Kūh-e Qal‘eh Bozī

Isfahan Province, Iran, Iran

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Kūh-e Qal‘eh Bozī is a limestone mountain in the Zagros range of Isfahan Province, Iran, about 25 kilometers southwest of the city of Isfahan, rising to about 2,172 meters above sea level and forming a prominent ridge overlooking the Zayandeh Rud River plain below. The mountain’s southern face contains a famous archaeological site called Qal‘eh Bozī, which is a complex of caves and rock shelters located between 1,750 and 1,810 meters altitude and has been extensively excavated by Iranian and international researchers, revealing that it was occupied during the Late Middle Paleolithic period (roughly 20,000–40,000 years ago) by hunter‑gatherer groups who used the caves as base camps and short‑term hunting sites. The site’s importance lies in its rich deposits of animal bones, stone tools, and charcoal, which show that the caves were favored for their proximity to a permanent river, good solar exposure in cold seasons, and diverse landscapes that supported hunting of equids, gazelles, caprines, aurochs, and even rhinoceros, as well as the use of plant resources such as willow/poplar and pistachio, making Kūh-e Qal‘eh Bozī one of the key prehistoric sites on the Iranian Plateau. Beyond its scientific value, the mountain and its caves are also of interest to visitors as a scenic landscape feature in the Isfahan region, offering commanding views of the surrounding plains and the Zayandeh Rud valley, and serving as a natural landmark near the village of Qal‘eh Bozī in the Dizicheh area.