Report about the Kiik Koba grotto. In the footsteps of an ancient man. Discoveries and finds in Crimea. Where is the cave in Crimea
After our last trip to Crimea, we were once again convinced that Crimea is a magical land, full of mysteries and secrets. And even if you just decide to take a walk somewhere in the mountains for a day, you should always be prepared for surprises, both good and not so good.
Having studied a little information on the Internet and in books about the surroundings of Simferopol, we decided to take a walk from the village of Solovyovka to the Balanovsky reservoir area this weekend. Using the map we calculated the distance approximately - 4.5 km. The navigator showed the same amount. Naturally, as always, we did not take into account elevation changes, cliffs, hills and crossing the Zuya River. By the way, it is quite full-flowing and stormy at this time of year. Our faithful dog Gross, trying to cross it along the log after us, was carried away by the stream, and Obstinus was forced to literally save him and help him get out of the seething stream. In general, the distance we covered as part of the “weekend walk” was 12 km. The main goal of our journey was the site of the primitive man Kiik-Koba. We warn you right away that from the side of the Balanovsky Reservoir there is a completely passable road (even for non-drivers) that leads almost to the parking lot, so the walk from that side will be much easier. However, in this case, you will not be able to see the real Taurus burial ground - a huge number of stone Taurus boxes. He was caught just halfway from Solovyovka to Kiik-koba. Of course, our hiding place is already there. And yet, the shepherd dog Gross managed to get his paw caught in a snare, so if you are walking through the forest with a dog, be careful.
Well, now - information about the Kiik-Koba site:
“On the right bank of Zuya, 8 km south of the village of Zuya, up the valley, near the Balanovsky reservoir, the Kiik-Koba grotto is located - a world-famous Paleolithic monument (natural monument (1947)). The grotto cave is a natural canopy at the foot of a rocky slope, with an area of about 50 square meters. m. The grotto faces south, with deciduous forest approaching it from all sides.
(Literature: Ena V.G. Protected landscapes of Crimea. - Simferopol: Tavria, 1989. http://www.tourism.crimea.ua/dostoprim/landscap/grot/keekkoba/index.html)
In 1924, during excavations in the Kiik-Koba grotto (Wild Cave), archaeologist GA. Bonch-Osmolovsky discovered the burial of a Neanderthal man (an adult woman) in a special hole cut into the floor in rocky ground. A meter away from her, the remains of a one-year-old child from a later burial were found. This discovery of a Neanderthal human burial is the first in the CIS and one of the few in the world. It is evidence that the person who settled in Kiik-Kobe lived here at the end of the Acheulean or beginning of the Mousterian era, that is, about 100-40 thousand years ago. More than 500 flint tools (pointed points, helical blades, blades) used about 100 thousand years ago were found here, as well as many bone remains of the extinct fauna of Crimea. Among the animals that lived at that time in the vicinity of Kiik-koba and were hunted were a mammoth, a woolly rhinoceros, a cave hyena, a wild horse, a big-horned deer, a cave bear, a wild boar, and a wild ass (jigetai)
The Kiik-Koba Grotto was formed under the influence of groundwater seepage and rock weathering. The grotto is located under the cornice of a high plateau, one of the spurs of the Dolgorukovskaya Yayla, at an altitude of about 90 meters above the mountain river Zuya. The grotto is well hidden in the forest thickets and among rocky landslides. Not far from the grotto flows a spring, which, undoubtedly, was used by ancient people.
On the living area of the grotto, covered by an overhanging rocky ceiling, traces of ancient hearths have been preserved; one hearth was identified in the lower layer, and three hearths were found in the upper layer. (In the studied cave sites of Crimea, layers with traces of ancient cultures lie in stratigraphic order, that is, sequentially from bottom to top, from the most ancient to the latest. In these layers, lenses of hearths with ash and coals, many bones of animals that became hunting prey are often noticeable Neanderthals, interspersed with red ocher, used by people for body tattoos). Everywhere within the boundaries of the living area one can find chopped flint, tools, animal bones, and coals. The tools from the lower layer are more primitive than those from the upper layer.
The most ancient people of the upper layer from Kiik-Koba, apparently, had well mastered various methods of hunting large and small game. Using a dart and, possibly, fire, they widely used driven hunting on cliffs. Based on the bones found in the grotto, more than 110 species of various animals were identified, including about 50 species of birds.
