Rivka Rabinovich

Spatial Organization of Hominin Activities at Gesher Benot Ya’aqov, Israel

Home Is Where the Hearth Is One aspect of human intelligence is the ability to organize our living and working spaces. It was generally thought that this capability arose with modern humans in the past 100,000 years or so. However, Alperson-Afil et al. (p. 1677) found evidence of domestic organization 800,000 years ago at a Pleistocene hominin campsite in the Jordan Valley. Around patches of burnt debris, the remains of a wide range of plant and animal foodstuffs were found, including fruits and seeds, as well as remnants of turtles, elephants, and small rodents. Specific types of stone tools appear to have been made around the hearths, where there was also evidence of nut roasting and consumption of crabs and fish. In a more distant area there were signs of intensive flint knapping and food chopping. The spatial distribution of artifacts implies that living space was organized by use as early as 800,000 years ago. 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.

The rediscovered Hula painted frog is a living fossil

Amphibian declines are seen as an indicator of the onset of a sixth mass extinction of life on earth. Because of a combination of factors such as habitat destruction, emerging pathogens and pollutants, over 156 amphibian species have not been seen for several decades, and 34 of these were listed as extinct by 2004. Here we report the rediscovery of the Hula painted frog, the first amphibian to have been declared extinct. We provide evidence that not only has this species survived undetected in its type locality for almost 60 years but also that it is a surviving member of an otherwise extinct genus of alytid frogs, Latonia, known only as fossils from Oligocene to Pleistocene in Europe. The survival of this living fossil is a striking example of resilience to severe habitat degradation during the past century by an amphibian.

The Acheulian Site of Gesher Benot Ya‘aqov

Gesher Benot Ya‘aqov (GBY) is located in the southern Hula Valley, which, in turn, is located in the northernmost segment of the Dead Sea Rift, part of the Great African Rift System. This region is an integral part of the “Levantine Corridor,” a land bridge connecting Africa and Europe, through which the diffusion and biotic exchange of many organisms took place in prehistoric times. The Hula Valley has preserved data of a phenomenon of great importance in human history: archaeological evidence recording hominin diffusion/migration out of Africa and into Eurasia. The unique sedimentological and hydrological conditions prevailing in the Hula, along with extensive and intensive tectonic activity, resulted in the complex and minimal exposure of Plio-Pleistocene geological formations. One of these, the Benot Ya‘akov Formation, has revealed many unique hominin artifacts, fossil bones, and a multitude of organic remains. Its examination has significantly contributed to our understanding of the paleoecological conditions that prevailed in the region, as well as enabling a comparison between the paleoecological systems of the Early and Middle Pleistocene in Africa and the Levant, areas in which hominins were active already in very early prehistory.

Archaeological horizons and fluvial processes at the Lower Paleolithic open-air site of Revadim (Israel)

In this paper we present new data pertaining to the paleo-landscape characteristics at the Acheulian site of Revadim, on the southern coastal plain of Israel. Sedimentological, isotopic, granulometric and micromorphological studies showed that the archaeological remains accumulated in an active fluvial environment where channel action, overbank flooding and episodic inundation occurred. Measurements of total organic matter and its carbon isotopic composition indicate that the hominin activity at the site started at a period of relatively drier conditions, which coincided with erosion of the preceding soil sequence. This process led to the formation of a gently-undulating topography, as reconstructed by a GIS model. Later deposition documents relatively wetter conditions, as indicated by carbon isotopic composition. Formation processes identified at the site include fluvial processes, inundation episodes that resulted in anaerobic conditions and formation of oxide nodules, as well as small-scale bioturbation and later infiltration of carbonate-rich solutions that resulted in the formation of calcite nodules and crusts. The combination of micro-habitats created favorable conditions that repeatedly drew hominins to the area, as seen by a series of super-imposed archaeological horizons. This study shows that site-specific paleo-landscape reconstructions should play an important role in understanding regional variation among hominin occupations and in extrapolating long-term behavioral patterns during the Middle Pleistocene.

Geological and pedological aspects of an Early‐Paleolithic site: Revadim, Central Coastal Plain, Israel

