Antler is one of the primary animal raw materials exploited for technical purposes by the hunter-... more Antler is one of the primary animal raw materials exploited for technical purposes by the hunter- gatherer groups of the Eurasian Upper Palaeolithic (UP) all over the ecological range of deers, and beyond. It was exhaustively employed to produce one of the most critical tools for the survival of the UP societies: hunting weapons. However, antler implements can be made from diverse deer taxa, with different ecological requirements and ethological behaviours. Identifying the antler’s origin at a taxonomic level is thus essential in improving our knowledge of humans’ functional, practical and symbolic choices, as well as the human-animal interface during Prehistoric times. Nevertheless, palaeogenetics analyses have focused mainly on bone and teeth, with genetic studies of antler generally focused on modern deer conservation. Here we present the results of the first whole mitochondrial genome ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis by means of in-solution hybridisation capture of antlers from pre-Holocene archaeological contexts. We analysed a set of 50 Palaeolithic and Neolithic (c. 34-8ka) antler and osseous objects from South-Western Europe, Central Europe, South-Western Asia and the Caucasus. We successfully obtained aDNA, allowing us to identify the exploited taxa and demonstrate the archaeological relevance of those finds. Moreover, as most of the antlers were sampled using a minimally-invasive method, further analyses (morphometric, technical, genetic, radiometric and more) remain possible on these objects.
The Levantine Early Upper Paleolithic (ca. 45e30 ka) has been a focus of research because of its ... more The Levantine Early Upper Paleolithic (ca. 45e30 ka) has been a focus of research because of its unique position as a conduit of human, flora, and fauna species between Africa and Eurasia. Studies have mainly focused on the Early Ahmarian and Levantine Aurignacian, two entities, the former endemic and the latter foreign, which are considered to have coinhabited the region during that period. However, other cultural entities, such as the Atlitian in the Mediterranean region and the Arkov-Divshon in the arid regions of the southern Levant received less attention, and accordingly, suffer from broad definitions and chronological insecurity. These cultures hold potential insights regarding nuanced adaptations, recip- rocal influences, and diachronic assimilation processes. The recently discovered site of Nahal Rahaf 2 Rockshelter in the Judean Desert provides integral information on one of these entitiesdthe Arkov- Divshon. Two excavation seasons revealed a sequence of archaeological layers, with lithic assemblages in which laterally carinated items were prominent. Alongside rich faunal assemblages, other components of the material culture include perforated marine shells and bone tools, marking the first association of these elements with Arkov-Divshon and implying some degree of contact with the Mediterranean re- gions of the Levant. Good preservation of organic materials allowed radiocarbon dating of the human occupation at the site to ca. 37.5e34.0 ka cal BP, indicating chronological overlap with the Levantine Aurignacian, and possibly also with the latest phases of the Early Ahmarian. Thus, challenging the val- idity of the widely accepted ‘Two Tradition’ Model of the Levantine Upper Paleolithic. Lithic analyses suggest the use of one main reduction sequence and the primary production of bladelets from carinated items. Faunal remains suggest targeted hunting of ibex and gazelle. Botanical remains and sedimentary analyses suggest roughly similar environmental conditions, with a possible woodier environment in the surroundings of the site.
The Initial Upper Paleolithic (IUP) is a chrono-cultural phase corresponding with the onset of sy... more The Initial Upper Paleolithic (IUP) is a chrono-cultural phase corresponding with the onset of systematic production of pointed blades in various regions in Eurasia. This phenomenon is often conceived to correlate with the MIS 3 modern human expansion. Originally defined after the site Boker Tachtit in the Negev Desert, Israel, the Levantine IUP is composed of two consecutive superimposed lithic industries. The lower, named Emirian, is characterized with 人 类 学 学 报 • 2 • 41 卷 bidirectional blade technology, whereas the upper industry with unidirectional blades. Until recently the chronology of Boker Tachtit was insecure but new radiometric ages have shown that the Emirian is contemporaneous with the local Late Mousterian, thus supporting the assumption of this industry being imported. Similar technological features and chronological proximities between Boker Tachtit and assemblages from the Nile Valley and southern Arabia suggest the early Boker Tachtit inhabitants may have originated from these regions. The Emirian industry developed in Boker Tachtit into a later variant, the unidirectional industry, but it also expanded northward to central Europe and north-central Asia. The later variant acted in a similar manner as it developed locally into the early Ahmarian techno-complex but also expanded into the northern Levant and the Balkans. It is proposed the IUP phase featured at least two dispersal events. The first is the expansion from the Nile Valley/Arabia to the Levant from where it expanded rapidly to central Europe and north-central Asia. The second dispersal occurred slightly later and began in the southern Levant from where it spread to the northern Levant and the Balkans.
