There are several trails in Nahal Me’arot, but by far the most interesting is the Geological Trail on the north bank of Wadi Me’arot that visits caves used by prehistoric man. (Prehistoric means the time before there were written records, in other words before people wrote). Most people are aware that modern man (Homo sapiens) was proceeded by other human species and they may even have seen pictures of them, but the implications of this may not have fully registered. Once you have visited these caves you are sure to be convinced and impressed, since there is evidence here of over 500,000 years of hominis habitation. The Nahal Me’arot caves are a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of their cultural and historical significance.

The caves on the banks of Wadi Me’arot would have been wonderful places for early human species to live. Below them was a river with fish, rich vegetation and animals for food. The latter included fallow deer and gazelles. The bones of a hippopotamus and extinct species of camel and rhinoceros have also been found in the caves. Only a short distance was the sea with even more food for the taking. The water was much closer to the caves that it is today. It was then an ancient sea called the Thetis Sea which once flooded large parts of the Eastern Mediterranean. It was also higher than it is today due to melting of polar ice caps. The cliffs were created from a reef formed about 100 million years ago. In fact, you can see fossilized marine animals in the rocks, particularly a horn-like shell from a rudist. 

The earliest species of a human-like being was Homo erectus, who arose approximately 1.9 million years ago arose in Africa, spread to Asia and Europe and was in existence until about 143,00 years ago. He had a similar bone structure to modern man (Homo sapiens). Neanderthal man probably arose from Homo erectus and lived in Europe and parts of Asia from about 400,000 years ago to about 40,000 years ago. It may well be that Israel was the southern-most place in the world reached by Neanderthal man. Homo sapiens is modern man and he emerged in Africa, possibly from Homo erectus and eventually spread throughout the world. The finding here of Homo sapiens was early evidence of his migration outside of Africa. Also of considerable interest was the finding of burial of Neanderthals from the Tabun Cave and Homo sapiens from the most eastern Skhul Cave, indicating that about 100,000 years ago they coexisted.