Although cooking is regarded as a key element in the evolutionary success of the genus Homo, impacting various biological and social aspects, when intentional cooking first began remains unknown. The early Middle Pleistocene site of Gesher Benot Ya’aqov, Israel (marine isotope stages 18–20; ~0.78 million years ago), has preserved evidence of hearth-related hominin activities and large numbers of freshwater fish remains (>40,000). A taphonomic study and isotopic analyses revealed significant differences between the characteristics of the fish bone assemblages recovered in eight sequential archaeological horizons of Area B (Layer II-6 levels 1–7) and natural fish bone assemblages (identified in Area A). Gesher Benot Ya’aqov archaeological horizons II-6 L1–7 exhibited low fish species richness, with a clear preference for two species of large Cyprinidae (Luciobarbus longiceps and Carasobarbus canis) and the almost total absence of fish bones in contrast to the richness of pharyngeal teeth (>95%). Most of the pharyngeal teeth recovered in archaeological horizons II-6 L1–7 were spatially associated with ‘phantom’ hearths (clusters of burnt flint microartifacts). Size–strain analysis using X-ray powder diffraction provided evidence that these teeth had been exposed to low temperature (<500 °C), suggesting, together with the archaeological and taphonomic data, that the fish from the archaeological horizons of Area B had been cooked and consumed on site. This is the earliest evidence of cooking by hominins.

Burnt structures are well known archaeologically throughout the Near East. This study proposes an integrated interpretational framework for reconstructing fires in mud-brick structures using macro- and micro-archaeological types of evidence employing well-established tools. While previous research often utilized either macroscopic field evidence or micro-geoarchaeological data, here we present the integration of stratigraphy, architecture and location of artefacts in the framework of archaeology of crisis, spatial reconstruction of fire temperatures using micro-geoarchaeology, insights from experimental archaeology, and concepts from fire investigation. We demonstrate the utility of this integrative framework in a high-resolution reconstruction of a destructive fire event that occurred in the Late Bronze Age North-East Temple at Tel Lachish, ca. 1210–1126 BCE. We identify the area of ignition and the fire propagation path, and propose the cause of the fire in relation to the archaeology and history of the site in the 12th century BCE.

The mosaic floors of the church at Ḥorbat Ḥadat in Israel were uncovered in the nave, along the southern aisle, at the eastern end of the northern aisle, between the columns separating the southern aisle and the nave and in the liturgical space. Some of the panels were removed and are now stored in the Rockefeller Museum, some left in situ. The mosaic floors were laid in the early phase of the church, and they continued in use during the late phase with repairs and changes made of tesserae larger than those of the original floors. All the carpets and panels exhibit geometric and floral patterns made in a variety of colored tesserae. These patterns include geometric grids and interlaces, some of which create trompe-l’oeil effects. In the late phase, the western part of the nave’s mosaic floor and the northern edge of the westernmost mosaic panel between the columns were replaced by a white carpet with an orange cross. The findings of the cross in the floor will be discussed in the framework of the prohibition (Edict of Emperor Theodosius II, AD 427) against depicting crosses on floors. The early basilica-type dated to the second half of the 5th century AD, and a later phase dated to the end of Byzantine and Umayyad periods (7th–8th centuries), when the church underwent changes and its dimensions were reduced. The church fell out of use during the Abbasid period.

This article presents the results of a 2021 international online survey of 419 early career researchers in archaeology. Respondents were passionate about pursuing an academic career, but pessimistic about job and career prospects. Statistics highlight specific obstacles, especially for women, from unstable employment to inequitable practices, and a chronic lack of support. Over 180 open-ended comments reveal worrying levels of workplace bullying and discrimination, particularly targeting women and minorities. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on early career researchers is also examined. The survey's findings are analysed and contextualized within the international higher education sector. A communal effort is necessary to create sustained change, but early career researchers remain hopeful that change can be implemented.

Cave 120 and three adjacent caves at Tel Lachish in southern Israel produced the largest concentration of human crania ever unearthed in the Near East. The conventional interpretation associates this deposit with primary burials of victims of the city’s destruction by King Sennacherib of Assyria in 701 BC. Taking into consideration attitudes to human skulls, site formation processes and taphonomic aspects, we indicate that these conclusions are incorrect. The caves contained mainly crania and almost completely lacked other skeletal material. The numerous morphological and morphometric studies carried out on the assemblage could not point to any standardized population. We conclude that large-scale quarrying of stones, probably for the construction of the city wall in the seventh century BC, destroyed a large number of older burial caves. The crania from these caves, each symbolizing a deceased person, were carefully collected and reburied.

