, affiliated with both CNRS in France and the University of Tehran, highlighted the site's exceptional preservation and ecological richness. “What sets Wezmeh apart is not just the number of specimens—over 11,000—but the ecological narrative they tell. The cave functioned as both shelter and natural trap, preserving remains accumulated through carnivore activity, natural mortality, and human occupation,” she explained. The presence of burned bones and domesticated animals suggests intermittent use by Neolithic and Chalcolithic herders.

Among the notable discoveries are remains of now-extinct species such as spotted hyena, cave lion, alongside brown bears, wolves, foxes, wolves, red deer, ibex, weasels, and porcupines—offering a vivid glimpse into a complex paleoenvironment. These extinct species underscore the cave’s broader significance, providing critical insights into Pleistocene megafauna diversity and their coexistence with humans. Many species appear to have been natural prey or possibly targets of prehistoric hunters, while the domesticated caprines point to early pastoralist activity in the region.

The new findings build upon earlier discoveries at Wezmeh, which include the premolar of a Neanderthal child and Early Neolithic human remains, further cementing the cave’s status as a site of major paleoanthropological importance.

Reflecting on its broader significance, excavation director Fereidoun Biglari emphasized the site’s unique chronological range. “Wezmeh Cave preserves an extraordinary sequence of evidence, spanning from Middle Paleolithic hunter-gatherers to Early Holocene herders,” he noted. “It ranks among the richest faunal repositories in Western Asia and serves as a vital reference for understanding long-term environmental change and human adaptation.”

The Wezmeh discoveries not only enrich the archaeological narrative of the Central Zagros but also offer critical insights into the emergence of Neolithic societies, the ecological contexts that shaped them, and the vanished ecosystems of the Pleistocene era.

The results of this research have been published in the Journal of Iran National Museum.

AM