The Excavations in Kebara Cave, Mt. Carmel [and Comments and Replies]

Abstract

This paper summarizes the results of recent excavations (1982-90) at the Middle Paleolithic site of Kebara Cave. Work at the cave by earlier excavators is also discussed. Although analysis of the Kebara materials is still far from completed, an overview of the current stage of the investigations includes (1) a synthesis of the site's complex stratigraphy and dating; (2) a description of the spatial patterning of hearths, ash lenses, and bone and artifact concentrations; (3) results of in situ mineralogical studies of cave sediments to determine whether the observed spatial distribution of fossil animal bones is an accurate reflection of past human and/or scavenger activities in the cave or an artifact of differential postdepositional bone loss through groundwater dissolution; (4) a synthesis of the Mousterian stone tool assemblages focusing on.the technology of tool production as reflected in chaînes opératoires (a brief summary of the site's Upper Paleolithic assemblages is also provided); (5) an in-depth taphonomic.