Marine Isotopic Stage 5 is associated with wetter climatic conditions in the Saharo-Arabian deser... more Marine Isotopic Stage 5 is associated with wetter climatic conditions in the Saharo-Arabian deserts. This stage also corresponds to the establishment of Middle Paleolithic hominins and their associated material culture in two geographical provinces in southwest Asia—the Eastern Mediterranean woodland and the Arabian Peninsula desert. The lithic industry of the Eastern Mediterranean is characterized by the centripetal Levallois method, whereas the Nubian Levallois method characterizes the populations of the Arabian desert. The Negev Desert, situated between these regions is a key area to comprehend population movement in correlation to climatic zones. This investigation addresses the nature of the Middle Paleolithic settlement in the Negev Desert during MIS 5 by studying the site of Nahal Aqev. High resolution chronological results based on luminescence dating and cryptotephra show the site was occupied from MIS 5e to MIS 5d. The lithic industries at Nahal Aqev are dominated by centr...
The use of bone fragments to retouch stone tools is presently recognised as a widespread phenomen... more The use of bone fragments to retouch stone tools is presently recognised as a widespread phenomenon in the Palaeolithic of Europe, since Middle Pleistocene times. However, in the Palaeolithic record outside Europe, evidence for the use of retouchers is scarce. With the sole exception of the late Lower Palaeolithic site of Qesem Cave (Israel), virtually no retouchers have been recognised in the Levant region. Here, we present the fi rst evidence of this type of tool documented for the early Upper Palaeolithic of Manot Cave, western Galilee, Israel. Subsequently, we discuss the absence of retouchers in other Middle and Upper Pa laeolithic sites in the Levant, and suggest that either Levantine hominins did not habitually use bone retouchers, or researchers working in the Levant have not yet identifi ed them as such.
A multidisciplinary study was conducted in a newly discovered Paleolithic locality, named ‘Evron ... more A multidisciplinary study was conducted in a newly discovered Paleolithic locality, named ‘Evron Landfill. This locality is a part of the Lower Paleolithic complex of ‘Evron located at the western Galilee, Israel. Examination of artifacts has enabled the cultural attribution of ‘Evron Landfill to the Early Acheulian, while detailed paleomagnetic stratigraphy places the hominin occupations near the Brunhes–Matuyama transition ~0.77 Ma. This age is constrained by cosmogenic isotope burial dating of the sediments overlying the Paleolithic finds, providing a minimum age of ~0.66±0.11 Ma for hominin activity at the site. These results are further supported by the biochronological information derived from the faunal assemblage. Comparative analyses of faunal remains and lithic artifacts from ‘Evron Landfill demonstrate similarities to the assemblages from the Early Acheulian site of Evron Quarry, located ~300 m to the south. Pedo-sedimentological analyses indicate that hominin activity to...
The timing of archeological industries in the Levant is central for understanding the spread of m... more The timing of archeological industries in the Levant is central for understanding the spread of modern humans with Upper Paleolithic traditions. We report a high-resolution radiocarbon chronology for Early Upper Paleolithic industries (Early Ahmarian and Levantine Aurignacian) from the newly excavated site of Manot Cave, Israel. The dates confirm that the Early Ahmarian industry was present by 46,000 calibrated years before the present (cal BP), and the Levantine Aurignacian occurred at least between 38,000 and 34,000 cal BP. This timing is consistent with proposed migrations or technological diffusions between the Near East and Europe. Specifically, the Ahmarian could have led to the development of the Protoaurignacian in Europe, and the Aurignacian in Europe could have spread back to the Near East as the Levantine Aurignacian.
