Neve David
Encyclopedia
Neve David is an Early Epipaleolithic
site located at the foot of the western slope of the Mount Carmel
hills in northern Israel. It was inhabited in the later part of the Early Epipaleolithic, about 15,000–13,000 BC.
Today, the Neve David site is just about 1 km from the Mediterranean coastline, but in the final Pleistocene
, it was 10 – 13 km from the shore, overlooking a broad coastal plain. It was thus situated at an ecotone
, the boundary between two contrasting ecological zones, with the seasonally dry valleys of the Mount Carmel limestone massif to its east, and the Mediterranean coastal plain to its west. Such locations with access to two complementing ecological resources were favoured by many Epipaleolithic and Neolithic
communities.
The faunal remains found at Neve David comprised 15 mammal species, two reptile species and seven genera of molluscs. Bone fractures, cut marks and burned bones reflect human activity. The major prey species were gazelle and fallow deer (60% and 30%, respectively), comparable to many other Epipaleolithic sites from Israel.
The inhabitants of Neve David were still hunter-gatherers, no signs of agriculture or animal domestication have been found there.
Epipaleolithic
The Epipaleolithic Age was a period in the development of human technology marked by more advanced stone blades and other tools than the earlier Paleolithic age, although still before the development of agriculture in the Neolithic age...
site located at the foot of the western slope of the Mount Carmel
Mount Carmel
Mount Carmel ; , Kármēlos; , Kurmul or جبل مار إلياس Jabal Mar Elyas 'Mount Saint Elias') is a coastal mountain range in northern Israel stretching from the Mediterranean Sea towards the southeast. Archaeologists have discovered ancient wine and oil presses at various locations on Mt. Carmel...
hills in northern Israel. It was inhabited in the later part of the Early Epipaleolithic, about 15,000–13,000 BC.
Today, the Neve David site is just about 1 km from the Mediterranean coastline, but in the final Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
, it was 10 – 13 km from the shore, overlooking a broad coastal plain. It was thus situated at an ecotone
Ecotone
An ecotone is a transition area between two biomes but different patches of the landscape, such as forest and grassland. It may be narrow or wide, and it may be local or regional...
, the boundary between two contrasting ecological zones, with the seasonally dry valleys of the Mount Carmel limestone massif to its east, and the Mediterranean coastal plain to its west. Such locations with access to two complementing ecological resources were favoured by many Epipaleolithic and Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
communities.
Settlement
At c. 1000 square meters, Neve David was one of the larger settlements of its time, and the thickness of its archaeological deposit layer of about 1 meter indicates that it was occupied repeatedly over a long period. Being an open air site, the good preservation of its remains implies the implementation of solid structures of soil and clay. It yielded large quantities of ground-stone implements, most made of local limestone, but some also of black basalt brought there from some distance.The faunal remains found at Neve David comprised 15 mammal species, two reptile species and seven genera of molluscs. Bone fractures, cut marks and burned bones reflect human activity. The major prey species were gazelle and fallow deer (60% and 30%, respectively), comparable to many other Epipaleolithic sites from Israel.
Cultural traits
Two burials have been found at the Neve David site. One of these contained the remains of a 23–30 year old male, who was interred in a grave pit lined with stone slabs. Over his head, a stone mortar was placed upside-down, and a part of a broken basalt bowl was found behind his neck. Between his thighs, pieces of a flat basalt grinding slab were laid. The careful construction of the grave and the grave offerings presage later Natufian burials.The inhabitants of Neve David were still hunter-gatherers, no signs of agriculture or animal domestication have been found there.