An Early Paleolithic site was recently discovered within a sequence of paleosols in the Revadim Quarry, central coastal plain of Israel. The section is composed of three superimposed soils in a continuous sequence, but separated by two unconformity surfaces. The uppermost paleosol is a modern Dark Brown Grumusol (Vertisol), the middle is a Quartzic Gray Brown Soil (Haploxeralf), and the lower is a Red Hamra (Rhodoxeralf). Normal magnetic polarity was detected in the two lower soils, indicating that they are younger than the Brunhes–Matuyama boundary (<780 ka). A human occupation bed, enriched in secondary carbonate nodules, forms the lower part of the Quartzic Gray Brown Soil and overlies the Red Hamra. The living floor is located on top of the unconformity surface, separating the Red Hamra from the overlying Quartzic Gray Brown Soil. Middle to Late Acheulian handaxes, choppers, cores, and flake tools, including tools made by the Levallois technique, and man-laid flint pebbles were excavated in the human occupation bed. In addition, two elephant tusks, an elephant pelvis, an elephant tooth (Palaeoloxodon antiquus), tusk splinters, and bones of equid, suid, cervid, bovid, felid, and rodents were also collected. Based on well-documented nearby boreholes and on regional correlation, it appears that the underlying dune sands, the parent materials from which the Red Hamra developed, were deposited probably during a phase of high-stand sea level of Isotope Stage 9. The Red Hamra developed simultaneously with the human occupation of the site, probably during a phase of low-stand sea-level of Isotope Stage 8, before some 300–245 ka. The overlying dune sands, the parent materials from which the Quartzic Gray Brown Soil developed, were deposited probably during a phase of high-stand sea level of Isotope Stage 7. The climate prevailing in the area during Stage 8, as well as during the human habitation, was moist, with a dense vegetation cover of grassland and probably scattered trees. A small lake of trapped fresh water at a junction of two small tributaries of the Soreq River drainage system near the area occupied was available to hominids and animals.

Osteological Observations on the Alytid Anura Latonia nigriventer with Comments on Functional Morphology, Biogeography, and Evolutionary History

The Hula Painted Frog (Latonia nigriventer) is a rare frog species endemic to the Hula Valley, Israel. The species is the sole relict of a clade that was widespread mainly in Europe from the Oligocene until the beginning of the Pleistocene. The osteological characteristics of L. nigriventer are described based on X‐ray microtomography scans of extant specimens and Pleistocene bones from the Hula Valley, to elucidate the evolutionary history of Alytidae and more specifically of Latonia. Based on the osteological description of L. nigriventer, we now better understand the differences, between Latonia and its sister taxon Discoglossus. They differ mainly in their cranial structure with the reinforced skull of Latonia having powerful jaws. Latonia nigriventer can achieve great force while closing its jaws, due to increased adductor muscle insertion surfaces as expressed by the presence of an additional paracoronoid process and an enlarged upper margin of the postero‐lateral wall of the lower jaw. In addition, a wider pterygoid fossa and higher canthus postero‐lateralis of the frontoparietal, compared to that of Discoglossus, also suggest the presence of well‐developed adductor muscles. Furthermore, L. nigriventer have particularly strong skulls as expressed by: long articulations between different skull elements, interdigitation in the contact area between the nasals and between nasals and the frontoparietals, and fused frontoparietals. Both males and females L. nigriventer have very robust forelimbs, as indicated by well‐developed medial crests of the humerus. Based on limited eastern Mediterranean paleontological data, we can only suspect that the dispersal of Latonia into the Levant from Asia Minor occurred at some point during the Miocene or later. The first appearance of L. nigriventer in the Hula Valley, its current habitat, dates to approximately 780 thousand years ago at the archaeological site of Gesher Benot Ya‘aqov. J. Morphol. 277:1131–1145, 2016.

