NATUFIAN REMAINS IN HAYONIM CAVE
O. Bar-Yosef and N. Goren
Hayonim Cave, situated in the western hilly flanks of the Galilee on the left bank of a small tributary of Nahal Yassaf, today lies 250 m above sea level, about 13 km east of the sea shore (Fig. 1). The prevailing climate is Mediterranean, while vegetation includes Ceratonia-Pistacia Maquis 1 and precipitation averages 500-600 mm annually. Excavations, begun in 1965, were conducted in a section of one of the four chambers of the cave (Fig. 2). Remnants of two of the chambers, which collapsed in antiquity, occur with brecciated cave deposits. Last summer a portion of an additional chamber was discovered east of the present complex. Its entire area is not yet known.
A série of four terraces descends for approximately 35 m from the entrance of the cave to the valley below. Several terraces date to historical times. Recent deep plowing, which began in 1966, has disturbed the upper layers of the terrace adjacent to the cave. Surface finds indicate the remains of a Natufian settlement, with an area exceeding 1.000 m2. Two test trenches have been made in the upper terrace. In 1966, a sounding made in the uppermost terrace, later refilled by the owner of the property, revealed a Natufian assemblage of tools. A second test trench, 6.0 m long and 0.40 m deep, was dug in 1969 on the eastern end of the terrace in a small, undisturbed area. A Natufian assemblage of tools, similar but not identical to the assemblage found during the previous sounding, was recovered from the trench. Further intensive excavation of the terrace is necessary, but not presently possible because the terrace is under cultivation.
Excavations within Hayonim Cave, begun in 1965, have revealed numerous Natufian remains 2. Although the
excavations of the Natufian layer extended over an area of 50 m2, only 27 m2 have been completely cleared, during 19 weeks of excavation (1965-1970) 3. The remaining area will be fully excavated during future seasons. The following report presents the main archaeological results of the 1965-1970 seasons of excavation.
The aim of the excavation was to recover the complete archaeological sequence from the cave, as a preliminary investigation of the previously unexplored area of the Western Galilee. Although restricted in area, the Natufian stratum proved so complex as to merit a detailed study. Until the excavation can be expanded, and the problems raised below can be resolved, this complexity must serve as a warning against any oversimplified interpretation of the Natufian phenomenon.
1. The general stratigraphy.
The following stratigraphy occurred in the excavated area near the entrance of the cave:
Stratum A:
Approximately 2.5 m deep, Stratum A consists of layers of white ash interbedded with layers of black ash. The accumulation seems to be a result of the annual burning
1. Zohary, 1962 : Map 5. 2. Bar-Yosef, Tchernov, 1967 ; Bar-Yosef, Tchernov, 1970; Bar-Yosef, 1971. 3. The excavations were conducted under the auspices of the Institute of Archaeology Hebrew University, with the aid of the Department of Anatomy and Anthropology of the Medical School of Tel-Aviv University. The authors wish to thank J. Ogden and M. Iankelevich for drawing the maps and the artefacts, M. Zlotnik and L. Burnes for editing the manuscript.
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