Early humans probably appeared in Turkey and neighboring Georgia 1.8 million years ago. Fossils and fragments of human beings and animals, as well as works of art reveals that Anatolian land was intensively inhabited during this period.

karain-slide

Karain Cave
The most important place in Anatolia where all the three phases; Upper, Middle and Lower of the Paleolithic Age can be seen is the Karain Cave on the 30 km northwest of Antalya. “Karain Cave ” area reflects the best preserved wall paintings.  You can see some of these remains in the Museums of Karain (Antalya). Museum of Anatolian Civilizations (Ankara) hosts an extensive collection of artifacts from the excavations at Karain. A skull fragment of a Neanderthal boy is  exhibited in the museum. …

karain-adamı             beldibimaara-resim

Yarimburgaz  Cave
In a cave at Yarimburgaz, just 32 km from Istanbul, archaeologists discovered million-year old human remains, some of the oldest in the world outside Africa.

Some of the other Paleolithic sites in Anatolia
“Okuzini  Cave” has also provided interesting wall paintings that give us idea about the artistic values of Paleolithic people. In addition to the above dwellings, also from the same region, we can count “Beldibi”, “Belbasi”, “Kumbucagi” and “Kadiini” Caves.  There are surely more caves we can show you if you are specifically interested in this period.
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KEY SITES: Yarimburgaz – Karain – Okuzini- Beldibi Caves

MUSEUMS: The examples of the tools and other artifacts produced and used by Paleolithic People are on display at the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara,  Archaeological Museum of Antalya and other state museums all around Turkey.