The Acheulian Site of Gesher Benot Ya‘aqov Volume III

G Benot Ya’aqov (GBY), an open-air, water-logged, Middle Pleistocene locality with excellent preservation and stratigraphy, is one of the world’s most important Lower Paleolithic sites. Goren-Inbar et al. present the GBY’s lithic assemblages in their fourth volume on the site (Volumes 1 [Goren-Inbar et al. 2002], 2 [Alperson-Afil and Goren-Inbar 2010], and 3 [Rabinovich et al. 2012] dealt with the wood assemblage, fire, and mammalian taphonomy, respectively). One cannot help but admire the GBY team’s dedication to full, systematic publication of the excavations and data. The four volumes, when taken together, are a veritable site encyclopedia that, in a perfect world, would be produced for every major archaeological field research project. Chapter 1 introduces the volume, the site, and the site’s modern geography, climate, vegetation, fauna, and geology. Chapter 2 presents a brief history of the area surrounding GBY, and a detailed history of research at the site. This reviewer thoroughly enjoyed reading about all the major players’ work at the site, including that by Dorothy Garrod, Moshe Stekelis, David Gilead, Naama GorenInbar, to name a few. Chapter 3 expands upon GBY’s geography, geology, stratigraphy, and chronology. Here, the use of color images—which are present throughout the volume—is a boon for the reader’s understanding of the site context. Chapter 3 also discusses the lithic raw materials used by hominins at the site, including basalt, flint, and limestone, as well as these toolstones’ provenance, geographical distribution, and weathering. Chapter 4 is the last preparatory chapter, which describes field and laboratory methods used at GBY. This chapter is thorough—even presenting procedures for how stratigraphic cross-sections were drawn! The authors also explain their reasoning for using “3D technology” for illustrating the artifacts. This reviewer is currently less convinced that the time or cost of 3D scanning is worth the trouble unless a question actually requires it. While the 3D scans of artifacts presented throughout the volume do look nice, high-resolution photographs would have also served. Chapter 5, 6, 7, and 8 present the core, so to speak, of the volume, reporting on the context of the lithic assemblages, the flint artifacts, the basalt artifacts, and limestone artifacts. These four chapters present data galore in 271 tables (!), and are almost entirely descriptive, resulting in inductive conclusions typical of excavation and assemblage site reports. Stone tool implements are mostly described as Bordes (1961) types, the use of which has been debated (and rightly criticized) ad nauseam elsewhere (e.g., Bisson 2000; Dunnell 1971). The presentation of the lithic artifacts by each raw material kind was an excellent idea—Chapters 6, 7, and 8 are reflections of each other that allow for easy comparison between toolstones. Indeed, any undergraduate or graduate class on quantitative methods could easily use these chapters’ data in student problem sets. Chapter 9 summarizes the lithic assemblage descriptions and sets forth the central conclusions of the authors. Among these, the principal finding that different lithic raw materials appear to been exploited by different reduction sequences and selected for different tools is quite interesting. And the authors point the way forward—likely towards an experimental approach—when they state “while we are now able to describe the reduction sequences of each of the raw materials and the particulars of their morpho-typo-technological characteristics, we are still far from a comprehensive understanding of the particular reasons for these selections” (page 402). I am not persuaded that the relationship between raw material and reduction sequence or tool type is due to the “different properties of each raw material” (page 402), as this direct relationship has been shown time and again to collapse when tested archaeologically or experimentally (see Eren et al. 2014 and references therein). Add in the ingredient of hominin knapping skill, however, and then I believe we will be getting somewhere. Other conclusions, such as those about knapping conservatism over time or percussor use, are more robustly supported. With respect to volume presentation, beyond the excellent figure and table quality, the book is full of little conveniences. Seven appendices provide additional information and data, and a detailed index helps in the finding of specific details. And the authors and publishers made the book “user-friendly” in multiple ways. As one example, it did not go unnoticed by this reviewer that the same map of excavated areas was presented multiple times throughout the volume (e.g., Figures 3.12, 4.8, 5.10, 5.17), negating the need to flip back and interrupt one’s reading to find the referenced figure. This same repeat presentation was also use for the schematic illustrations of reduction sequences. On balance, Goren-Inbar et al.’s efforts have produced an achievement. And while this volume, along with the previous three, certainly contributes to our understanding of human evolution and Paleolithic archaeology, what most excites this reviewer has yet to be realized. By producing and publishing so much raw data, other researchers can

A transitional Gundi (Rodentia: Ctenodactylidae) from the Miocene of Israel

We describe a new species of gundi (Rodentia: Ctenodactylidae: Ctenodactylinae), Sayimys negevensis, on the basis of cheek teeth from the Early Miocene of the Rotem Basin, southern Israel. The Rotem ctenodactylid differs from all known ctenodactylid species, including Sayimys intermedius, which was first described from the Middle Miocene of Saudi Arabia. Instead, it most resembles Sayimys baskini from the Early Miocene of Pakistan in characters of the m1-2 (e.g., the mesoflexid shorter than the metaflexid, the obliquely orientated hypolophid, and the presence of a strong posterolabial ledge) and the upper molars (e.g., the paraflexus that is longer than the metaflexus). However, morphological (e.g., presence of a well-developed paraflexus on unworn upper molars) and dimensional (regarding, in particular, the DP4 and M1 or M2) differences between the Rotem gundi and Sayimys baskini distinguish them and testify to the novelty and endemicity of the former. In its dental morphology, Sayimys negevensis sp. nov. shows a combination of both the ultimate apparition of key-characters and incipient features that would be maintained and strengthened in latter ctenodactylines. Thus, it is a pivotal species that bridges the gap between an array of primitive ctenodactylines and the most derived, Early Miocene and later, gundis.

Materials and Methodology

Analysis of the animal bones from Area C and the JB entails taxonomic identification followed by morphometric, taphonomic, and surface-modification analyses. Emphasis was also placed on a series of experiments, whose methodology is described below.

Reconstructing Site-Formation Processes at GBY—The Experiments

A set of experiments were initiated to gain qualitative insight into the processes of bone modification and to assess the timing of the biostratonomic chronology at Gesher Benot Ya‘aqov (GBY). Based on the results of the experiments, models for the internal operational sequence of an abrasional process due to water movement and trampling are presented. These models help to disentangle the taphonomic history at the site and have tremendous implications for future studies in bone taphonomy.