The main game animals were mammoth, bison, saiga, giant and red deer, woolly rhinoceros, wild horse, wild boar, etc.
In the Kiik-Koba grotto, part of the skeleton of a woman was discovered, buried in a slightly bent position, on her side, in a hole specially hollowed out in the rocky floor. Near the woman’s burial, an almost one-year-old child was buried, also placed in a crouched, “uterine” position. Similar burials are found at other ancient sites in Crimea. Probably, the most ancient people in Crimea had already developed certain rituals during burials. It is very possible that this ritual is associated with early forms of religious ideas, with ideas of revival and reversibility. The placement of the deceased at the place of residence implied the preservation of their blood relationship with the living and reflected the absence of fear of the dead or, according to ancient ideas, those who had gone to sleep.
In many corners of the Crimean peninsula there were once ideal conditions for primitive man to stay on these lands. One of these places is located south of the village of Zuya, in the valley of the river of the same name. This grotto cave is known far beyond the borders of Crimea. The area of the Kiik-Koba Neanderthal site is almost 50 square meters, and the most valuable find of archaeologists is the remains of an approximately one-year-old child and an elderly woman. The location of the cave on a certain hill allows you to observe a bright picturesque landscape from this point.
Historical significance of the ancient settlement
The ancient Paleolithic site of Kiik-Koba is considered a scientific site of world significance. In many modern photographs, the cave looks like a rocky canopy of a narrow vertical shape. It was opened in 1924, and many objects of historical value were found under its arches:
bone remains of animals;
almost 500 units of flint tools;
vast seams of charcoal.
On the territory of the cave there are traces of fire pits - several hearths in which the fire was constantly maintained. The discovered cultural layer is more than two meters. This allowed us to conclude that people could live in the cave until our era. The burial of a woman and child in a special burial pit indicates that the intellect of the inhabitants of the site was quite developed. Evidence of the funeral ritual also speaks to this.
Among the many remains of wild animals, the bones of cave hyenas, wild horses, a woolly rhinoceros, a mammoth, a cave bear, a big-horned deer, and a dzhigetai - a wild donkey that lived here at that time were found. Based on many signs, including the hunting tools found, it was clear that Neanderthals mastered hunting small and large game.
How to get to d early Paleolithic site in the Kiik-Koba grotto
Visiting the cave is possible with children, preferably from the age of four.
When traveling by bus, you will need to get from Simferopol to the village of Kurortnoye or Opushki.
Many vacationers express a desire to use the services of travel agencies. During an organized excursion, an experienced guide will take you to all significant places and also tell you many interesting facts. In addition, it is worth visiting the historical and archaeological museum in Simferopol, where exhibits found in Kiik-Koba are displayed.
According to data obtained as a result of excavations on the Crimean Peninsula, its settlement by humans began more than 300 thousand years ago. And this is not surprising, because the climate here is quite mild, and in the mountainous areas and those closest to the peaks there are almost all the conditions required for a fairly quiet human life: the presence of abundant vegetation and numerous animals, a significant number of suitable caves and drinking water. A characteristic feature of the ancient sites is that most of them were grouped in the southern part of the peninsula, in places where ancient people discovered silicon deposits.
Proof of these facts is the discovery in 1924 of the oldest site of primitive people on the territory of Crimea. It is located in the small Kiik-Koba cave near the village of Zuya on the banks of the river of the same name near the Dolgorukovskaya Yayla. The grotto was formed by weathering the rock and washing it out with groundwater at an altitude of approximately 90 meters. It is a small natural recess covered by a rocky outcrop. Well covered by thickets, the grotto is hidden among a pile of huge stones. It is interesting that in ancient times, the cave was additionally protected by a man-made wall, built by primitive people from stones collected here. It protected the inhabitants of the grotto, which consisted of 2 small halls, from the effects of cold winter winds. Excavations carried out here in the period 1924-1925 showed that human habitation inside Kiik-Koba lasted for a long time. This is confirmed by the significant thickness of the cultural layer, reaching almost 2 meters. Under the overhanging rocky ceiling, archaeologists discovered traces of ancient hearths: the lower (more ancient) layer was represented by one, and in the younger one there were three hearths at once. In addition to ash and coals, the cultural layer is represented by many animal bones obtained by ancient hunters, particles of red ocher used for tattooing bodies, and flint tools. In total, about 500 stone tools were found, presumably dating back to the Mousterian era, 100 thousand years ago.
