Shualim Rockshelter is situated in the arid central highlands of the Negev in southern Israel and features three occupation layers, spanning from the Initial Upper Paleolithic to the Early Upper Paleolithic, with ages ranging from 47 to 36 ka cal. BP. Site chronology was established by radiocarbon dating of ostrich eggshell fragments and optically stimulated dating of sediments. Cultural variability was assessed through a technotypological analysis of each layer, employing the chaîne opératoire methodology. Layers I and II are attributed to the Ahmarian culture, dating roughly from 45 to 36 ka cal. BP, whereas Layer III is associated with the Initial Upper Paleolithic with an age between 46 and 43 ka cal. BP. Intra-site variability indicates technological shifts from unidirectional reduction sequences producing Levallois-like points in Layer III, to bidirectional sequences for the production of coarse el-Wad points in Layer II. Layer I differs from Layer II as it depicts a highly slender point production, based on narrow-fronted unidirectional cores and finely retouched el-Wad points. Layer I also yielded an ostrich eggshell fragment with etchings and an antler point. Two perforated Mediterranean mollusks were found, one in Layer I and the other in Layer II. The various technological modes documented at the site, including the presence of perforated and painted seashells and an antler point, all suggest a large mobility range and sustained intergroup interactions between hunter-gatherers from Mediterranean and arid regions.

The excavations at Abu Ghosh revealed two phases dated to the Pre-Ghassulian period, between the end of the sixth millennium and the mid-fifth millenium BCE. Three archaeological-sedimentary layers were identified at the site: Layer I—topsoil, Layer II—possibly EB I, and Layer III—Pre-Ghassulian. The architecture of Layer III consisted of rectilinear units, with apparent passages and entrances between them, whose walls were built on stone foundations. Most of the pottery shows affinities with the Qatifian-Besorian horizons typical of southern sites. The lithic assemblages are characterized by sickle blades, bifacials and perforators. The groundstone tools and stone bowls are characteristic of repertories representing the transition between the Late PN and the Chalcolithic Ghassulian periods. The faunal remains indicate that the inhabitants of Abu Ghosh focused on raising domestic sheep, goats, pigs and, to a lesser extent, cattle. The archaeomalacological remains point to contacts with regions as far distant as the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea and the Nile River. The excavation at Abu Ghosh offers insights into a number of unresolved issues relating to the material culture and subsistence of Pre-Ghassulian sites in general, and contributes to our understanding of the development of the Late Prehistoric periods in the Jerusalem region in particular.

Prehistoric research along the Cross-Israel Highway was undertaken from the earliest planning stages of the archaeological surveys along the intended route. During this survey, much data was accumulated concerning site function, economics, intra-site interaction etc. In the systematic survey and the subsequent excavations, 31 prehistoric sites were identified, dating from the Lower Paleolithic period to the Chalcolithic period, covering a time span of c. 500,000 years. This review presents a brief description of the surveyed and excavated sites for which there is available data, as well as a comparison with other sites from the same period.

The flint artifacts from the excavation at TelMagalwere retrieved from a stratigraphic sequencethat includes strata dating to the Early PotteryNeolithic (Jericho IX culture; Stratum IX), LatePottery Neolithic (Wadi Raba culture; StrataVIII, VII) and Early Bronze Age (Strata VI–I),as well as isolated finds of Pre-Pottery NeolithicB (PPNB).

Avian exploitation during the Early Upper Paleolithic (EUP) is frequently interpreted as a marker of socioeconomic intensification across Europe and the Levant. However, the specific character of avian exploitation in the Levant has remained unexplored due to the scarcity of detailed zooarchaeological analyses. This study addresses this gap by analyzing bird remains from the well-stratified sequence at Manot Cave, Israel. The analysis focuses on three cultural phases: Phase 3 (similar to 40-36.5 kyr cal BP), Phase 2 (Levantine Aurignacian, 37.5-36.0 kyr cal BP), and Phase 1 (Atlitian, 34.5-33.1 kyr cal BP). Butchery evidence across all phases confirms that humans exploited birds, although some remains reflect contributions from nonhuman predators as well. Humans primarily targeted rock pigeons (Columba livia/oenas), which were possibly cave-dwelling, predictable, and accessible. During the Levantine Aurignacian phase, fowling occasionally extended to game birds, waterbirds, and raptors. Notably, cutmarks on the remains of long-legged buzzards (Buteo rufinus) and a short-toed eagle (Circaetus gallicus) suggest raptors were deliberately targeted, possibly for non-dietary purposes. The presence of nonresident bird species in the Aurignacian layers demonstrates that avian exploitation could have occurred year-round. Overall, the results indicate a more selective pattern of avian use in the Levantine EUP than previously recognized. At Manot, it centered on a reliable and easily accessible resource, rock pigeons, which may be considered as high-ranked small game. These findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the role that avian resources played in EUP subsistence strategies in the Levant.