Bulletins et Mémoires de la Société d'Anthropologie de Paris, 2017
The time range between 60 ka and 50 ka is one of the most dramatic phases in human biological evo... more The time range between 60 ka and 50 ka is one of the most dramatic phases in human biological evolution. In this period, the western part of Eurasia (Europe and the Near East) was populated by Neanderthals, whereas the eastern part (Central Asia and Siberia) was populated by Denisovans. However, by 30 ka, these two populations were replaced by anatomically modern humans (AMH). When did these newcomers arrive and from where? There is accumulating archaeological and genetic evidence suggesting that this demographic shift occurred at the end of MIS 4 [1–3]. Moreover, it is quite clear that a major dispersal of AMH out of Africa was the source of the new populations [4–7]. In this study, we examined specific morphological characteristics of Manot 1 (e.g., suprainiac fossa), and assessed their similarities to the corresponding traits found among Neanderthals. We will show that although the terminology is similar, the traits in each hominin group are of different entities. We also show th...
The late Middle Palaeolithic (MP) settlement patterns in the Levant included the repeated use of ... more The late Middle Palaeolithic (MP) settlement patterns in the Levant included the repeated use of caves and open landscape sites. The fossil record shows that two types of hominins occupied the region during this period-Neandertals and Homo sapiens. Until recently, diagnostic fossil remains were found only at cave sites. Because the two populations in this region left similar material cultural remains, it was impossible to attribute any open-air site to either species. In this study, we present newly discovered fossil remains from intact archaeological layers of the open-air site 'Ein Qashish, in northern Israel. The hominin remains represent three individuals: EQH1, a nondiagnostic skull fragment; EQH2, an upper right third molar (RM(3)); and EQH3, lower limb bones of a young Neandertal male. EQH2 and EQH3 constitute the first diagnostic anatomical remains of Neandertals at an open-air site in the Levant. The optically stimulated luminescence ages suggest that Neandertals repeat...
Givat Rabi Est est un affleurement de silex recemment decouvert dans le centre de la Galilee, a p... more Givat Rabi Est est un affleurement de silex recemment decouvert dans le centre de la Galilee, a proximite de plusieurs sites du Paleolithique moyen. Cet article presente le site et traite de l’utilisation d’un amas de dechets de taille du Paleolithique moyen, fouillee sur son bord oriental. Les resultats suggerent que les dechets de taille sont probablement les vestiges d’un atelier mousterien. En comparaison avec le site d’atelier de Sde Ilan, situe a 15 km a l’est, ou le silex a ete extrait, a Givat Rabi Est les tailleurs ont acquis le silex par ramassage de blocs de silex qui ont ete erodes in situ. L’assemblage lithique indique que les sequences de taille etaient initiees sur le site et que plusieurs methodes de Levallois ont ete utilisees. Par consequent, nous suggerons que les assemblages lithiques qui ont ete laisses a Givat Rabi Est representent des activites de taille de plusieurs groupes, qui ont utilise cet emplacement pendant le Paleolithique moyen. Une partie du materiau lithique etait emportee en d’autres lieux (par exemple des grottes) pour continuer la sequence de taille. L’emplacement du site, tout comme les caracteristiques du debitage, laissent supposer que le site de Givat Rabi Est a pu etre utilise comme une source de silex pour la grotte de Qafzeh et peut-etre pour d’autres grottes mousteriennes.
Antler is one of the primary animal raw materials exploited for technical purposes by the hunter-... more Antler is one of the primary animal raw materials exploited for technical purposes by the hunter- gatherer groups of the Eurasian Upper Palaeolithic (UP) all over the ecological range of deers, and beyond. It was exhaustively employed to produce one of the most critical tools for the survival of the UP societies: hunting weapons. However, antler implements can be made from diverse deer taxa, with different ecological requirements and ethological behaviours. Identifying the antler’s origin at a taxonomic level is thus essential in improving our knowledge of humans’ functional, practical and symbolic choices, as well as the human-animal interface during Prehistoric times. Nevertheless, palaeogenetics analyses have focused mainly on bone and teeth, with genetic studies of antler generally focused on modern deer conservation. Here we present the results of the first whole mitochondrial genome ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis by means of in-solution hybridisation capture of antlers from pre-Holocene archaeological contexts. We analysed a set of 50 Palaeolithic and Neolithic (c. 34-8ka) antler and osseous objects from South-Western Europe, Central Europe, South-Western Asia and the Caucasus. We successfully obtained aDNA, allowing us to identify the exploited taxa and demonstrate the archaeological relevance of those finds. Moreover, as most of the antlers were sampled using a minimally-invasive method, further analyses (morphometric, technical, genetic, radiometric and more) remain possible on these objects.
