Jeita Cave
مغارة جعيتا · Jeita Grotto · Mugharet Jeita · Nahr al-Kalb Cave
Middle Palaeolithic to present (c.80,000 BP–modern)·Mousterian → Aurignacian → Holocene·🇱🇧 Mount Lebanon, Keserwan District, Lebanon
About
About Jeita Cave
Lebanon's 9 km karst show-cave system (Upper and Lower Galleries) on Nahr al-Kalb gorge, intermittently occupied Middle–Upper Palaeolithic (c.80,000–20,000 BP) and later. Palaeolithic lithics, Holocene ceramics and 5 m speleothem forest with 575 m tourist walk. Excavated 1863–65, 1963–75 L. Copeland & P. Wescombe reveal Mousterian in Lower entrance, Aurignacian in shelter. Longest cave in Levant (9 km mapped). Threatened by Nahr al-Kalb dam pollution.
Why it mattersLongest Levantine cave; Mousterian–Aurignacian karst occupation.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Depth of Palaeolithic under speleothem?
Theories
- 01Karst refugium model
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- Natural karst formed Miocene; occupied c.80,000 BP
- Period
- Middle Palaeolithic to present (c.80,000 BP–modern)
- Culture
- Mousterian → Aurignacian → Holocene
- Builders
- Neanderthals and early modern humans (seasonal)
- Purpose
- Shelter, lithic source, water source, modern show cave
- Abandoned
- Epipalaeolithic shift
- Rediscovered
- 1836 Reverend Thomson; 1958 Baroudi mapping
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c.80,000 BP
Mousterian in Lower Cave
c.30,000 BP
Aurignacian shelters
1958
Spéléo-Club maps 9 km system
On the ground
Structures & features
33.9400° N · 35.6400° E · 100 m · 3 mapped features
Jeita Cave — Upper Gallery
gallery575 m Upper Gallery with White Chamber speleothems
33.9405° N · 35.6400° EJeita Cave — Lower Cave Palaeolithic entrance
entranceMousterian lithics at north entrance
33.9400° N · 35.6405° EJeita Cave — Nahr al-Kalb spring
springKarst spring outlet feeding Dog River
33.9395° N · 35.6395° E
Gallery