Systematic excavations at Koskarlı Cave in Türkiye's eastern Black Sea region have unearthed an intact Epipalaeolithic layer securely dated between 12,900 and 12,000 cal BC. Featuring a well-preserved hearth and distinct stone tool assemblages, the site fills a glaring geographical gap in northern Anatolian prehistory. This forces archaeologists to rethink late Pleistocene hunter-gatherer mobility well outside their usual southern comfort zones.