Karain Cave

Karain Cave — known in Turkish as the 'Black Cave' — sits 27 km northwest of Antalya at 400 m elevation on the slopes of Sam Dağı. It is one of the most important Paleolithic sites in Turkey: excavations have uncovered tools, animal bones, and human remains pointing to continuous human occupation spanning more than 25,000 years, from Neanderthals through the Bronze Age. The cave's limestone interior with its stalactite formations developed within a travertine plateau that formed during the Miocene and existed as a lake during the Pleistocene. A small on-site museum displays finds from the excavation layers. The cave entrance, perched roughly 100 metres above the surrounding plain, offers broad views across the Antalya hinterland.