TEHRAN -- Kermanshah contains some of the most significant prehistoric sites in the Iranian Plateau, with archaeological evidence documenting human activity in the region from the Paleolithic period onward, according to Iranian researcher and historian Mohsen Derkeh.
Speaking to Iran’s IRNA news agency on the occasion of National Kermanshah Day, Derkeh said the province’s abundant water sources, favorable climate, rich vegetation and location within the Zagros Mountains made it an important area for early human settlement.
Kermanshah’s extensive archaeological landscape includes sites such as Sheikh Abadi Hill, Godin Tepe, Chia Khazineh, Chia Gavaneh and Sarab, which have contributed to research into early settlement patterns and the development of prehistoric communities.
Archaeological investigations in the region gained international attention in the mid-20th century, including excavations at Bisotun Cave by American anthropologist Carleton S. Coon. 
His work uncovered Paleolithic remains, including a human forearm bone and other biological evidence that contributed to early research on prehistoric human presence in Iran.
Later studies revised the interpretation
 of some discoveries from Bisotun Cave, but the site remains an important part of the history of archaeological research into early human occupation in the region.
Further investigations led by archaeologist Robert J. Braidwood and his team at sites including Asiab, Ganj Tepe, Sarab and Gakiyeh expanded understanding of prehistoric settlement and early cultural development in Kermanshah.
The region has also produced important evidence of Neanderthal occupation. Excavations at Warwasi Rock Shelter near Kermanshah uncovered stone tools associated with both Neanderthals and early modern humans, providing valuable evidence for studying human populations in prehistoric Iran.
Additional discoveries came from Wezmeh Cave near Eslamabad-e Gharb, where archaeologists recovered several fossil teeth. Scientific analysis identified one of the teeth as belonging to a Neanderthal child, estimated to be between 40,000 and 70,000 years old, making it one of the key pieces of evidence for Neanderthal presence in Iran.
Derkeh also pointed to more recent archaeological work that has pushed the timeline of human activity in the region further back. In 2021, a team of Iranian archaeologists led by Saman Heydari-Guran carried out excavations at the Sang-e Ma’dan site southwest of Kermanshah, uncovering dozens of stone tools, including hand axes and cleavers.
Researchers have suggested that some of these artifacts may date between 700,000 and one million years old, potentially representing some of the earliest evidence of human activity in Iran and the wider Mesopotamian region. Further scientific analysis is expected to provide additional information about their age and significance.
Derkeh said Kermanshah’s combination of natural resources, access to water and suitable raw materials for tool production helped attract early human communities and made the region a major center for archaeological research.
He added that National Kermanshah Day provides an opportunity to highlight the province’s archaeological heritage and encourage greater attention to protecting sites that preserve evidence of humanity’s earliest history.