Grotta di Fumane lies at the base of a rock cliff at 350 m a.s.l. on the southern edge of the Veneto Pre-Alps, in the North of Italy. The cave belongs to a fossil karst system probably composed of several cavities and tunnels excavated in dolomitic limestone. After a first exploration carried out by the Natural History Museum of Verona in 1964, the site has been the object since 1988 of a new series of investigations, bringing to light an impressive sequence of Middle and Upper Paleolithic levels.

The sequence documents the main climatic events which occurred during the last glacial cycle from 90.000 to 30.000 years ago and affected the human settlement. Excavations are conducted on a regular basis every year by the University of Ferrara under the patronage of the Superintendence for the Archeological Heritage.

After an ancient landslide which completely obstructed the external vault was removed in 1996, a sheltered area of almost 60 sq m was brought to light and extensive digging began, with the aim of investigating evidence of the last Neanderthals and the first anatomically modern humans. Thousands of flint flakes and cores, bones, teeth, charcoal, worked pebbles, bone retouchers and hammers prove that Neanderthals lighted fire, manufactured stone tools, butchered ungulates, carnivores and birds, and treated hides and pelts. From the Aurignacian up, dwelling structures, lithic assemblages, bone and antler tools, painted stones and pierced molluscan shells mark the arrival of the first Anatomically Modern Humans.

Neverheless, the archeological evidence prove that also Neanderthals achieved a level of behavioral complexity that was not culturally transmitted or mimicked via incoming modern humans.

Now the cave is open to the public after protection was made in 2005. Visitors can acceed to the entrance of the cave also during the archaeological fieldwork and see the sections showing the finely layered Paleolithic sequence.