Nahal Ein Gev I : A Late Upper Palaeolithic Site by the Sea of Galilee, Israel - article ; n°1 ; vol.30, pg 25-45

A. Belfer-Cohen, Davidzon A., Goring-Morris A.N., Lieberman D., Spiers M.

Description

Paléorient - Année 2004 - Volume 30 - Numéro 1 - Pages 25-45
Sont présentés ici les résultats de fouilles qui furent reprises sur le gisement paléolithique supérieur tardif de Nahal Ein Gev l, situé sur la rive orientale du lac de Tibériade. L 'assemblage lithique est caractérisé par un débitage sommaire à éclats grossiers obtenu à l 'aide d'un percuteur dur. Parmi les outils prédominent les burins sur troncatures et encoches clactoniennes. Les autres classes d 'outils n 'apparaissent pas spécialement standardisées mais comportent une petite composante microlithique. Ces résultats recoupent largement ceux obtenus lors des fouilles antérieures et montrent bien que l 'assemblage décrit est représentatif de l 'ensemble du site. Il semble presque certain que les restes humains qui avaient été signalés appartiennent bien au site ; celui-ci devait être un camp de prédateurs comme l 'indique la grande variété des restes d 'animaux recueillis.
Dans le cadre du Paléolithique supérieur tardif l'assemblage appartient à l 'entité Atlitienne comme le montrent aussi bien la technologie que la typologie alors qu 'ils n 'offrent peu, si ce n 'est aucune, ressemblance avec les industries de l'Aurignacien levantin.
This paper presents the results of renewed excavations at the late Upper Palaeolithic site of Nahal Ein Gev 1 on the eastern margins of the Sea of Galilee. The lithic assemblage is characterised by a chunky flake technology produced using a hard hammer. The tool repertoire is heavily dominated by burins on Clactonian truncations and notches. Other tool classes are not especially standardised, and there is a small microlithic component. The results broadly conform to those of the previous excavations and corroborate that the described assemblage is indeed representative of the site as a whole. It seems almost certain that the previously described skeletal remains are indeed integral to the site, which appears to represent a foraging camp as indicated by the broad range offaunal remains. The assemblage is placed within the framework of the later Upper Palaeolithic Atlitian entity. It is concluded that the techno-typolog- ical configuration of this and comparable Atlitian assemblages bear little, if any, resemblance to Levantine Aurignacian industries.
21 pages
Source : Persée ; Ministère de la jeunesse, de l’éducation nationale et de la recherche, Direction de l’enseignement supérieur, Sous-direction des bibliothèques et de la documentation.

Informations

• Publié par: PALEORIENT
• Publié le: 01 janvier 2004
• Nombre de lectures: 154
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 4 Mo

