Nahal Mearot Nature Reserve

The southern bank of Nahal Me`arot lies on the lower reaches of the western part of the Carmel Mountain Range. Caves here contain evidence of inhabitation by prehistoric human beings. These caves are particularly significant because the articles discovered in them indicate that the caves were settled continuously for 200 thousand years, something almost unheard of. The tour of the reserve begins with a visit to the large Oven Cave, where archeologists have identified three different prehistoric cultures, and continues to the smaller Camel Cave, which has an exhibition of tools used during the Mousterian culture period. The third cave, the 70-meter-deep Stream Cave, has an audiovisual presentation about life during prehistoric times.
Outside the cave is a model of a skeleton illustrating the burial practices of members of Natufian culture, who lived some ten thousand years ago.

Members of five prehistoric cultures inhabited the caves at Nahal Me`arot: Acheulian culture (150-200 thousand years ago), Muarian culture (100-150 thousand years ago), Mousterian culture (40-100 thousand years ago), Uriniacian culture (12-40 thousand years ago), and Natufian culture (9-12 thousand years ago). Remnants from the Natufian period were found at the mouth of Stream Cave, where a small village served as a permanent settlement. During this period, people began to hunt and gather in an organized fashion, the precursor to planting crops and domesticating animals. Art objects, such as stone carvings and strings of shells, were produced during this time.

In the spring, the reserve is awash with flowers. Signposted trails from the parking lot lead to a number of exquisite spots on the Carmel Mountain Range. At the reserve`s guidance center, visitors can purchase guidebooks and maps and perhaps ask the wardens about the hikes they would most highly recommend.