Intra-site variability – Analysis, characterization, and cultural affiliation of the Upper Paleolithic sequence of Manot Cave (western Galilee, Israel)

Maayan Shemer; Omry Barzilai; Elisabetta Boaretto; Israel Hershkovitz; Ron Lavi; Lotan Edeltin; Ofer Marder

doi:10.1016/j.ara.2024.100501

Intra-site variability – Analysis, characterization, and cultural affiliation of the Upper Paleolithic sequence of Manot Cave (western Galilee, Israel)

Maayan Shemer, Omry Barzilai, Elisabetta Boaretto, Israel Hershkovitz, Ron Lavi, Lotan Edeltin, Ofer Marder

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

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 This paper presents a comprehensive study of the unpublished, in-situ occupation layers identified near the entrance to the cave (Area E).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.

Original language	English
Article number	100501
Journal	Archaeological Research in Asia
Volume	37
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ara.2024.100501
State	Published - Mar 2024
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Elsevier Ltd

Funding

The research of Manot Cave is a joint project of the Ben-Gurion University, Tel Aviv University, and the Israel Antiquities Authority. The project is supported by the Israel Science Foundation (Grants #338/14, #999/18); the Binational Science Foundation (Grant #2015303); the Dan David Foundation; the Irene Levi-Sala CARE Foundation; the Leaky Foundation and Case Western Reserve University. Flint drawings included in this paper were produced by M. Smilansky, L. Zeiger, and S. Alon. Flint photography by E. Ostrovskiy. Field photography by H. Parow-Souchon. We wish to thank Ms. Laura Costello and the Peabody Museum in Cambridge MA, for access granted to the stored collections from Ksâr ‘Akil Rockshelter. Special thanks to T. Tejero, D. Bar-Yosef Mayer, L. Davis, R. Shavit, H. Parow-Souchon, M. Goder-Goldberger, T. Abulafia, and the numerous colleagues, students, and volunteers who took part in the excavations at the cave and in the post-excavation processing of the finds throughout the years. We wish to express our deepest gratitude to A. Belfer-Cohen for her insightful comments in reading earlier versions of this manuscript, that undoubtedly helped to improve it. The research of Manot Cave is a joint project of the Ben-Gurion University, Tel Aviv University, and the Israel Antiquities Authority. The project is supported by the Israel Science Foundation (Grants #338/14 , #999/18 ); the Binational Science Foundation (Grant #2015303 ); the Dan David Foundation; the Irene Levi-Sala CARE Foundation; the Leaky Foundation and Case Western Reserve University . Flint drawings included in this paper were produced by M. Smilansky, L. Zeiger, and S. Alon. Flint photography by E. Ostrovskiy. Field photography by H. Parow-Souchon. We wish to thank Ms. Laura Costello and the Peabody Museum in Cambridge MA, for access granted to the stored collections from Ksâr ‘Akil Rockshelter. Special thanks to T. Tejero, D. Bar-Yosef Mayer, L. Davis, R. Shavit, H. Parow-Souchon, M. Goder-Goldberger, T. Abulafia, and the numerous colleagues, students, and volunteers who took part in the excavations at the cave and in the post-excavation processing of the finds throughout the years.

Funders	Funder number
Irene Levi-Sala CARE Foundation
Israel Antiquities Authority
Case Western Reserve University
Leaky Foundation
Dan David Prize
United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation	2015303
Israel Science Foundation	338/14, 999/18
Tel Aviv University
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Keywords

Atlitian
Cultural dynamics
Flint technology
Levantine Aurignacian
Radiocarbon chronology
Southern Levant

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10.1016/j.ara.2024.100501

Cite this

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title = "Intra-site variability – Analysis, characterization, and cultural affiliation of the Upper Paleolithic sequence of Manot Cave (western Galilee, Israel)",

abstract = "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 {\textquoteleft}post-Levantine Aurignacian{\textquoteright}, 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 {\textquoteleft}classic{\textquoteright} 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.",

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author = "Maayan Shemer and Omry Barzilai and Elisabetta Boaretto and Israel Hershkovitz and Ron Lavi and Lotan Edeltin and Ofer Marder",

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doi = "10.1016/j.ara.2024.100501",

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Intra-site variability – Analysis, characterization, and cultural affiliation of the Upper Paleolithic sequence of Manot Cave (western Galilee, Israel)

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

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