The traces of the first ancestors of the human being who lived 500 thousand years before today as hunter and gatherer and made simple hand tools, were discovered here. Moreover, although the caves in use during the Paleolithic Periods in the world only points to a single part of this period, Lower, Middle and Upper Paleolithic Periods can be followed uninterruptedly in the Karain cave.

Karain is among the largest natural caves in Turkey. Animal remains such as rhinoceros, elephant, hippopotamus, which are not seen in Anatolia today, was discovered in the cave, and also attracts attention with stalactites and stalagmites, formed in the course of hundred thousands of years besides its historical significance. With this aspect, it illuminates the natural history of Anatolia as well as the history of humanity

Since Karain, which is the only place proving that neanderthals lived in Turkey, was inhabited from Lower Paleolithic Period to Roman Period, a cultural layer of 11 meters height was formed inside the cave.

Among the findings unearthed in the excavations are the first examples of Anatolian art, tools made of stones and bones, beads. Some of these can be seen in the Karain Museum, right next to the Cave, and some in the Antalya Museum. During the Roman Period, it was understood from the votive inscriptions on the outer walls that the cave was used as a place to worship a mountain goddess.

Karain Cave which has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List thanks to its place in history of humanity is among the most attractive places not only in Antalya but in Turkey. You can only know how it feels to wander around a place where life existed 500 thousand years before and to step on the same ground with the first ancestors of the human being only by visiting the cave.