Shanidar Cave, Archaeological cave in Bradost Mountain, Iraq

Shanidar Cave opens on Bradost Mountain in the Zagros range as a triangular portal 25 metres wide and 7.9 metres high, set in a tan and grey layered rock face above a slope of pale soil and scattered stones. Inside, the chamber runs 40 metres long, 53 metres wide and 14 metres high.

Excavations from 1957 to 1961 uncovered ten Neanderthal skeletons dating back between 65,000 and 35,000 years. The site served as shelter for early humans across many millennia.

Pollen found with one burial suggests that Neanderthals placed flowers with their dead. This discovery reshaped how archaeologists think about symbolic behavior in these early human groups.

The site sits at 822 meters elevation, roughly 162 kilometers from Erbil. Access involves mountain roads that vary in condition depending on the season.

One individual survived multiple severe injuries, indicating that the group provided care for wounded members. This person reached advanced age despite disabilities that would have made survival impossible without help from others.