Extrait

M. Spiers
Daniel E. Lieberman
A. N. Goring-Morris
A. Davidzon
Anna Belfer-Cohen
Nahal Ein Gev I : A Late Upper Palaeolithic Site by the Sea of
Galilee, Israel
In: Paléorient. 2004, Vol. 30 N°1. pp. 25-45.
Citer ce document / Cite this document :
Spiers M., Lieberman Daniel E., Goring-Morris A. N., Davidzon A., Belfer-Cohen Anna. Nahal Ein Gev I : A Late Upper
Palaeolithic Site by the Sea of Galilee, Israel. In: Paléorient. 2004, Vol. 30 N°1. pp. 25-45.
doi : 10.3406/paleo.2004.4771
http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/paleo_0153-9345_2004_num_30_1_4771Abstract
This paper presents the results of renewed excavations at the late Upper Palaeolithic site of Nahal Ein
Gev 1 on the eastern margins of the Sea of Galilee. The lithic assemblage is characterised by a chunky
flake technology produced using a hard hammer. The tool repertoire is heavily dominated by burins on
Clactonian truncations and notches. Other tool classes are not especially standardised, and there is a
small microlithic component. The results broadly conform to those of the previous excavations and
corroborate that the described assemblage is indeed representative of the site as a whole. It seems
almost certain that the previously described skeletal remains are indeed integral to the site, which
appears to represent a foraging camp as indicated by the broad range offaunal remains. The
assemblage is placed within the framework of the later Upper Palaeolithic "Atlitian " entity. It is
concluded that the techno-typolog- ical configuration of this and comparable Atlitian assemblages bear
little, if any, resemblance to Levantine Aurignacian industries.
Résumé
Sont présentés ici les résultats de fouilles qui furent reprises sur le gisement paléolithique supérieur
tardif de Nahal Ein Gev l, situé sur la rive orientale du lac de Tibériade. L 'assemblage lithique est
caractérisé par un débitage sommaire à éclats grossiers obtenu à l 'aide d'un percuteur dur. Parmi les
outils prédominent les burins sur troncatures et encoches clactoniennes. Les autres classes d 'outils n
'apparaissent pas spécialement standardisées mais comportent une petite composante microlithique.
Ces résultats recoupent largement ceux obtenus lors des fouilles antérieures et montrent bien que l
'assemblage décrit est représentatif de l 'ensemble du site. Il semble presque certain que les restes
humains qui avaient été signalés appartiennent bien au site ; celui-ci devait être un camp de prédateurs
comme l 'indique la grande variété des restes d 'animaux recueillis.
Dans le cadre du Paléolithique supérieur tardif l'assemblage appartient à l 'entité Atlitienne comme le
montrent aussi bien la technologie que la typologie alors qu 'ils n 'offrent peu, si ce n 'est aucune,
ressemblance avec les industries de l'Aurignacien levantin.,
Nahal Ein Gev I :
a late upper palaeolithic site by
the Sea of Galilee, Israel
A. Belfer-Cohen, A. Davidzon, A.N. Goring-Morris, d. Lieberman and M. Spiers
Abstract : This paper presents the results of renewed excavations at the late Upper Palaeolithic site of Nahal Ein Gev 1 on the eastern
margins of the Sea of Galilee. The lithic assemblage is characterised by a chunky flake technology produced using a hard hammer. The
tool repertoire is heavily dominated by burins on Clactonian truncations and notches. Other tool classes are not especially standardised,
and there is a small microlithic component. The results broadly conform to those of the previous excavations1 and corroborate that the
described assemblage is indeed representative of the site as a whole. It seems almost certain that the previously described skeletal
remains2 are indeed integral to the site, which appears to represent a foraging camp as indicated by the broad range offaunal remains.
The assemblage is placed within the framework of the later Upper Palaeolithic "Atlitian " entity. It is concluded that the techno-typolog-
ical configuration of this and comparable Atlitian assemblages bear little, if any, resemblance to Levantine Aurignacian industries.
Résumé : Sont présentés ici les résultats de fouilles qui furent reprises sur le gisement paléolithique supérieur tardif de Nahal Ein Gev
l, situé sur la rive orientale du lac de Tibériade. L 'assemblage lithique est caractérisé par un débitage sommaire à éclats grossiers obtenu
à l 'aide d 'un percuteur dur. Parmi les outils prédominent les burins sur troncatures et encoches clactoniennes. Les autres classes d 'outils
n 'apparaissent pas spécialement standardisées mais comportent une petite composante microlithique. Ces résultats recoupent largement
ceux obtenus lors des fouilles antérieures et montrent bien que l 'assemblage décrit est représentatif de l 'ensemble du site. Il semble pres
que certain que les restes humains qui avaient été signalés appartiennent bien au site ; celui-ci devait être un camp de prédateurs comme
l 'indique la grande variété des restes d 'animaux recueillis.
Dans le cadre du Paléolithique supérieur tardif l 'assemblage appartient à l 'entité Atlitienne comme le montrent aussi bien la technolo
gie que la typologie alors qu 'ils n 'offrent peu, si ce n 'est aucune, ressemblance avec les industries de l'Aurignacien levantin.
Key-Words : Southern Levant, Late Upper Palaeolithic, Atlitian, Lithic techno-typology.
Mots Clefs : Levant Sud, Paléolithique supérieur tardif, Atlitien, Techno-typologie lithique.
More than half a century after the broad outlines of the lithic Stage V of Neuville3 or within the "Atlitian" entity of
Levantine Upper Palaeolithic sequence were defined, the later Garrod4 (fig. 1). Accordingly the assemblage obtained from
part of the Upper in the region remains poorly the initial excavations at Nahal Ein Gev I was referred to as
documented and understood. Originally the cultural entities "Levantine Aurignacian C" or Neuville's Stage V5, although
pertaining to this period were incorporated in Upper Palaeo- it was clear to all (including the original excavator) that the
3. NFUVILLE, 1951.
1 BAR-YOSEF 1973 4- Garrod and Bate, 1937.
2. ARENSBURG, 1977. 5- BAR-YOSEF, 1973.
Palčorient, vol. 30/1 p. 25-46 С CNRS ÉDITIONS 2004 Manuscrit reçu le 14 janvier 2004, accepté le 10 juin 2004 26 A. belfhr-Cohen, a. davidzon, a.n. goring-Morris, d. lieberman and M. Spiers
assemblage in question differs significantly from that of layer 1993 FIELD SEASON
С at el-Wad, i.e. the type-assemblage of Garrod's "Atlitian"
Since the vicinity of the site had been substantially altered entity. The Atlitian was considered to represent the culminat
in the intervening years due to the construction of a cattle ion or latest phase of the Upper Palaeolithic "Aurignacian"
enclosure and various fences and gates, it was difficult to pretradition, as summarized by Copeland6. Still, as has recently
cisely locate the previous excavation areas. Accordingly, a been discussed, an increasing awareness has developed con
series of 19 1 x 1 m test pits was excavated upslope from cerning the complexity of Upper Palaeolithic developments
where the previous excavations were thought to have centred, within the Levant7. Details of the lithic assemblage deriving
adjacent to the bulldozer trench, mostly at intervals of 5 m from renewed investigations at Nahal Ein Gev I below are fo
northwards towards the base of the nearby Tel Nuqeib llowed by a discussion of the site within the broader context of
(figs 2-3). The 1 x 1 m test pits were excavated in 10 cm spits later Upper Palaeolithic developments in the region.
to depths of 50-100 cm with the aim of elucidating the spread
of the site and the location of potentially in situ deposits. In
addition, a short geological test pit measuring 3.0 x 0.5 m was
LOCATION AND HISTORY OF RESEARCH excavated in the vicinity of the original bulldozer trench
downslope to the southwest. Subsequent examination of air
photos and visits by participants of the first project during the The site of Nahal Ein Gev I is located on the northern bank
of Nahal Ein Gev, some 160 m below sea level, ca 3 km east
of the shore of Lake Kinneret - the Sea of Galilee (fig. 1 )8. The
site was originally discovered in 1971 eroding from a bul
ldozer trench immediately to the south of the biblical Tell
Nuqeib during a survey in the area9. A small test excavation of
5 x 5 m2 was initiated at that time to recover the remains of an
articulated human skeleton, which had been exposed within
the trench section. The associated finds included Upper Palae
olithic lithic material, faunal remains, as well as later proto-
historic pottery and lithics. The lithic assemblage was assigned
to the late "Levantine Aurignacian" on techno-typological
grounds. Comparative fluoride tests at the time indicated that
the skeleton (of a 30-35 years old female) most likely predated
the Epipalaeolithic period10. A further test pit of 3 m2 was
later place