Azykh Cave, Prehistoric cave complex in Khojavend District, Azerbaijan

Azykh is a six-chamber karst cave near the village of Azıx in Khojavend District, Azerbaijan, on the left bank of the Guruchay River, 14 km northwest of Fuzuli. Its passages run over 600 meters, with six entrances all on the western side. The accessible area covers about 1,840 m², while the total cave area is at least 8,000 m².

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 Azıx comes from an old Turkic word for bear, and the cave is still used by bats: colonies of about 4,000 Mehely's horseshoe bats roost here, joined in autumn by some 10,000 common bent-wing bats. Visitors can also see the six entrances, all on the western side.

The cave lies at about 900 meters above sea level on the left bank of the Guruchay River, 14 km northwest of Fuzuli. It has six entrances, all on the western side, and the passages extend over 600 meters. Sturdy footwear is advisable for the uneven ground.

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.