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Persistent Neanderthal occupation of the open-air site of 'Ein Qashish, Israel.

ABSTRACT: Over the last two decades, much of the recent efforts dedicated to the Levantine Middle Paleolithic has concentrated on the role of open-air sites in the settlement system in the region. Here focus on the site of 'Ein Qashish as a cases study. Located in present-day northern Israel, the area of this site is estimated to have been >1300 m2, of which ca. 670 were excavated. The site is located at the confluence of the Qishon stream with a small tributary running off the eastern flanks of the Mt. Carmel. At the area of this confluence, water channels and alluvial deposits created a dynamic depositional environment. Four Archaeological Units were identified in a 4.5-m thick stratigraphic sequence were dated by Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) to between-71 and 54 ka, and probably shorter time span-~70-~60 ka. Here we present the diverse material culture remains from the site (lithics, including refitted sequences; modified limestone pieces; molluscs; faunal remains) against their changing paleogeographic backdrop. Skeletal evidence suggests that these remains were associated with Neanderthals. The large-scale repeated accumulation of late Middle Paleolithic remains in the same place on the landscape provides a unique opportunity to address questions of occupation duration and intensity in open-air sites. We find that each occupation was of ephemeral nature, yet presents a range of activities, suggesting that the locale has been used as a generalized residential site rather than specialized task-specific ones. This role of 'Ein Qashish did not change through time, suggesting that during the late Middle Paleolithic settlement system in this part of the southern Levant were stable.

SUBMITTER: Ekshtain R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6594589 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Persistent Neanderthal occupation of the open-air site of 'Ein Qashish, Israel.

Ekshtain Ravid R Malinsky-Buller Ariel A Greenbaum Noam N Mitki Netta N Stahlschmidt Mareike C MC Shahack-Gross Ruth R Nir Nadav N Porat Naomi N Bar-Yosef Mayer Daniella E DE Yeshurun Reuven R Been Ella E Rak Yoel Y Agha Nuha N Brailovsky Lena L Krakovsky Masha M Spivak Polina P Ullman Micka M Vered Ariel A Barzilai Omry O Hovers Erella E

PloS one 20190626 6

Over the last two decades, much of the recent efforts dedicated to the Levantine Middle Paleolithic has concentrated on the role of open-air sites in the settlement system in the region. Here focus on the site of 'Ein Qashish as a cases study. Located in present-day northern Israel, the area of this site is estimated to have been >1300 m2, of which ca. 670 were excavated. The site is located at the confluence of the Qishon stream with a small tributary running off the eastern flanks of the Mt. C ...[more]

PMID: 31242180

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Project description:BackgroundAdequate iodine intake is essential for human health, for normal thyroid function, and for attainment of full intellectual potential in children. In light of Israel's lack of a mandatory salt fortification policy, heavy reliance on desalination and low iodine intake from dairy products and seafood, there is concern in Israel that the population is iodine deficient. Indeed, the first Israeli National Iodine Survey in 2016 found a median urinary iodine concentration (UIC) of 83 µg/L among school age children, falling below the WHO's adequacy range of 100-299 µg/L for children.MethodsIn the framework of the National Human Biomonitoring Program in Israel, spot urine samples and questionnaire data were collected from 166 healthy children aged 4-12 years in 2020-2021. Urinary iodine concentrations were measured at the Ministry of Health National Biomonitoring Laboratory, using mass spectrometry. An international comparison of median urinary iodine concentrations (UIC) was performed taking into consideration the levels of desalinated water per capita, and fortification policies.ResultsThe overall median (interquartile range [IQR]) UIC was 80.1 µg/L (44.7-130.8 µg/L) indicating that the population's iodine status has not improved in the five years that have passed since inadequacy was first identified. When comparing 13 countries with population size above 150,000, whose desalinated water per capita was at least 1 m3, Israel and Lebanon were the only countries with median UIC below the WHO adequacy range.ConclusionsThere is an urgent need for mandatory salt fortification in Israel. Based on our international comparison, we conclude that the potential impact of desalination on iodine intake can be compensated for using the implementation of salt fortification policy. This study highlights the critical need for public health surveillance of nutritional and environmental exposures using human biomonitoring, with emphasis on vulnerable populations such as pregnant women and children.

Dataset Information

Persistent Neanderthal occupation of the open-air site of 'Ein Qashish, Israel.

Publications

Persistent Neanderthal occupation of the open-air site of 'Ein Qashish, Israel.

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