The oldest cave in Azerbaijan inhabited by people is Azykh Cave. This cave is one of the most ancient human habitats in the world. Azykh Cave is located near Fuzuli town of Garabagh.
In 1960, an expedition led by Azerbaijani archaeologist Mammadali Huseynov discovered Azykh Cave and started to unveil it. It became clear that it was the habitat of the oldest human beings of the world (they were called Azykhantrops).
In 1968, as a result of long-lasting excavations in Azykh Cave by M.Huseynov, the low jaw bone of a human related to the Neanderthal type was found. The examination carried out on the find proved that it had at least 350-400 thousand year history.
Bones related to bear, lion, rhino, deer, horse, boar and other wild animals were also found in the cave.
Traces of a bonfire and stone instruments were also found in the cave. These instruments are dated 1 to 1.5 million years. According to specialists, the jaw bone found in Azykh Cave is the forth in the world by its age. Archaeological finds of this kind related to earlier periods had been discovered in Tanzania, Kenya and France. It is sufficient to prove that Azerbaijan has its own significant place among the territories where the most ancient humans had lived.
Azykh Cave covers 800 square kilometres of area. Azykh Cave draws attention by the fact that it is the biggest of the caves so far found in the Caucasus.
The Azerbaijani territory, in which this cave - where once the oldest human beings of the world lived - is located, has been under Armenian occupation since 1993, and there is no information about the cave’s further condition.