Archaeological team launches project to explore the Kafer Keli hand-carved caves in Northern Iran

A team of archaeologists has launched a project to explore the hand-carved caves of Kafer Keli, a unique site located in the Haraz Valley of Mazandaran province. The project aims to clean and analyse the intricate carvings adorning the walls of the caves, which are recognised as exemplary representatives of rock art architecture in Northern Iran.

Located in Kahrud village of Amol county, Kafer Keli caves are famous for their wall carvings and miniature rock paintings. This project, the first of its kind in the area, is being carried out with the permission of the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism. 

Meisam Fallah, head of the archaeological team, spoke about the unique characteristics of these caves, stressing their importance as part of Iran's mountainous architectural heritage. Fallah noted that the unique diversity, frequency and geographical distribution of these caves along the southern part of the Caspian Sea to the Haraz Valley set them apart in the country.

The project aims to carefully document and preserve the site. This carving has suffered from natural erosion. This is reported by Tehran Times, a partner of TV BRICS.

This archaeological work is expected to be an important step towards furthering the understanding and preservation of one of the most important rock carving sites in northern Iran, which could open a new chapter in the cultural and historical narrative of the region.