The Chalcolithic – Early Bronze Age Transition: A View from the Judean Desert Caves, Southern Levant

摘要

This paper reviews earlier suggestions regarding the date and nature of the Late Chalcolithic (Ghassulian) presence in hardly-accessible caves of the Judean Desert cliffs, and their possible relations to the end of the Ghassulian Culture and the Chalcolithic-Early Bronze transition. In addition, it probes into the material remains and radiometric evidence of two caves, the “ Cave of the Warrior” and Zruia Cave, dated to the first half of the 4th millennium BC, while addressing issues of temporal and cultural affi liations of that time-span. It argues that caves were used as temporary refuges during the Late Chalcolithic and the Early Bronze IB 1 (i. e., “ Erani C”) horizon. These periods are separated by at least half a millennium, during which only meager activity, of as yet unclear nature, took place in the region.