The chronology of the late Lower Paleolithic in the Levant based on U-Th ages of speleothems from Qesem Cave, Israel

A. Gopher; A. Ayalon; M. Bar-Matthews; R. Barkai; A. Frumkin; P. Karkanas; R. Shahack-Gross

doi:10.1016/j.quageo.2010.03.003

The chronology of the late Lower Paleolithic in the Levant based on U-Th ages of speleothems from Qesem Cave, Israel

A. Gopher
, A. Ayalon
, M. Bar-Matthews
, R. Barkai
, A. Frumkin
, P. Karkanas
, R. Shahack-Gross

The Martin (Szusz) Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology

Tel Aviv University
Geological Survey of Israel
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Ephoreia of Palaeoanthropology-Speleology of Southern Greece
Weizmann Institute of Science

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

127 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present here the results of a U-Th dating project at Qesem Cave, a Middle Pleistocene, late Lower Paleolithic site in Israel. It provides 54 new MC-ICP-MS U-Th ages for speleothems from the cave. The results indicate that human occupation started sometime between ∼420 and 320 ka and ended between 220 and 194 ka. A survey of dates from culturally similar sites in the Levant indicates that the general range of ca. 400-ca. 200 ka is an appropriate estimate for the life span of the Acheulo-Yabrudian Cultural Complex (AYCC).

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	644-656
Number of pages	13
Journal	Quaternary Geochronology
Volume	5
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quageo.2010.03.003
State	Published - Dec 2010

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The U-series dating project was supported by a grant of the Wenner Gren Foundation . Field work at Qesem Cave and laboratory work were supported by grants of the Israel Science Foundation , CARE archaeological foundation , Leakey Foundation and the Thyssen Foundation .

Funding

The U-series dating project was supported by a grant of the Wenner Gren Foundation . Field work at Qesem Cave and laboratory work were supported by grants of the Israel Science Foundation , CARE archaeological foundation , Leakey Foundation and the Thyssen Foundation .

Funders
CARE Archaeological Foundation
Wenner-Gren Stiftelserna
Leakey Foundation
Israel Science Foundation
Thyssen Foundation

Keywords

Acheulo-Yabrudian complex
Israel
Lower Paleolithic
Qesem Cave
U-series dating

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10.1016/j.quageo.2010.03.003

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title = "The chronology of the late Lower Paleolithic in the Levant based on U-Th ages of speleothems from Qesem Cave, Israel",

abstract = "We present here the results of a U-Th dating project at Qesem Cave, a Middle Pleistocene, late Lower Paleolithic site in Israel. It provides 54 new MC-ICP-MS U-Th ages for speleothems from the cave. The results indicate that human occupation started sometime between ∼420 and 320 ka and ended between 220 and 194 ka. A survey of dates from culturally similar sites in the Levant indicates that the general range of ca. 400-ca. 200 ka is an appropriate estimate for the life span of the Acheulo-Yabrudian Cultural Complex (AYCC).",

keywords = "Acheulo-Yabrudian complex, Israel, Lower Paleolithic, Qesem Cave, U-series dating",

author = "A. Gopher and A. Ayalon and M. Bar-Matthews and R. Barkai and A. Frumkin and P. Karkanas and R. Shahack-Gross",

note = "Funding Information: The U-series dating project was supported by a grant of the Wenner Gren Foundation . Field work at Qesem Cave and laboratory work were supported by grants of the Israel Science Foundation , CARE archaeological foundation , Leakey Foundation and the Thyssen Foundation . ",

year = "2010",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1016/j.quageo.2010.03.003",

language = "אנגלית",

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AU - Gopher, A.

AU - Ayalon, A.

AU - Bar-Matthews, M.

AU - Barkai, R.

AU - Frumkin, A.

AU - Karkanas, P.

AU - Shahack-Gross, R.

N1 - Funding Information: The U-series dating project was supported by a grant of the Wenner Gren Foundation . Field work at Qesem Cave and laboratory work were supported by grants of the Israel Science Foundation , CARE archaeological foundation , Leakey Foundation and the Thyssen Foundation .

PY - 2010/12

Y1 - 2010/12

N2 - We present here the results of a U-Th dating project at Qesem Cave, a Middle Pleistocene, late Lower Paleolithic site in Israel. It provides 54 new MC-ICP-MS U-Th ages for speleothems from the cave. The results indicate that human occupation started sometime between ∼420 and 320 ka and ended between 220 and 194 ka. A survey of dates from culturally similar sites in the Levant indicates that the general range of ca. 400-ca. 200 ka is an appropriate estimate for the life span of the Acheulo-Yabrudian Cultural Complex (AYCC).

AB - We present here the results of a U-Th dating project at Qesem Cave, a Middle Pleistocene, late Lower Paleolithic site in Israel. It provides 54 new MC-ICP-MS U-Th ages for speleothems from the cave. The results indicate that human occupation started sometime between ∼420 and 320 ka and ended between 220 and 194 ka. A survey of dates from culturally similar sites in the Levant indicates that the general range of ca. 400-ca. 200 ka is an appropriate estimate for the life span of the Acheulo-Yabrudian Cultural Complex (AYCC).

KW - Acheulo-Yabrudian complex

KW - Israel

KW - Lower Paleolithic

KW - Qesem Cave

KW - U-series dating

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/78649715538

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DO - 10.1016/j.quageo.2010.03.003

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AN - SCOPUS:78649715538

SN - 1871-1014

VL - 5

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JO - Quaternary Geochronology

JF - Quaternary Geochronology

IS - 6

ER -

The chronology of the late Lower Paleolithic in the Levant based on U-Th ages of speleothems from Qesem Cave, Israel

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

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