Киїк-Коба

Kiik-Koba - Дика печера

Useful Information

Location:	7 km south of Suja. (44.95, 34.35)
Open:	no restrictions. [2021]
Fee:	free. [2021]
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:	L=9 m, w=11 m, H=9 m, A=512 m asl.
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:	Yuri E. Demidenko (2014): Kiik-Koba Grotto. Significance for Paleolithic Studies in East Europe and the Former Soviet Union In: Claire Smith (ed.): Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology. Springer Science+Business Media, New York 2014, ISBN 978-1-4419-0426-3, pp. 4281–4288. pdf')" src="../../../xemhid.php?p1=href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180503183231/https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yuri_Demidenko/project/Crimean-Paleolithic/attachment/59bdfd1eb53d2f2f264a0aab/AS:539437482377216&p2=1505623326259/download/4+-+EGA_Demidenko_KiikKoba_Volume6&p3=pdf?context=projectUpdateDetail">pdf">
Address:	Kiik-Koba, Tel: +7-.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1924	remains of Neanderthals discovered by the Russian archaeologist Gleb Bontsch-Osmolowski.
1924 to 1926	cave excavated.

Description

Киїк-Коба (Kiik-Koba, Wild Cave) is a tiny cave of enormous archaeological importance. It was the first Neanderthal site in Eastern Europe. It is located 25 km east of Simferopol in the mountains of Crimea. The cave was known to the local Tatars for a very long time as Kiikin-Kobasy (Savage’s Cave) or Kiik Koba (Wild Cave). The Russian archaeologist Gleb Bonch-Osmolowski discovered the site in 1924 and started excavations in the same year. He dug for three consecutive years, but the famous Neanderthal bones were discovered in the first year. They were dated to be about 70.000 years old. He used the second cave name in his publications, so that's the name under which it is known today.

The culture, which was found here, was named after the site Киїк-Кобинська Культура (Kiik-Koba Culture), so it is a type locale (locus typicus). It is of Mousterian age (60,000-33,000 BP), and only found in caves of the eastern part of the Crimean Mountains: Киїк-Коба (Kyik-Koba), Пролом I (Prolom I), Буран-Кая III (Buran-Kaya III), and Вовчий Грот (Wolf Grotto). This culture is local and not found outside the Crimea peninsula. Typical are small stone tools, among them are numerous double- and single-edged pointed tools. Retouching on pebbles is common. Bones of red deer, saiga, and horse predominate among the remains of hunting prey.

The name is translated on some pages as Mountain Goat Cave, including the Wikipedia page. This seems to be a mistranslation The Russian version of the cave name is Дика печера, in English it is sometimes written Kyyik-Koba.

The cave is very small and thus not very interesting, its fame is based on the archaeological excavations. Also, it is rather remote and there is no official trail to the cave. As a result, it is not easy to get there, and it is rarely visited. On a hike through the mountains, it is definitely an interesting stop.