In April and May 2013, a trial excavation was conducted at the Sha‘ar Ha-‘Amaqim site (Permit No. A-6747; map ref. 210083–203/736436–547), prior to widening a section of Highway 6. The excavation, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and financed by the Cross Israel Highway Company, Ltd., was directed by D. Kirzner (photography), with the assistance of Y. Amrani and E. Bachar (administration), E. Shukron (area supervision), R. Mishayev and M. Kahan (surveying and drafting), H. Ben-Ari (GPS), M. Smilanski (drawing of flint items), Y. Arbel (scientific guidance), O, Barzilai (consultation), C. Sa‘id and L. Talmi.
The Sha‘ar Ha-‘Amaqim site is located in farmland west of Kibbutz Sha‘ar Ha-‘Amaqim, c. 15 m north of Highway 75. Two large excavation areas (A—8 × 10 m; B—12 × 14 m; Figs. 1–3) were opened c. 45 m apart; eight squares (1 × 1 m each, excavated depth 2–4 m) were excavated in each of them. Flint items ascribed to the Middle Paleolithic period (Mousterian culture) were uncovered.
Four layers of sediment (1–4; Figs. 1: Section 1–1; 4) were exposed in the excavation; the upper three layers were discovered in the two excavation areas, and the bottom layer was found only in Area A. Stratum 1, the upper layer (L100 in Area A), was a dark brown alluvium containing several flint items. Stratum 2, a grayish colored sediment (L101 in Area A; Fig. 5), was rich in pale white crystals of calcium carbonate mixed with limestone, river pebbles and numerous abraded and patinated flint items. Stratum 3, a light brown alluvium (L103 in Area A), was mixed with numerous abraded and patinated flint items. Stratum 4, a soft, pale white calcareous soil (L104 in Area A), was mixed with abraded limestone; this was a sterile layer that was discovered in Area A only.
In Strata 2 and 3, 19,421 flint items were collected, including 832 knapped items and 18,589 natural items and raw material (Table 1), most of which were worn and covered with a pale yellow-brown patina. The density of the items in Area A was higher than that in Area B (Table 2). The knapped items were of several different forms of flint, including nodules, “fingers” and tabular flint. The overwhelming majority of artifacts (96%) were of chunks, chips and flint items that were not identified. Some of the knapped items were fashioned using the Levallois technique, characteristic of the Mousterian culture of the Middle Paleolithic period. These include points (Fig. 6); cores (Fig. 7:1–5); blades (Fig. 7:6–11); flakes, some of which are retouched (Fig. 6:12, 13); as well as side scrapers, end scrapers and a large quantity of industrial debitage. The number of tools in the assemblage is small (0.18% of the assemblage, 4.1% of the knapped items). Most of the flint items are abraded and were apparently swept into the site from the hilltop upon which Kibbutz Sha‘ar Ha-‘Amaqim is situated.
Table 1. Breakdown of flint items
Type
|
Number of Items (N)
|
Percentage of the Assemblage
|
Percentage of Knapped Items
|
Tools
|
34
|
0.18
|
4.1
|
Primary flakes
|
107
|
0.55
|
12.9
|
Flakes and blades
|
279
|
1.44
|
33.5
|
Levallois flakes
|
62
|
0.32
|
7.5
|
Cores
|
79
|
0.41
|
9.5
|
Levallois core
|
16
|
0.08
|
1.9
|
Core debitage
|
255
|
1.31
|
30.6
|
Chunks
|
16,538
|
85.16
|
|
Chips
|
2,051
|
10.56
|
|
Total
|
19,421
|
100
|
100
|
Table 2. Density of the flint items in the excavation areas
Area
|
Number of Items (N)
|
Percentage of the Assemblage
|
A
|
11,861
|
61.1%
|
B
|
7,560
|
38.9%
|
Total
|
19,421
|
100.0%
|