The Levantine Early Upper Paleolithic (ca. 45e30 ka) has been a focus of research because of its ... more The Levantine Early Upper Paleolithic (ca. 45e30 ka) has been a focus of research because of its unique position as a conduit of human, flora, and fauna species between Africa and Eurasia. Studies have mainly focused on the Early Ahmarian and Levantine Aurignacian, two entities, the former endemic and the latter foreign, which are considered to have coinhabited the region during that period. However, other cultural entities, such as the Atlitian in the Mediterranean region and the Arkov-Divshon in the arid regions of the southern Levant received less attention, and accordingly, suffer from broad definitions and chronological insecurity. These cultures hold potential insights regarding nuanced adaptations, recip- rocal influences, and diachronic assimilation processes. The recently discovered site of Nahal Rahaf 2 Rockshelter in the Judean Desert provides integral information on one of these entitiesdthe Arkov- Divshon. Two excavation seasons revealed a sequence of archaeological layers, with lithic assemblages in which laterally carinated items were prominent. Alongside rich faunal assemblages, other components of the material culture include perforated marine shells and bone tools, marking the first association of these elements with Arkov-Divshon and implying some degree of contact with the Mediterranean re- gions of the Levant. Good preservation of organic materials allowed radiocarbon dating of the human occupation at the site to ca. 37.5e34.0 ka cal BP, indicating chronological overlap with the Levantine Aurignacian, and possibly also with the latest phases of the Early Ahmarian. Thus, challenging the val- idity of the widely accepted ‘Two Tradition’ Model of the Levantine Upper Paleolithic. Lithic analyses suggest the use of one main reduction sequence and the primary production of bladelets from carinated items. Faunal remains suggest targeted hunting of ibex and gazelle. Botanical remains and sedimentary analyses suggest roughly similar environmental conditions, with a possible woodier environment in the surroundings of the site.
The Initial Upper Paleolithic (IUP) is a chrono-cultural phase corresponding with the onset of sy... more The Initial Upper Paleolithic (IUP) is a chrono-cultural phase corresponding with the onset of systematic production of pointed blades in various regions in Eurasia. This phenomenon is often conceived to correlate with the MIS 3 modern human expansion. Originally defined after the site Boker Tachtit in the Negev Desert, Israel, the Levantine IUP is composed of two consecutive superimposed lithic industries. The lower, named Emirian, is characterized with 人 类 学 学 报 • 2 • 41 卷 bidirectional blade technology, whereas the upper industry with unidirectional blades. Until recently the chronology of Boker Tachtit was insecure but new radiometric ages have shown that the Emirian is contemporaneous with the local Late Mousterian, thus supporting the assumption of this industry being imported. Similar technological features and chronological proximities between Boker Tachtit and assemblages from the Nile Valley and southern Arabia suggest the early Boker Tachtit inhabitants may have originated from these regions. The Emirian industry developed in Boker Tachtit into a later variant, the unidirectional industry, but it also expanded northward to central Europe and north-central Asia. The later variant acted in a similar manner as it developed locally into the early Ahmarian techno-complex but also expanded into the northern Levant and the Balkans. It is proposed the IUP phase featured at least two dispersal events. The first is the expansion from the Nile Valley/Arabia to the Levant from where it expanded rapidly to central Europe and north-central Asia. The second dispersal occurred slightly later and began in the southern Levant from where it spread to the northern Levant and the Balkans.
Marine Isotopic Stage 5 is associated with wetter climatic conditions in the Saharo-Arabian deser... more Marine Isotopic Stage 5 is associated with wetter climatic conditions in the Saharo-Arabian deserts. This stage also corresponds to the establishment of Middle Paleolithic hominins and their associated material culture in two geographical provinces in southwest Asia—the Eastern Mediterranean woodland and the Arabian Peninsula desert. The lithic industry of the Eastern Mediterranean is characterized by the centripetal Levallois method, whereas the Nubian Levallois method characterizes the populations of the Arabian desert. The Negev Desert, situated between these regions is a key area to comprehend population movement in correlation to climatic zones. This investigation addresses the nature of the Middle Paleolithic settlement in the Negev Desert during MIS 5 by studying the site of Nahal Aqev. High resolution chronological results based on luminescence dating and cryptotephra show the site was occupied from MIS 5e to MIS 5d. The lithic industries at Nahal Aqev are dominated by centr...
