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. 2020 Apr 3;15(4):e0231109.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231109. eCollection 2020.

New insights into early MIS 5 lithic technological behavior in the Levant: Nesher Ramla, Israel as a case study

Marion Prévost  1 , Yossi Zaidner  1
Affiliations

New insights into early MIS 5 lithic technological behavior in the Levant: Nesher Ramla, Israel as a case study

Marion Prévost et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Interpreting human behavioral patterns during the Middle Paleolithic in the Levant is crucial for better understanding the dispersals and evolution of Homo sapiens and their possible interactions with other hominin groups. Here, we reconstruct the technological behavior, focusing on the centripetal Levallois method at Nesher Ramla karst sinkhole, Israel. Nesher Ramla karst sinkhole is dated to the Marine Isotope stages (MIS) 6 and 5 and represents one of the oldest occurrences of the centripetal Levallois reduction strategy in the Near East. The Levallois centripetal technology is often seen as a marker of human dispersals and adaptations in the Middle Paleolithic/Middle Stone Age of Africa and the Near East. This technology is documented in East African sites as early as 300 kya and in the Levant as early as 130 kya. However, the degree of similarity between African and Levantine centripetal technology and whether it originates from the same source remain under debate. In this paper, we focus on describing the lithic organization at Unit III of Nesher Ramla (dated to MIS 5), which is dominated by the centripetal Levallois method in association with other reduction sequences. Both preferential and recurrent centripetal Levallois modes were used at the site to produce oval and rectangular flakes. Other minor reduction sequences include unidirectional convergent method for Levallois points production and a specific method for the manufacture of naturally backed knives. The lithic data from Unit III of Nesher Ramla is further used in inter-site comparisons suggesting that the mid-Middle Paleolithic sites in the Near East possess common technological characteristics, especially the use of the centripetal Levallois method as predominant reduction strategy. This trend differs from what is usually observed in Africa and Europe, where the centripetal Levallois method is modestly represented during MIS 5 and is accompanied by other, more dominant, reduction strategies.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Location and stratigraphy of the Nesher Ramla site.
A: The geographical location of the site (map modified after Natural Earth, public domain). B: The karst sinkhole profile with the position of the archaeological sequence. C: The stratigraphic sequence. D: The plan of the excavated area of Unit III; the green squares are those that were analyzed during this study and the pink squares are those that were excluded.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Examples of anthropogenic features found in Unit III.
A: The surface of Unit III exhibiting some of the anthropogenic features. B, C: The circular accumulations of stones, bones, and flint artifacts. D: Locus 34 is a concentration of ashes, black sediments, and burnt bones. E: Locus 39 is a dense accumulation of fragmented bones, flint artifacts, and manuports.
Fig 3
Fig 3. Raw material representation of the Unit III lithic assemblage.
A: General assemblage. B: Core types. C: Non-Levallois débitage categories. D: Levallois end- and by- products. E: Retouched tools.
Fig 4
Fig 4. Levallois cores scar patterns.
Directions of the scar patterns on Levallois cores according to the modes and methods of preparation and exploitation.
Fig 5
Fig 5. Levallois cores.
a, b, c, d, e: Preferential Levallois cores; f, g, h, i: Recurrent Levallois cores; j: A refit of a Levallois core, a Levallois flake, and a flaking surface rectification flake; k: A refit of a Levallois core with 2 superimposed débordant flakes.
Fig 6
Fig 6. Core trimming elements.
a, b, c: “Primary” débordant flake; d: A refitting of two “primary” débordant flakes; e, f: “Secondary” débordant flakes; g: Pseudo-Levallois flake; h, i: Pseudo-Levallois points.
Fig 7
Fig 7. Levallois products.
a-k: Levallois flakes (mostly preferential); l, m: Levallois points.
Fig 8
Fig 8. Cores.
a, b: NBKC (Naturally Backed Knife Production Core); c, d, e, f: NBKs (Naturally Backed Knives); g, h: Core-on-flakes; i: Refits of a core-on-flake and Kombewa flake; j, k, l: Nahr Ibrahim pieces; m: A hierarchical surface core that possibly represents a preform of a Levallois core.
Fig 9
Fig 9. The length and width distribution of core types.
LEVC = Levallois cores; NBKC = NBK production cores; HSC = Hierarchical surface cores.
Fig 10
Fig 10. Typology according to the blank types.
Correlation between typology and selected types of blanks.
Fig 11
Fig 11. Retouched tools and spalls.
a, b, c, d, e, f, h: simple side scrapers; g: convergent scraper. i: simple side scraper with truncation; j: déjeté scraper; k, l, m: scrapers with LTB; n-o: retouched LTB spalls. (Pictures a, b, c, d, f by T. Rogovski).
Fig 12
Fig 12. Flint raw materials characteristics.
A: The frequency of flint types according to the morphology of the “nodules”; B: The frequency of flint types by major categories.
Fig 13
Fig 13. Levallois reduction sequences.
Suggested schematic Levallois reduction sequences by raw material types observed in Unit III.
Fig 14
Fig 14. Geographical and temporal distribution of the Levallois centripetal system.
Is = Israel, Le = Lebanon, Sy = Syria, SA = Saudi Arabia, Om = Oman, Eg = Egypt, Ke = Kenya, Et = Ethiopia, Tr = Turkey, Gr = Greece, Bu = Bulgaria, Ma = Macedonia, Pl = Poland, Ge = Germany, UK = United Kingdom, Be = Belgium, Fr = France, It = Italy, Sp = Spain. (S5 Table).
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Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Israel Science Foundation (grant number 1773/15) to Y.Z. https://www.isf.org.il The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.