Darband Cave
Darband Cave is a Lower Paleolithic site in the Gilan Province in northern Iran, located on the north side of a deep tributary canyon of the Siahrud River, a tributary of the Sefīd-Rūd River that flows into the Caspian Sea.

The cave contains evidence for the earliest prehistoric human cave occupation during the Lower Paleolithic in Iran. Stone artifacts and animal fossils were discovered by a group of Iranian archaeologists of the "Department of Paleolithic" of the National Museum of Iran and ICHTO of Gilan. The site dates back to the late Middle Pleistocene period.

The presence of large numbers of cave bear and brown bear remains and sparse stone artifacts at the site indicates that Darband primarily represents a bear den. The co-occurrence of artifacts and bear bones does not imply human predation or scavenging. Because there are no clear cut marks, except a few burning signs on the bear bones, they probably accumulated through natural processes.
Q7463501
Lower Paleolithic
TIME
Q928828
Gilan Province
LOC
Q794
Iran
LOC
Q1430986
Sefīd-Rūd
LOC
Q5484
Caspian Sea
LOC
Q40614
fossil
Concept
Q1631008
National Museum of Iran
LOC
Q928828
Gilan
LOC
Q492596
Middle Pleistocene
ORG
Q188851
cave bear
Concept
Q36341
brown bear
Concept
Q1165670
Darband Cave
LOC
country
located in the administrative territorial entity
mouth of the watercourse
basin country
inflows