The use of bone fragments to retouch stone tools is presently recognised as a widespread phenomen... more The use of bone fragments to retouch stone tools is presently recognised as a widespread phenomenon in the Palaeolithic of Europe, since Middle Pleistocene times. However, in the Palaeolithic record outside Europe, evidence for the use of retouchers is scarce. With the sole exception of the late Lower Palaeolithic site of Qesem Cave (Israel), virtually no retouchers have been recognised in the Levant region. Here, we present the fi rst evidence of this type of tool documented for the early Upper Palaeolithic of Manot Cave, western Galilee, Israel. Subsequently, we discuss the absence of retouchers in other Middle and Upper Pa laeolithic sites in the Levant, and suggest that either Levantine hominins did not habitually use bone retouchers, or researchers working in the Levant have not yet identifi ed them as such.
A multidisciplinary study was conducted in a newly discovered Paleolithic locality, named ‘Evron ... more A multidisciplinary study was conducted in a newly discovered Paleolithic locality, named ‘Evron Landfill. This locality is a part of the Lower Paleolithic complex of ‘Evron located at the western Galilee, Israel. Examination of artifacts has enabled the cultural attribution of ‘Evron Landfill to the Early Acheulian, while detailed paleomagnetic stratigraphy places the hominin occupations near the Brunhes–Matuyama transition ~0.77 Ma. This age is constrained by cosmogenic isotope burial dating of the sediments overlying the Paleolithic finds, providing a minimum age of ~0.66±0.11 Ma for hominin activity at the site. These results are further supported by the biochronological information derived from the faunal assemblage. Comparative analyses of faunal remains and lithic artifacts from ‘Evron Landfill demonstrate similarities to the assemblages from the Early Acheulian site of Evron Quarry, located ~300 m to the south. Pedo-sedimentological analyses indicate that hominin activity to...
The timing of archeological industries in the Levant is central for understanding the spread of m... more The timing of archeological industries in the Levant is central for understanding the spread of modern humans with Upper Paleolithic traditions. We report a high-resolution radiocarbon chronology for Early Upper Paleolithic industries (Early Ahmarian and Levantine Aurignacian) from the newly excavated site of Manot Cave, Israel. The dates confirm that the Early Ahmarian industry was present by 46,000 calibrated years before the present (cal BP), and the Levantine Aurignacian occurred at least between 38,000 and 34,000 cal BP. This timing is consistent with proposed migrations or technological diffusions between the Near East and Europe. Specifically, the Ahmarian could have led to the development of the Protoaurignacian in Europe, and the Aurignacian in Europe could have spread back to the Near East as the Levantine Aurignacian.
Bulletins et Mémoires de la Société d'Anthropologie de Paris, 2017
The time range between 60 ka and 50 ka is one of the most dramatic phases in human biological evo... more The time range between 60 ka and 50 ka is one of the most dramatic phases in human biological evolution. In this period, the western part of Eurasia (Europe and the Near East) was populated by Neanderthals, whereas the eastern part (Central Asia and Siberia) was populated by Denisovans. However, by 30 ka, these two populations were replaced by anatomically modern humans (AMH). When did these newcomers arrive and from where? There is accumulating archaeological and genetic evidence suggesting that this demographic shift occurred at the end of MIS 4 [1–3]. Moreover, it is quite clear that a major dispersal of AMH out of Africa was the source of the new populations [4–7]. In this study, we examined specific morphological characteristics of Manot 1 (e.g., suprainiac fossa), and assessed their similarities to the corresponding traits found among Neanderthals. We will show that although the terminology is similar, the traits in each hominin group are of different entities. We also show th...
