Caves
The first level of Tomb Raider is Caves, where the Tomb Raider journey all began in 1996.
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Original Version
The Caves level of Tomb Raider is set in a series of mountain passages hidden deep within the Andes Mountains. Lara Croft, with the help of a guide, gains access through a large carved door that is set in the mountainside.
Caves is essentially one long progression of chambers and passages, where naturally occuring caves are complemented with Incan masonry. The level commences with a trapped hallway involving an Indiana Jones style dart trap and ends with the gateway to Vilcabamba which features a very similar type of hazard. In between there are various rooms, for example, one with twin rope bridges, one with a bear pit in the floor and one where you must use timed switches in order to continue in the level.
Anniversary Version
The level was changed somewhat, but not unrecognisably, as part of Tomb Raider Anniversary's 're-imagining'. Now called 'Mountain Caves' the approach to the level became playable, as there was no need to re-reveal Lara in a cutscene, and this part of the level serves as a short tutorial to the basics of Anniversary Lara's movement.
In addition several of the rooms were cut from the Anniversary level, but new concepts were introduced such as breaking the first rope bridge in the Bridge Room. The final approach to the level is made towards the gate to Vilcabamba itself, rather than entering in one of the siderooms as in the original Tomb Raider.
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Notes
Cave dwelling was not a usual pratice among most societies by the time of the Inca Empire, where the earliest ruins inside the Caves may date from. It may be that the oldest ruin within the valleys and caves within the Andes is the Tomb of Qualopec, and was the earliest focus for religion and civilisation in that part of Peru (assuming that the break-up of the Atlantean Triumvirate was at least several thousand years ago).
Since then, it is clear that succesive generations of ruins have been built up around the tomb - from the earlier temples and vantage points of the Lost Valley, to the City of Vilcabamba which may correspond to the European Medieval age, and the defenses of the Caves themselves, constructed to defend against the new Spanish invasion.