Sixty groundstone artifacts were unearthed in the Tel Yosef excavations. Most of the artifacts were made from limestone or dolomite, some of them were made of fine-grained or vesicular basalt, sandstone, beachrock, granite and exotic minerals, such as quartzite. The Tel Yosef groundstone assemblage exhibits a high degree of similarity to other Pottery Neolithic groundstone assemblages, inter alia in type frequencies.

The flint collection from Palmaḥim is extremely meager. A few artifacts were recovered inside the tombs, but most of them were retrieved from the lower layers of the surrounding sand fills and on the surface. Aside from two Chalcolithic sickle blades, all the flint items are intrusive. The flint collection is not homogeneous, attesting to a temporarily occupied site during four different periods: Middle Paleolithic, Epipaleolithic (Kebaran), Pottery Neolithic and Chalcolithic.

The excavation at Ḥorbat Ḥammim (South) yielded a rock-cut basin and a small cave within a limestone bedrock outcrop. The basin is similar to other rock-cut installations previously exposed in the area and dated to the Chalcolithic period.The manmade rock-cut cave was entered through a shaft. The sediments from the shaft and the cave consisted of many potsherds, stone tools and animal bones, that may have been washed into the cave, or intentionally discarded in it. The cave may have been quarried as early as the Late Chalcolithic period, although the bulk of the pottery dates to EB IA, supporting the presence of a small community of early EB I dwellers in this area.

The chrono-cultural sequence of the Levantine Upper Paleolithic went through several major revisions during approximately a century of focused research, each revision contributing to shedding light on the mosaic of cultural entities and the complex social and cultural dynamics composing the Levantine Upper Paleolithic. The current state of research suggests the co-inhabitance of two cultural groups: the Early Ahmarian and the Levantine Aurignacian. Two other cultural entities, the Arkov-Divshon and the Atlitian, are regarded as younger manifestations and were tentatively suggested to relate to the Levantine Aurignacian. This paper presents a research synthesis of two case studies: Manot Cave, located in western Galilee, Israel, and Nahal Rahaf 2 Rockshelter in the Judean Desert. The application of high-resolution excavation methods, alongside detailed documentation of the stratigraphy and site-formation processes and wide-scale radiocarbon-based absolute dating, marked these sites as ideal for chrono-cultural study through the analyses of flint industries. The results indicate a clear distinction between the Levantine Aurignacian and the Arkov-Divshon/Atlitian industries and a chronological overlap between the Arkov-Divshon, Levantine Aurignacian, and possibly with the Early Ahmarian. Subsequently, we suggest another revision of the currently accepted chrono-cultural model: not two, but at least three cultural entities co-inhabited the Levant at ca. 40-30 ky cal BP. This study further suggests an evolvement of the Atlitian flint industries from the Arkov-Divshon and stresses the foreign cultural features of the Levantine Aurignacian. These results were used to construct an updated model of migration and possible interaction patterns.

Identifying communal rituals in the Paleolithic is of scientific importance, as it reflects the expression of collective identity and the maintenance of group cohesion. This study provides evidence indicating the practice of deep cave collective rituals in the Levant during the Early Upper Paleolithic (EUP) period. It is demonstrated that these gatherings occurred within a distinct ritual compound and were centered around an engraved object in the deepest part of Manot Cave, a pivotal EUP site in southwest Asia. The ritual compound, segregated from the living areas, encompasses a large gallery partitioned by a cluster of remarkable speleothems. Within this gallery, an engraved boulder stands out, displaying geometric signs suggesting a unique representation of a tortoise. Isotopic analysis of calcite crusts on the boulder’s grooves revealed alignment with values found in speleothems from the cave dated to ~37 to 35 ka BP. Additionally, meticulous shape analysis of the grooves’ cross-section and the discernible presence of microlinear scratches on the grooves’ walls confirmed their anthropogenic origin. Examination of stalagmite laminae (36 ka BP) near the engraved boulder revealed a significant presence of wood ash particles within. This finding provides evidence for using fire to illuminate the dark, deep part of the cave during rituals. Acoustic tests conducted in various cave areas indicate that the ritual compound was well suited for communal gatherings, facilitating conversations, speeches, and hearing. Our results underscore the critical role of collective practices centered around a symbolic object in fostering a functional social network within the regional EUP communities.