The late Middle Palaeolithic (MP) settlement patterns in the Levant included the repeated use of ... more The late Middle Palaeolithic (MP) settlement patterns in the Levant included the repeated use of caves and open landscape sites. The fossil record shows that two types of hominins occupied the region during this period-Neandertals and Homo sapiens. Until recently, diagnostic fossil remains were found only at cave sites. Because the two populations in this region left similar material cultural remains, it was impossible to attribute any open-air site to either species. In this study, we present newly discovered fossil remains from intact archaeological layers of the open-air site 'Ein Qashish, in northern Israel. The hominin remains represent three individuals: EQH1, a nondiagnostic skull fragment; EQH2, an upper right third molar (RM(3)); and EQH3, lower limb bones of a young Neandertal male. EQH2 and EQH3 constitute the first diagnostic anatomical remains of Neandertals at an open-air site in the Levant. The optically stimulated luminescence ages suggest that Neandertals repeat...
Givat Rabi Est est un affleurement de silex recemment decouvert dans le centre de la Galilee, a p... more Givat Rabi Est est un affleurement de silex recemment decouvert dans le centre de la Galilee, a proximite de plusieurs sites du Paleolithique moyen. Cet article presente le site et traite de l’utilisation d’un amas de dechets de taille du Paleolithique moyen, fouillee sur son bord oriental. Les resultats suggerent que les dechets de taille sont probablement les vestiges d’un atelier mousterien. En comparaison avec le site d’atelier de Sde Ilan, situe a 15 km a l’est, ou le silex a ete extrait, a Givat Rabi Est les tailleurs ont acquis le silex par ramassage de blocs de silex qui ont ete erodes in situ. L’assemblage lithique indique que les sequences de taille etaient initiees sur le site et que plusieurs methodes de Levallois ont ete utilisees. Par consequent, nous suggerons que les assemblages lithiques qui ont ete laisses a Givat Rabi Est representent des activites de taille de plusieurs groupes, qui ont utilise cet emplacement pendant le Paleolithique moyen. Une partie du materiau lithique etait emportee en d’autres lieux (par exemple des grottes) pour continuer la sequence de taille. L’emplacement du site, tout comme les caracteristiques du debitage, laissent supposer que le site de Givat Rabi Est a pu etre utilise comme une source de silex pour la grotte de Qafzeh et peut-etre pour d’autres grottes mousteriennes.
The aims of this research are two‐fold. First is to present and systematically analyze the bidire... more The aims of this research are two‐fold. First is to present and systematically analyze the bidirectional flint blade industries from PPNB sites throughout the southern Levant. This formal ‘hallmark’ PPNB technology is only briefly reported in most publications, thus requiring some sort of quantification methods, such as indices for formal lithic technologies as has been done, for example, in Palaeolithic research. Broadly, the principles of indices could be employed for the bidirectional blade component; however this is inapplicable for this research since the studied samples include only complete items, thus requiring counts of complete items within the general assemblages, something not presented in most reports. Therefore the bidirectional blade component within the examined provinces are presented by their major characteristics (mode of production, raw material, technology, typology and style) in respect to sample size. The other aim is to examine two of the models discussed, ‘Regionalism’ and ‘Craft specialization. With regards to ‘Regionalism’ the author examines whether the proposed cultural units for the southern Levant region are also reflected in the bidirectional blade industries. The focus is on the area from the Litani River in the north to the Gulf of Aqaba in the south, the Transjordanian highlands to the east and the Mediterranean coast in the west. The investigation of aspects of the bidirectional blade lithic industries should complement other material culture such as architecture, burial customs and subsistence economy, amongst others, in contributing to the identification of cultural units in time and space with the southern Levant. The issue of ‘Craft specialization’ is examined to consider whether complex lithic economies such as the one described for ‘Ain Ghazal can be identified at other sites in the southern Levant. The results are further correlated with site types (e.g. permanent and seasonal villages, ephemeral camps, ritual sites) in an attempt to detect possible inter and intra‐site patterns for bidirectional blade products, and in order to provide a wider perspective on PPNB social complexity. The proposed research aims to characterize and define the nature and variability of the use of bidirectional blade technology through time and space. It is expected to provide information concerning aspects of social structure and complexity amongst the PPNB communities in the southern Levant before the rise of early urban civilizations in the Near East.
