Fauna from the Early Natufian Site of Upper Besor 6 in the Central Negev, Israel.

摘要

Investigations of Upper Besor 6 at the edge of the central Negev highlands revealed the earliest evidence in the region for a forager basecamp with durable architectural remains and associated domestic installations. The site was first founded during the Terminal Ramonian ca. 12.500 BP (uncalihrated), the local, equivalent of the Early Natufian, but continued to be used during the Late Natufian and was also sporadically visited during the Harifian. The excavations yielded a small faunal assemblage, most derives from the initial, Terminal Ramonian occupation. Species represented include : gazelle identified as mountain gazelle ( Gazelia gazelia), ibex (Capra ibex) and a large sized equid tentatively identified as the Nubian wild ass (Equus africanus). Ostrich (Struthio camelus) eggshell fragments, some incised, were recovered, as were large quantities of dentalium shells (Dentalium sp.). These data, are discussed, in relation to other early Natufian assemblages from the arid zones of the southern Levant.