Tehran – Professor John D. Spes, a renowned anthropologist and member of the Faculty of Emeritus at the University of Michigan, has warmly celebrated the recent inscription of a Paleostone cave in Iran’s Holamabad Valley on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Spes, who co-directed the archaeological excavations of the Kunji Cave in 1969, described international recognition as an achievement of “surprisingly proud.”
The registration, announced at the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Paris on July 11, is the first time that Iran’s Paleolithic site is on the prestigious global heritage list. The designation covers five ancient caves and one rock shelter, highlighting the importance of the Horamabad Valley in understanding early human history.
Looking back on his fieldwork about 50 years ago, Professor Spes highlighted valuable archaeological evidence revealed in the Kunji Cave, which includes mid-Paleolithic artifacts, Calkolithic burials and Bronze Age relics. “The findings from this site provided researchers with critical insights into human life across multiple prehistoric times,” he said.
Expressing personal pride, Spes said: “It is a great honor that our research at Kunji Caves contributed to this process. It leads to the recognition of the first Paleolithic complex in Iran. This is truly a source of national and scientific pride.”
The space also reminded me of the natural beauty of the Horamabad Valley and the warm hospitality that was expanded by the local circle community during his excavation. “The event revives the precious memories of the magnificent valley and the elegant people who welcomed us over half a century ago,” he said.
The UNESCO inscription on the prehistoric site of the Koramabad Valley represents a major milestone in global efforts to maintain and promote humanity’s earliest cultural heritage in the Zagros Mountains region. It has helped to attract new international attention to Iran’s rich archaeological heritage, contributing to a broader understanding of the dispersion of Homo sapiens and interactions with the archaic human throughout Eurasia.
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