Human-made Bedrock Holes (Mortars and Cupmarks) as a Late Natufi an Social Phenomenon

Human-made Bedrock Holes (Mortars and Cupmarks) as a Late Natufi an Social Phenomenon

D. Nadel and G. Lengyel.

A concentration of 77 Late Natufi an Human-made Bedrock Holes (mortars, cupmarks, etc.) hewn into the Raqefet Cave fl oor and terrace (Mt. Carmel, Israel) has been recently exposed. Some appear to be associated with human burials, and several had stone and fl int objects buried in them. The variety of HBH types, in terms of dimensions and morphology is very wide, so the new classifi cation system is suggested. The deep narrow specimens do not appear to have been used for any kind of processing, storing or quarrying. Yet, their manufacture must have been very costly in terms of time, energy, carving tools, and personal skills. The paper presents the Raqefet Cave HBHs as a case study, and cautiously suggests that some of them may have been incorporated into the Late Natufi an social and spiritual worlds.

Keywords: Natufi an, human burials, Human-made Bedrock Holes, Raqefet Cave.