Site Formation Processes at the Late Middle Palaeolithic Site of ‘Ein Qashish: A Micromorphological Study

A micromorphological investigation was conducted at the Late Mousterian site of 'Ein Qashish in the western part of the Jezre'el Valley, northern Israel. Various archaeological and geomorphological features were studied during the 2011 excavation season, using micromorphological methods, aiming at identifying human activities at the site, and understanding the depositional environment and the post-depositional processes the site had gone through. The results of this study indicate two depositional environments at the site: a wet-land environment in a standing body of water, perhaps a marsh, and a dry-land environment on its shore. The sediment reflecting the first type is particularly rich in clay, but relatively poor in coarse fraction. On the other hand, sediment reflecting the second type is poor in clay content and more calcareous, consisting of tightly-packed coarse fraction inclusions of clastic and anthropogenic origins, the former reflecting the Mount Carmel geological environment. Rounded sand originating in coastal sand dunes are also observed here. This study demonstrates that the ancient body of water had gone through several cycles of expansion and regression. During at least one of these regression cycles, Late Mousterian groups occupied its fringes. However, no in situ activities were identified. This study also sheds light on the environmental conditions prevailing at this site ∼64,000 years BP