Late Pleistocene and Holocene equid remains from Israel

Abstract

Equid remains-mostly isolated teeth-from archaeological sites in Israel are described. Particular attention is paid to dental enamel fold morphology and criteria are established tor separating several Old World Quaternary equid species. Equus hydruntinus, which is here considered a zebra rather than an ass, was present until 12,000 bp in northern Israel, while at the same time E. asinus/hemionus inhabited the arid regions in the south. Inirequent remains of E. caballus are also described. By 4000 years ago ass, probably the domestic form, was present in northern Israel.