Authors:
José-Miguel Tejero, Ofer Marder, Omry Barzilai, Israel Hershkovitz, Reuven Yeshurun, N... more Authors:
José-Miguel Tejero, Ofer Marder, Omry Barzilai, Israel Hershkovitz, Reuven Yeshurun, Nehora Schneller-Pels, Guy Bar-Oz
Abstract:
Nowadays Levantine Upper Palaeolithic archaeology is of great importance in understanding the emergence, dispersal, and adaptations of the first Anatomically Modern Humans (AMH) populations. Nevertheless, research on this period in the studied region has been limited to specific data, for instance osseous industry suffers from a dearth of data. Thus, exploitation of osseous raw material (mainly bone and deer antler) is one of the major innovations that appears at the beginning of the Early Upper Palaeolithic (EUP) both in Levant and Europe (innovation documented since the Middle Stone Age in the African context). With this in mind, the characterisation of technical concepts chosen by the first Levantine AMH is of great interest. Until now the Levantine rich collections of bone and antler objects are mostly known from a typological point of view.
The discovery of the important site of Manot Cave (Galilee. Israel) in 2010, preserving Mousterian, Ahmarian and Aurignacian levels, has initiated a multidisciplinary and international project. The main objective of this project is to reassess the variability of the chronological sequence of the Levantine EUP confronted with data from others archaeological sites of the Region.
Within the framework of this project, we present the first results of the technological and traceological analysis of the bone and antler industry of Aurignacian levels of Manot Cave (C Area). The excavation is on-going so the data is provisional, but we already have some interesting results. The Manot Cave bone and antler industry shows both similarities with the European osseous industry: such as the choice of bone for “domestic” tools (recurrent morpho-types like awls and retouchers) and that of antler for the cinegetic equipment (spear points). Differences are present within the hunting equipment with only simple-based points and not split-based points as known in Europe and some Levantine sites. Added to these characteristics the absence of polishers and the, probably, common exploitation of fallow deer antler, among others. These features support some particularities already stated from the Levantine Aurignacian by for some authors.
The presented preliminary data from technological analysis of Manot Cave osseous industry is a part of a larger final goal. Our aim is to reconstitute and understand the operational sequences of bone and antler exploitation at the Early Upper Palaeolithic in Levant (through the enlarged study of other important Levantine collections like Ksar Akil or Hayonim D). The obtained techno-economical data, compared to European ones, will not only contribute to refine the chrono-cultural EUP sequence of the Levant but also to give a better understanding of the adaptation mechanisms of the first Anatomically Modern Humans in Eurasia.
Flowering plants possess mechanisms that stimulate positive emotional and social responses in hum... more Flowering plants possess mechanisms that stimulate positive emotional and social responses in humans. It is difficult to establish when people started to use flowers in public and ceremonial events because of the scarcity of relevant evidence in the archaeological record. We report on uniquely preserved 13,700–11,700-y-old grave linings made of flowers, suggesting that such use began much earlier than previously thought. The only potentially older instance is the questionable use of flowers in the Shanidar IV Neanderthal grave. The earliest cemeteries (ca. 15,000–11,500 y ago) in the Levant are known from Natufian sites in northern Israel, where dozens of burials reflect a wide range of inhumation practices. The newly discovered flower linings were found in four Natufian graves at the burial site of Raqefet Cave, Mt. Carmel, Israel. Large identified plant impressions in the graves include stems of sage and other Lamiaceae (Labiatae; mint family) or Scrophulariaceae (figwort family) species; accompanied by a plethora of phytoliths, they provide the earliest direct evidence now known for such preparation and decoration of graves. Some of the plant species attest to spring burials with a strong emphasis on colorful and aromatic flowers. Cave floor chiseling to accommodate the desired grave location and depth is also evident at the site. Thus, grave preparation was a sophisticated planned process, embedded with social and spiritual meanings reflecting a complex preagricultural society undergoing profound changes at the end of the Pleistocene.
The use of bone fragments to retouch stone tools is presently recognised as a widespread phenomen... more The use of bone fragments to retouch stone tools is presently recognised as a widespread phenomenon in the Palaeolithic of Europe, since Middle Pleistocene times. However, in the Palaeolithic record outside Europe, evidence for the use of retouchers is scarce. With the sole exception of the late Lower Palaeolithic site of Qesem Cave (Israel), virtually no retouchers have been recognised in the Levant region. Here, we present the first evidence of this type of tool documented for the early Upper Palaeolithic of Manot Cave, western Galilee, Israel. Subsequently, we discuss the absence of retouchers in other Middle and Upper Pal-aeolithic sites in the Levant, and suggest that either Levantine hominins did not habitually use bone retouch-ers, or researchers working in the Levant have not yet identified them as such.
