Abstract
The mid-Middle Paleolithic (late Marine Isotope Stage 6 and Marine Isotope Stage 5) is the least documented phase of the Levantine Middle Paleolithic (MP), especially concerning flint provisioning strategies. Our study of raw material exploitation at Nesher Ramla karst sinkhole (central Coastal Plain, Israel) provides an intriguing glimpse into the decision making of mid-Middle Paleolithic hominins. In this study we focused on the identification of the provisioning strategies derived from two horizons (which we dubbed the “Pelvis Horizon” and the “Stones Horizon”) from the upper part of the Nesher Ramla sequence. We applied several analytical measures: a survey of raw material sources, material composition and typo-technological analyses of the archaeological assemblages, mainly using the chaîne opératoire approach and a taphonomic-taxonomic analysis of the faunal assemblages. Our study demonstrates that different lithic provisioning strategies were practiced in each horizon. The findings for the Pelvis Horizon are particularly interesting. They offer strong evidence for hunter-gatherers’ personal toolkits associated with the provisioning of individuals strategy. The Stones Horizon, conversely, produced a mixed signal, containing evidence for both intensive in situ knapping and mobile toolkits. The faunal remains echo these differences: Compared to the Stones Horizon, the zooarchaeological assemblage of the Pelvis Horizon presents lower frequencies of bone fracturing, anthropogenic modifications, and burning. Accordingly, during the Pelvis Horizon, the site most likely functioned as an ephemeral hunting station whereas, during the Stones Horizon, it hosted a broader range of activities and longer occupations. These observations shed light on the variability of south Levantine MP mobility patterns, modes of occupation, and site function.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 19-33 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | Quaternary International |
| Volume | 624 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 30 Jun 2022 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2021 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA
Funding
The research of the Nesher Ramla site was supported by the Israel Science Foundation (grant number 1773/15 to Y.Z.). The zooarchaeological study was funded by the Israel Science Foundation (Grant number 1258/17 to R.Y.). This paper is a summary of O.V's M.A. thesis. O.V would like to thank Isaac Gilead and Steve Rosen for their useful remarks on his thesis and their support during his M.A. studies. We would like to thank Sergey Alon for helping to prepare the figures. Thanks are also due to Marion Prévost and Laura Centi for participating in the raw materials survey. We would like to thank Lotan Edeltin for his useful comments. We are grateful to the editor and for two anonymous reviewers. The research of the Nesher Ramla site was supported by the Israel Science Foundation (grant number 1773/15 to Y.Z.). The zooarchaeological study was funded by the Israel Science Foundation (Grant number 1258/17 to R.Y.). This paper is a summary of O.V's M.A. thesis. O.V would like to thank Isaac Gilead and Steve Rosen for their useful remarks on his thesis and their support during his M.A. studies. We would like to thank Sergey Alon for helping to prepare the figures. Thanks are also due to Marion Prévost and Laura Centi for participating in the raw materials survey. We would like to thank Lotan Edeltin for his useful comments. We are grateful to the editor and for two anonymous reviewers.
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| Isaac Gilead | |
| Israel Science Foundation | 1258/17, 1773/15 |
Keywords
- Hunting station
- Middle paleolithic
- Mobility pattern
- Provisioning strategies
- Raw material exploitation
- Site function