Summing up the data deriving from the Natufian burials at Hayonim Cave which incorporates information pertaining to the last grave uncovered on site (Grave XVII), the paper endeavours to understand the role of burials within the evolving Natufian society at large. It seems that certain sites—Hayonim Cave being a case in point—served as special localities, used by a particular group as a burial ground all through the Natufian time-span (i.e. for more than 3000 years). Members of that group returned to the cave again and again in order to bury their dead, being aware of the location of the preceding graves, apparently retaining a long-term memory of their burial practices. At the same time, at least some burials provide evidence for inter-group ties, as evident through particular similarities between certain burials in two distinct Natufian sites, Hayonim Cave and Eynan (‘Ain Mallaha). Clearly, retention of mortuary practices played a significant role in consolidating and preserving social cohesion in the Natufian society.

Of the many aspects of material culture of the ancient Israelite world, pottery is to be counted as one of the most abundant, pervasive, and informative datasets available. Traditionally, pottery has been used to determine the chronological framework of the Iron Age and was done so in conjunction with the Hebrew Bible. Theoretical developments, as well as the application of scientific methods such as radiocarbon dating and provenance analysis, have broadened the approach to pottery studies beyond the arena of chronology, regionality, and history, such that with suitable methodologies that focus on technological aspects of pottery making, less-tangible aspects of ancient life can be accessed via pottery analysis. These include, among others, socio-economic organization, group identity, and behavior, gender relations, functions of contexts, ideology, and beliefs. This chapter suggests a technological and sociological approach to the study of ancient Israelite pottery, on a theoretical and contextual level, and provides examples of how such an approach can contribute to a nuanced understanding of the ancient Israelite world via the prism of its pottery.

As the continuation of Canaanite culture and ancient Israel’s northwestern neighbors, the Phoenician influence on the Israelite world, especially the northern Kingdom of Israel, was considerable. The legacy of Phoenician interaction with Israel includes language and the alphabet, architecture, and luxury items as well as the craftsmanship employed for Solomon’s temple. This chapter offers a series of questions about the Phoenicians, their culture and land, and their place in the Hebrew Bible and the ancient Israelite world.

The nature of lithic morphological variability during the Acheulean is a much-debated topic, especially in the late Acheulean of the Levant. To explore this issue, we present a 3D analysis of 260 handaxes from Jaljulia, a recently discovered late Acheulean site dated to ca. 500–300/200 ka. We employ a comprehensive suite of 3D methods aimed at reconstructing the technological and morphological choices enacted by the Jaljulia knappers. These methods include the precise calculation of orthogonal measurements, center of mass, surface area, edge length, and geometric morphometrics, as well as new metrics for quantifying handaxe outlines and distribution of mass. Scar density was used to reconstruct the handaxe reduction strategies employed at the site.

Our analyses reveal that the Jaljulia handaxes are diverse in shape suggesting that they were made following a flexible reduction sequence involving an expedient selection of initial nodules of varying sizes. This reduction strategy was geared toward improving the refinement and outline quality of the handaxes, but not imposing any shape constraints. The expediency and relative crudeness of the handaxes from such a late Acheulean site belie the commonly held perception that handaxes improve through time during the Acheulean. This is true on an intra-site scale also, with the oldest excavation area containing the most refined and smooth-edged handaxes. Finally, we consider how this newfound morphological flexibility and expediency of nodule selection fit within the complex lithic variability occurring in the terminal phase of the Acheulean.

Human populations rely on cultural artifacts and complex cumulative culture for their survival. Populations vary dramatically in the size of their tool repertoires, and the determinants of these cultural repertoire sizes have been the focus of extensive study in recent years. A prominent hypothesis, supported by computational models of cultural evolution, asserts that tool repertoire size increases with population size. However, not all empirical studies seeking to test this hypothesis have found such a correlation; this has led to a contentious and ongoing debate. As a possible resolution to this longstanding controversy, we suggest that accounting for even rare cultural migration events that allow sharing of knowledge between different-sized populations may help explain why a population9s size might not always predict its cultural repertoire size. Using an agent-based model to explore different assumptions about the effects of population size and migration on tool repertoires, we find that connectivity of one population to others, particularly to large populations, may significantly boost its tool repertoire size when population interactions lead to cultural exchange. Thus, two populations of identical size may have drastically different tool repertoire sizes, hinging upon their access to other groups9 knowledge. Intermittent contact between populations boosts cultural repertoire size and still allows for the development of unique tool repertoires that have limited overlap between populations.