The site of Manot Cave in western Galilee, Israel, has been a focus of research on the Levantine Upper Paleolithic since its discovery in 2008. Thick archaeological accumulations and good preservation of organic remains, including charcoal fragments, provided a stable base for the study of the Upper Paleolithic chrono-cultural sequence, alongside the paleoenvironmental conditions at the time of human occupations. Past research indicated the presence of at least three cultural entities in the cave: Early Ahmarian, Levantine Aurignacian, and a younger entity temporarily referred to as ‘post-Levantine Aurignacian’, while radiocarbon and isotope dating provided a preliminary chronological frame ca. 46–34 ky calBP.This paper presents a comprehensive study of the unpublished, in-situ occupation layers identified near the entrance to the cave (Area E). This study, encompassing stratigraphic reconstruction and lithic analysis of eight distinct occupation layers, presents a refined chronological frame and revised cultural affiliations. It suggests a division of the sequence from Area E into three main occupation phases: Phase 3, containing a combination of technological and typological attributes comparable to both the Early Ahmarian and Levantine Aurignacian, to which a secure cultural affiliation is pending further research; Phase 2, containing ‘classic’ Levantine Aurignacian industries, dated ca. 37.5–36.0 ky calBP; and Phase 1, contains industries with increasing microlithic dominance, and the prominent presence of truncation burins and items with lateral carination, affiliated here with the Atlitian of the Levantine Mediterranean region. Radiocarbon chronology indicates a maximum age of ca. 34.5–33.1 ky calBP for this occupation phase.This study establishes Manot Cave as a key site for the study of Levantine Upper Paleolithic cultural dynamics, providing a unique, well-dated sequence and comparable techno-typological data of the flint industries.

The terminal Pleistocene Natufian Culture of the Levant is one of the best-documented cases of preagricultural sedentism in prehistory, thanks to the proliferation of durable architecture, burial grounds, and intensified socioeconomic practices. Hof Shahaf, located on the shore of Lake Kinneret in Israel, is a recently excavated Natufian site whose interpretation presents a conundrum. On the one hand, the site produced evidence of architecture, burial, and diverse subsistence practices, just like the rich and permanently occupied hamlets of this culture. On the other hand, it clearly diverged in the meager accumulation of artifacts (lithics and fauna) and an apparent absence of aquatic resource exploitation. Here, we aim to understand the nature of habitation at Hof Shahaf: whether it was a sedentary hamlet, an ephemeral residential camp, or a task-specific logistic locality. The latter two site types are not well documented in the Early Natufian of the Mediterranean climate zone. We provide a zooarchaeological and taphonomic account of the site, supplemented with lithic data, to investigate the paleoenvironment, subsistence, and site-occupation intensity, all against the backdrop of a specific setting (one of the lowest recorded lake stands). Our results indicate that the site primarily falls within a middle ground between classic sedentary hamlets and more specialized sites. It may have functioned as an ephemeral residential camp for foragers traveling to the Kinneret Basin for specific or seasonal tasks. Nevertheless, the site still held some significance, evidenced by the investment in building a large structure and burying the dead.

The production of pottery in East Asia can be traced back to approximately 20,000 years ago. Hunter-gatherer communities utilised pottery for many years before transitioning to agriculture in regions such as China, Japan, and the Russian Far East. While there has been much debate surrounding pottery production in hunter-gatherer societies, little attention has been given to the role of ceramic vessels in the shift to sedentism and agriculture. This research explores the technological aspects of pottery production in both hunter-gatherer societies and societies in the midst of transitioning to agriculture. The study focuses on ceramic assemblages from two sites in the Fuxin Area of Liaoning province, China. The earlier site represents a small semi-sedentary society that relied solely on hunting and gathering, while the later site, around 400 years later, is a village that also incorporates the use of millet. Using petrography, X-ray diffractometry, X-ray florescence, and thermo-gravimetric analyses, the study identifies differences in ceramic production between the two sites, including the use of selective clay and temper types and improved firing techniques at the later site. These technological changes are believed to be due to specific changes in the preferences of sedentary groups, possibly related to food processing during the onset of agriculture. The findings shed light on the relationship between social, economic, and technological variation in prehistoric societies.

The current study focuses on large geometric flint sickle blades found in association with the deceased unearthed during the excavation of the Iron Age cemetery of Tel Erani. The archaeological meaning and interpretation of such a correlation are examined here through the prism of the system of burials and beliefs of Iron Age communities in the southern Levant and previous periods, where sickles and sickle blades were found in funerary contexts. Flint tools in the southern Levant may be divided into belonging to the deceased and used in life, and those serving as offerings to the dead by the community. The presence of sickles and flint sickle blades in burials of the southern Levant from the Chalcolithic period to the Iron Age may be interpreted as part of a ritual symbolizing a relationship between the deceased and agriculture. A concluding interpretation of these findings is presented here based on anthropological and archaeological parallels.