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since the studied samples include only complete items, thus requiring counts of complete items within the general assemblages, something not presented in most reports. Therefore the bidirectional blade component within the examined provinces are presented by their major characteristics (mode of production, raw material, technology, typology and style) in respect to sample size. The other aim
is to examine two of the models discussed, ‘Regionalism’ and ‘Craft specialization.
With regards to ‘Regionalism’ the author examines whether the proposed cultural units for the southern Levant region are also reflected in the bidirectional blade industries. The focus is on the area from the Litani River in the north to the Gulf of Aqaba in the south, the Transjordanian highlands to the east and the Mediterranean coast in the west. The investigation of aspects of the bidirectional blade lithic industries should complement other material culture such as architecture, burial customs and subsistence economy, amongst others, in contributing to the identification of cultural units in time and space with the southern Levant. The issue of ‘Craft specialization’ is examined to consider whether complex lithic economies such as the one described for ‘Ain Ghazal can be identified at other sites in the southern Levant. The results are further correlated with site types (e.g. permanent and seasonal villages, ephemeral camps,
ritual sites) in an attempt to detect possible inter and intra‐site patterns for bidirectional blade products, and in order to provide a wider perspective on PPNB social complexity. The proposed research aims to characterize and define the
nature and variability of the use of bidirectional blade technology through time and space. It is expected to provide
information concerning aspects of social structure and complexity amongst the PPNB communities in the southern
Levant before the rise of early urban civilizations in the Near East.
José-Miguel Tejero, Ofer Marder, Omry Barzilai, Israel Hershkovitz, Reuven Yeshurun, Nehora Schneller-Pels, Guy Bar-Oz
Abstract:
Nowadays Levantine Upper Palaeolithic archaeology is of great importance in understanding the emergence, dispersal, and adaptations of the first Anatomically Modern Humans (AMH) populations. Nevertheless, research on this period in the studied region has been limited to specific data, for instance osseous industry suffers from a dearth of data. Thus, exploitation of osseous raw material (mainly bone and deer antler) is one of the major innovations that appears at the beginning of the Early Upper Palaeolithic (EUP) both in Levant and Europe (innovation documented since the Middle Stone Age in the African context). With this in mind, the characterisation of technical concepts chosen by the first Levantine AMH is of great interest. Until now the Levantine rich collections of bone and antler objects are mostly known from a typological point of view.
The discovery of the important site of Manot Cave (Galilee. Israel) in 2010, preserving Mousterian, Ahmarian and Aurignacian levels, has initiated a multidisciplinary and international project. The main objective of this project is to reassess the variability of the chronological sequence of the Levantine EUP confronted with data from others archaeological sites of the Region.
Within the framework of this project, we present the first results of the technological and traceological analysis of the bone and antler industry of Aurignacian levels of Manot Cave (C Area). The excavation is on-going so the data is provisional, but we already have some interesting results. The Manot Cave bone and antler industry shows both similarities with the European osseous industry: such as the choice of bone for “domestic” tools (recurrent morpho-types like awls and retouchers) and that of antler for the cinegetic equipment (spear points). Differences are present within the hunting equipment with only simple-based points and not split-based points as known in Europe and some Levantine sites. Added to these characteristics the absence of polishers and the, probably, common exploitation of fallow deer antler, among others. These features support some particularities already stated from the Levantine Aurignacian by for some authors.
The presented preliminary data from technological analysis of Manot Cave osseous industry is a part of a larger final goal. Our aim is to reconstitute and understand the operational sequences of bone and antler exploitation at the Early Upper Palaeolithic in Levant (through the enlarged study of other important Levantine collections like Ksar Akil or Hayonim D). The obtained techno-economical data, compared to European ones, will not only contribute to refine the chrono-cultural EUP sequence of the Levant but also to give a better understanding of the adaptation mechanisms of the first Anatomically Modern Humans in Eurasia.