Azykh Cave, Prehistoric cave complex in Khojavend District, Azerbaijan
Azykh is a cave in Khojavend District, Azerbaijan, that spreads through eight chambers in the Caucasus Mountains. The complex reaches a depth of around 600 meters and opens in places to tall vaulted rooms with stone formations on walls and ceilings.
Excavations in the late 1960s brought remains to light that reach back several hundred thousand years and confirm early human settlement in this region. Researchers found tools and bones showing that the site was inhabited over long periods.
The name comes from the nearby village of Azych and the chambers show traces of ritual acts by early inhabitants. Visitors can follow how people used this sheltered space across thousands of years and held ceremonies at important transitions inside.
The cave sits at around 1400 meters elevation and is reached by mountain paths that can become slippery in wet weather. Visitors should wear sturdy footwear and note that some passages are narrow and uneven.
Stone tools from the deepest layers belong to the oldest finds of human activity outside Africa. These discoveries place the site alongside a few other locations worldwide that have kept such early traces.
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