Shanidar Cave in Northern Iraq (Kurdistan Region), a National Geopark Recommendation

Varoujan Sissakian

doi:10.46717/igj.54.1c.10ms-2021-03-30

Abstract

Shanidar Cave is located in north Iraq (Kurdistan Region), it is one of the most well-known caves in the region due to its archeological significance. It is an archaeological site which is located within Bradost Mountain north of Erbil city. In the cave, eleven skeletons of Neanderthals, have been found dating back to 65000 – 35000 years B.C., they were called Shanidar (1-11). The cave also contains two later proto-Neolithiccemeteries. The cave is developed due to dissolution of limestone beds of the Qamchuqa Formation which forms the carapace of Bradost Mountain (anticline). Currently, the cave and the downslopes to the foothills of the mountain are limited by a fence. The cave can be reached by a paved road to the foothills level, then by stepping following artificially constructed leader which is designed and constructed by local materials from stones and wood giving to the leader a natural view. The Shanidar cave is highly recommended to be a national Geopark due to its archeological significance

Highlights

A geopark is a unified area that advances the protection and use of geological heritage in a sustainable way, and promotes the economic well-being of the people who live there (McKeever and Zouris, 2005)
Geopark is that type of tourism that focused on the importance of geographical sites and showing the characteristics of the different geological features of the place from the natural, environmental and cultural points of view together with the human activities at that location (Errishi et al 2020)
Shanidar cave has very interesting features, which cannot be found in the majority of the caves in Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Summary

Introduction

A geopark is a unified area that advances the protection and use of geological heritage in a sustainable way, and promotes the economic well-being of the people who live there (McKeever and Zouris, 2005). A UNESCO definition of the global geopark is Geoparks are single, unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development (Earth Sciences, 2019). Both types of geoparks are usually tourist sites where people like to visit for their particular interest which can be a special and rare geological character that is not a common feature. The cave was inhabited in two-time intervals, the old was before 70000 years, whereas the recent one was before 10600 years.

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