science
Intact Prehistoric Cave Found Near Foreidis in Northern Israel
Archaeologists uncovered a sealed cave near Foreidis that dates between 400,000 and 250,000 years ago. The site contains flint tools, animal bones, and evidence of repeated occupation from the Acheulo-Yabrudian period.
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A cave sealed for hundreds of thousands of years was found near Foreidis, close to the Zichron Yaakov junction in northern Israel. Researchers from the Israel Antiquities Authority and the University of Haifa are excavating the site, which dates to between 400,000 and 250,000 years ago.
The cave belongs to the Acheulo-Yabrudian culture of the late Lower Palaeolithic. Its contents include flint tools such as small hand axes, scrapers, and cutting blades, along with bones from horses, deer, and wild asses.
Signs of prolonged stays and repeated use of fire were also recorded. Researchers stated that these patterns point to larger group sizes and more complex social organization than previously documented for this period. The site predates the arrival of Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans in the region.
Officials described it as a time capsule that could clarify behavioral changes that later became common among human populations.
The Israel Antiquities Authority and the University of Haifa intend to launch a multi-year research program focused on resource use and technological development. After the studies conclude, the institutions plan to open the site to visitors.
