According to Kurdpress, Oxford University has published an article about the famous Shaneder Cave, which appears to be about the archaeological importance of Shaneder Cave, but actually has a geopolitical view of this historical site and tries to show how the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq uses the cultural and ancient heritage to strengthen the Kurdish national identity and stabilize its position in the international arena.

Shaneder Cave; From Neanderthals to Politics

Shaneder Cave near the city of Soran in Kurdistan region of Iraq is considered one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. The fame of this cave goes back to the discovery of the remains of Neanderthals, which date back to more than 40,000 years ago, and have revolutionized the understanding of scientists about the life, burial rituals and social structure of Neanderthals.

Referring to the documentary "Secrets of the Neanderthals" released by Netflix in 2024, Nancy Gitos, the author of the article, emphasizes that the importance of the Shaneder Cave is not limited to its scientific value, but this place also has meaning in the context of the political history and regional conflicts of Kurdistan.

Date of excavations; From Ralph Sulkey to Cambridge University

The first excavations of Shaneder Cave were conducted between 1951 and 1960 under the supervision of Ralph Sulkey, an American archaeologist. During this period, 9 Neanderthal skeletons were discovered; A discovery that turned Shaneder Cave into one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world.

But political and security developments in Iraq stopped the project and this cave remained unexplored for more than half a century.

In 2011, the Kurdistan Regional Government invited Graeme Barker, a professor of archeology at the University of Cambridge, to resume the excavation project. This collaboration was the beginning of a partnership between the University of Cambridge and the General Department of Antiquities of the Kurdistan Region.

History of the Kurds and the political context of the project

To explain the political significance of this discovery, the author returns to the narrative of the contemporary history of the Kurds in Iraq.

He recalls that after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the hopes of forming an independent state called Kurdistan failed. Although the Treaty of Sur had mentioned the possibility of creating a territory for the Kurds, but with the ratification of the Treaty of Lausanne, this territory was divided between Iraq, Türkiye and Syria.

The article then deals with the numerous Kurdish uprisings in Iraq, Mustafa's struggles, the Baath regime's isolation policies, and finally the Anfal operation and the chemical attack on Halabja in 1988.

It is also mentioned the formation of the Iraqi Kurdistan Autonomous Region after the Persian Gulf War and the holding of the regional independence referendum in 2017.

Cultural heritage as an identity building tool

According to the author, the real importance of the new discovery of the Shaneder Cave is that the Kurdistan Regional Government considers it a tool to strengthen its national identity and show its independence.

The article mentions the words of Soran Amir, the head of the Murge Sur Archaeological Department, who described the reconstruction of the face of "Shanedar Z" as not only a scientific success, but also "a source of pride for the people of Kurdistan".

Regional officials have also repeatedly emphasized that Kurdistan is not the only heir of the region's contemporary history, but also contains a part of the deepest history of humanity.

In the end, the author argues that the Kurdistan region's investment in the Shanedar project is not only a scientific or cultural action, but a part of a broader strategy to stabilize Kurdistan's position in the international arena.

From his point of view, cooperation with Cambridge University, attraction of foreign researchers, development of cultural tourism and emphasis on the unique historical heritage of Kurdistan are all signs of the region's efforts to present an independent and distinct identity from Iraq.

In other words, the article does not see Shaneder Cave as an ancient site; Rather, he interprets it as a tool for developing cultural diplomacy, representing Kurdish identity, and strengthening the discourse of self-governance and independence of the Kurdistan region at the global level. In this regard, the Kurdistan Region has started building a museum near the Shaneder Cave to keep the discovered works and turn them into a scientific and tourist attraction.