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ABSTRACT: The question of whether or not pre-modern hominins were responsible for the accumulation of fish remains is discussed through analyses of remains recovered from two lacustrine facies (I-4 and I-5) from Area A of the Acheulian site of Gesher Benot Ya'aqov (GBY) in the Jordan Rift Valley, Israel. The fish remains provide the first glimpse into the naturally accumulated fish assemblage from the fluctuating shores of a lake that had been continually exploited by early hominins some 780,000 years ago. Preliminary analysis of the remains show that thirteen of the seventeen species native to Lake Hula were identified at GBY. These represent three of the five freshwater fish families native to the lake: Cyprinidae (carps), Cichlidae (tilapini, St. Peter's fish), and Clariidae (catfish). From a taphonomical perspective, a significant difference is found between the two lithofacies (Layers I-4 and I-5) in terms of species composition, richness, diversity, and skeleton completeness. It appears that the fish remains recovered from Layer I-4 (clay) are better preserved than those from Layer I-5 (coquina). In both lithofacies, Cyprinidae are highly abundant while Cichlidae and Clariidae are rare and under-represented, especially when compared to the Lake Hula fishery report from the 1950s. All of these identified species may have contributed significantly to the diet of GBY hominins.
Journal of Human Evolution 01/2011; 60(4):343-56. · 3.64 Impact Factor
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Nira Alperson-Afil,
Gonen Sharon,
Mordechai Kislev,
Yoel Melamed, Irit Zohar,
Shosh Ashkenazi,
Rivka Rabinovich,
Rebecca Biton,
Ella Werker,
Gideon Hartman,
Craig Feibel,
Naama Goren-Inbar
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ABSTRACT: The spatial designation of discrete areas for different activities reflects formalized conceptualization of a living space.
The results of spatial analyses of a Middle Pleistocene Acheulian archaeological horizon (about 750,000 years ago) at Gesher
Benot Ya’aqov, Israel, indicate that hominins differentiated their activities (stone knapping, tool use, floral and faunal
processing and consumption) across space. These were organized in two main areas, including multiple activities around a hearth.
The diversity of human activities and the distinctive patterning with which they are organized implies advanced organizational
skills of the Gesher Benot Ya’aqov hominins.
Science 12/2009; 326(5960):1677-1680. · 31.20 Impact Factor
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Nira Alperson-Afil,
Gonen Sharon,
Mordechai Kislev,
Yoel Melamed, Irit Zohar,
Shosh Ashkenazi,
Rivka Rabinovich,
Rebecca Biton,
Ella Werker,
Gideon Hartman,
Craig Feibel,
Naama Goren-Inbar
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: The spatial designation of discrete areas for different activities reflects formalized conceptualization of a living space. The results of spatial analyses of a Middle Pleistocene Acheulian archaeological horizon (about 750,000 years ago) at Gesher Benot Ya'aqov, Israel, indicate that hominins differentiated their activities (stone knapping, tool use, floral and faunal processing and consumption) across space. These were organized in two main areas, including multiple activities around a hearth. The diversity of human activities and the distinctive patterning with which they are organized implies advanced organizational skills of the Gesher Benot Ya'aqov hominins.
Science 12/2009; 326(5960):1677-80. · 31.20 Impact Factor
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[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: The question of whether or not pre-modern hominins were responsible for the accumulation of fish remains is discussed through analyses of remains recovered from two lacustrine facies (I-4 and I-5) from Area A of the Acheulian site of Gesher Benot Ya‘aqov (GBY) in the Jordan Rift Valley, Israel. The fish remains provide the first glimpse into the naturally accumulated fish assemblage from the fluctuating shores of a lake that had been continually exploited by early hominins some 780,000 years ago. Preliminary analysis of the remains show that thirteen of the seventeen species native to Lake Hula were identified at GBY. These represent three of the five freshwater fish families native to the lake: Cyprinidae (carps), Cichlidae (tilapini, St. Peter's fish), and Clariidae (catfish). From a taphonomical perspective, a significant difference is found between the two lithofacies (Layers I-4 and I-5) in terms of species composition, richness, diversity, and skeleton completeness. It appears that the fish remains recovered from Layer I-4 (clay) are better preserved than those from Layer I-5 (coquina). In both lithofacies, Cyprinidae are highly abundant while Cichlidae and Clariidae are rare and under-represented, especially when compared to the Lake Hula fishery report from the 1950s. All of these identified species may have contributed significantly to the diet of GBY hominins.
Journal of Human Evolution.