Based on the skeletal remains of animals found in the cave, it was determined that ancient people by that time had well mastered the practice of hunting, and used various methods to hunt large and small game. To do this, they used darts (short light spears), and possibly pens with animals brought out onto cliffs. Apparently, there were other methods of hunting, because among the over 110 types of hunting trophies found, about 50 were fragments of birds. The most valuable find made in the cave was the discovery of two burials in it. It was a woman and a child. The Neanderthal woman was a respectable age for those times - about 30 years. Given the harsh living conditions of that period, her age corresponded to modern 60-year-old people. In order to carry out the burial, the ancient people even knocked out a small depression in the rocky ground, into which they placed the body of the deceased. The remains of another person were found not far from the woman. It turned out to be a one-year-old child. Scientists have proven that these are different burials made some time later, one after the other. This find glorified the leader of the expedition, Gleb Anatolyevich Bonch-Osmolovsky, and brought him worldwide fame. Why is the discovery in Kiik-Kobe so important for science and humanity? Its value lies, first of all, in the fact that it changed the attitude towards Neanderthals as people. If before that they were presented as fairly primitive creatures capable of performing strictly utilitarian functions, then the finds in Crimea completely destroyed this theory. Artifacts found in the cave confirmed a new view of ancient people. The first evidence of the high intellectual development of Neanderthals was the construction of a protective wall at the entrance to the cave. This could only be done by people capable of comprehending their actions, i.e. doing this is completely logical and reasonable. The wall protected the cave from the penetration of cold wind and predators, and covered the fire.
The variety of flint tools also indicates the level of development of ancient man. In order to invent and create them, considerable intellectual effort was needed, which is inherent only to a person who consciously strives to change the world around him to suit his needs. Thousands of bird bones and bellies found in the cave revealed another fact. By this time, in terms of food, man had already moved away from the animal, which cared primarily about itself and, partly, about its children. The Neanderthal began to show concern for his fellow tribesmen, bringing prey to the dwelling in which there were members of the tribe engaged in farming and children.
An important fact is that human burials are in a cave. Before this, among the finds of ancient people of such a significant age, there were practically no observances of such rituals. Despite the significant difference in time, the burials were made in the same style: the bodies lay on their sides, in the so-called “uterine” position, when the torso and legs were slightly bent. The only difference was that the child lay on his left side, and the woman on her right. Something similar is found at other ancient sites of primitive man in the Crimea. Apparently, by the beginning of the Mousterian era, the people of that time had developed a certain ritual, which was expressed primarily in the burials of loved ones. Previously, scientists had found only fragmentary human remains without any signs of artificial burials. A discovery of a similar level to the Kiik-Koba cave was made just 16 years earlier near the French village of Le Moustier. The French discovery gave its name to an entire human era. However, something else is striking: despite the thousands of kilometers of distance, the style of the Crimean burial almost completely coincides with the French one. This shows that already 100 thousand years ago the entire human community provided posthumous honors to its dead members, and the rituals themselves clearly bore signs of spirituality.
The Crimean Peninsula is a unique climate, flora and fauna, the history of great battles, and also the place where human life began. Such territories on the planet can be counted on one hand, but it is all the more exciting to study them.
Today tourists can see where our distant ancestors lived, admire nature, which has hardly changed since then, and feel the spirit of the times living in these forests.
The capital of the peninsula is the city of Simferopol, and one of the most popular attractions in its vicinity is the Kiik-Koba grotto.
Home of primitive people
This is the oldest human site on the peninsula. It is located in the Belogorsky district under the cornice of the Dolgorukovskaya yayla plateau.
The site was discovered in 1924 by archaeologist-anthropologist Gleb Anatolyevich Bonch-Osmolovsky and is a depression formed in the rock due to weathering of the rock and its washing away by groundwater. The entrance is located at an altitude of 120 meters. It is well covered with thickets, it is difficult to notice it among the stones piled on top of each other. The plateau offers a picturesque view of the surrounding forests, which seem completely wild and impenetrable from such a height.
Inside, the room is divided into 2 small rooms. Archaeologists conducting excavations in 1924-1925 discovered a significant cultural layer here: its depth was about 2 meters. This suggests that people lived here for a long time, more than one generation managed to change.
Discovered finds
The owners equipped and improved the home: the remains of a stone wall, laid out to protect against cold and wind, have been preserved. They kept a simple household: archaeologists discovered traces of hearths. In more ancient times there was only one, but in the next cultural layer three small hearths were discovered. 
