Radiocarbon chronology of Manot Cave, Israel and Upper Paleolithic dispersals

Author

Bridget Alex
Omry Barzilai
Israel Hershkovitz

Files

Publication Date

November 2017

Abstract

The timing of archeological industries in the Levant is central for understanding the spread of modern humans with Upper Paleolithic traditions. We report a high-resolution radiocarbon chronology for Early Upper Paleolithic industries (Early Ahmarian and Levantine Aurignacian) from the newly excavated site of Manot Cave, Israel. The dates confirm that the Early Ahmarian industry was present by 46,000 calibrated years before the present (cal BP), and the Levantine Aurignacian occurred at least between 38,000 and 34,000 cal BP. This timing is consistent with proposed migrations or technological diffusions between the Near East and Europe. Specifically, the Ahmarian could have led to the development of the Protoaurignacian in Europe, and the Aurignacian in Europe could have spread back to the Near East as the Levantine Aurignacian.

Keywords

Radiocarbon Chronology, Manot Cave, Isreal, Upper Paleolithic Dispersals

Document Type

Article

Notes

Science Advances, Vol. 3, no. 11 (2017-11-15).

Identifier

K26-05148

Recommended Citation

Alex, Bridget; Barzilai, Omry; and Hershkovitz, Israel, "Radiocarbon chronology of Manot Cave, Israel and Upper Paleolithic dispersals" (2017). KIP Articles. 4964.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/kip_articles/4964