Its significance was realised after detailed scientific analysis, and was first published in an online edition of Nature on 28 January 2015.

[5] The cave is also noted for its "impressive archaeological record of flint and bone artefacts".

It was discovered accidentally during construction work in 2008 when a bulldozer struck open its roof.

[7] Experts from the Cave Research Unit of Hebrew University of Jerusalem immediately made the initial survey.

Ofer Marder and H. Khalaily made the survey and found that it was a rich archaeological site.

[1] The most important find in the cave is a partial skullcap of a modern human, referred to by archaeologists as Manot 1.