Historic Neanderthal cave in Israel's Northern District.
Historic cave in Israel's Northern District, Kinneret region, containing fossil Neanderthal remains. The most famous find is Amud 1, a nearly complete skeleton of an adult male Neanderthal dated to around 50-60 thousand years ago.
Amud Cave is a significant archaeological site in northern Israel, near the Wadi Amud river. Discovered in 1961 by Hisashi Suzuki, it has yielded numerous Neanderthal remains and Middle Paleolithic artifacts dating back 50,000 to 70,000 years. The most notable find is "Amud 1," a nearly complete adult male skeleton with the largest known hominin brain volume at 1740 cm³. Other important discoveries include "Amud 7," partial remains of an infant Neanderthal dating to around 45,000 years ago. The cave also contains evidence of early human habitation through stone tools and hearths. Recent studies have analyzed cut marks on animal bones from Amud Cave and nearby Kebara Cave, revealing distinct butchery techniques that suggest cultural differences in food processing between the two sites despite similar tool use and prey species. These findings contribute to our understanding of Neanderthal behavior and adaptations in the Levant region during the Middle Paleolithic era.