In addition, many animal bones were found here. Their study made it possible to determine that the Neanderthal inhabitants learned to hunt small and large game, and even caught birds. The walls are decorated with rock paintings depicting scenes of hunting cave bears, hyenas, and other animals.
In addition, the remains of about 500 flint tools intended for hunting and creative work were discovered.
Another find that gives particular scientific significance to the discovery of the site is the burial of primitive people. The skeletons of a woman and child were found here. The age of the woman, as determined by scientists, was approximately 30 years (which, under those conditions, corresponds to our 60), and the child was 1 year old.
It is noteworthy that people were buried in accordance with a certain ritual: for burial, depressions were hollowed out in the ground, the bodies were laid in the same poses, although they were buried at different times. This is the sleeping position: on the side, the palm of one hand under the head, the other freely extended, the torso and legs slightly bent.
This attitude to the funeral process allowed scientists to assume the presence of spiritual rituals among these ancient tribes.
The study of the finds gave G. A. Bonch-Osmolovsky rich material for research into the origin of homo sapiens. Several scientific studies were written on it, including the three-volume monograph “Paleolithic of Crimea.” The anthropologist hypothesized that people began to lead a terrestrial lifestyle long before the supposed transformation of apes into humans.
- The settlement of the peninsula began more than 300 thousand years ago, and people learned to make and use the found tools already 100 thousand years ago.
- The style of the burial completely coincides with the French one discovered in the village of Le Moustier shortly before. The conclusion suggests itself that already at that time the entire human community offered similar honors to the dead.
- Crimean excavations proved that the Neanderthals were a spiritually and intellectually developed society: they meaningfully improved their homes, hunted game in various ways, and took care of members of the tribe, including the elderly and children.
- The place has many names. From the Crimean Tatar Kiik-Koba is translated as “wild cave”, but sometimes it is called the Wolf Grotto, Donkey Cave, Goat Path
It still shelters travelers today: extreme tourists exploring Dolgorukovskaya Yayla often stop here for the night.
How to get to the Kiik-Koba grotto
It is located on the right bank of the Zuya River, 8 km from the village of the same name. You can get there by bus to the villages of Opushki or Kurortnoye. The further journey will have to be done on foot. It is better to go by car to Kurortny.
There are two paths to the cave. Like in a fairy tale: one is shorter, but more difficult, the other is simpler, but it takes longer to walk along it. Each traveler makes a choice for himself, but it is worth keeping in mind that on a short path you need to be careful: you will have to squeeze into narrow crevices, in some cases almost crawl, and there will be cliffs on the way.
On both trails you can admire rare plants, see other small depressions and meet wild animals such as roe deer.
However, if a tourist does not have experience in mountain hiking, it is better to enroll in a group of an experienced guide. Otherwise, there is a risk of getting lost, getting injured, and simply missing something interesting.
Kiik-Koba Grotto today
Currently, no archaeological research is being carried out here. But in 1947, the landmark was recognized as a natural monument of world significance.
Having reached their destination, modern travelers do not find themselves in a dark dungeon. On the contrary, it is distinguished by high arches, white walls, and an abundance of light penetrating through natural openings.
So, this is a place that is definitely worth visiting while in Crimea. The trip will be interesting both for those tourists who love active recreation and for those who are passionate about history.
Walking among untouched nature, a person feels the breath of time and touches the life of distant ancestors.
The atmosphere here evokes philosophical thoughts and makes you think about the origin and development of humanity. A visit to this attraction is one of the five most popular excursions in the vicinity of Simferopol.
Kiik-Koba is a scientific site of world significance, an ancient Paleolithic site, located in the foothills of the Crimea in a grotto, on the right bank of the Zuya River, 25 km east of Simferopol, 8 km south of the village of Zuya. The grotto canopy faces south, the grotto area is about 50 square meters. m.
The name is translated from the Crimean Tatar language as “Goat Cave”, “Wild Cave” or “Wild Man’s Cave”
The site was discovered in 1924 by G.A. Bonch-Osmolovsky. This is the oldest site of primitive man in Crimea.
During excavations in 1924–1925. here were found the remains of Neanderthals (a woman and a child), about 500 flint tools used about 100 thousand years ago and characteristic of the Mousterian culture, bone remains of the extinct fauna of Crimea: a cave bear, a giant and red deer, a saiga antelope, a wild horse, a donkey and etc.