Article
Anthropology
Linoy Namdar, Jacob Vardi, Yitzhak Paz, Lidar Sapir-Hen
Summary: The research reveals that during the Early and Late Pottery Neolithic periods in the southern Levant, livestock were mainly utilized for meat rather than their secondary products. The animal economy in each site relied on a combination of livestock and wild species, with varying degrees of reliance between sites, especially in the Late Pottery Neolithic period.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
Yoav Avni
Summary: Terrace farming installations in the Southern Levant occupy vast desert areas, and their construction and operation are influenced by natural, political, and economic circumstances. Early inhabitants of the region used terrace farming methods, and the construction of terraces was diachronic across the region, depending on the political and economic circumstances.
Article
Anthropology
Liesel Gentelli, Janne Blichert-Toft, Gillan Davis, Haim Gitler, Francis Albarede
Summary: Analysis of Hacksilber has revealed that exchanges between the Levant and the Aegean world continued intermittently from the Late Bronze Age to the Iron Age III, with major silver sources including Lavrion (Attica), Macedonia, Thrace (northern Greece), southern Gaul (southern France), and Sardinia. Despite dominance of the Aegean world in silver supply during the Iron Age, occasional exchanges with other west Mediterranean localities indicate ongoing trade between eastern and western Mediterranean regions.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
David Luria
Summary: During the Early Iron Age, Timna and Faynan became the largest and most advanced smelting center in the Levant, with significant improvements in copper efficiency and production. This success may have been a result of continuous and gradual indigenous innovations by local craftsmen, rather than external influences.
Article
Geography, Physical
Yuichi Naito, Masato Hirose, Miriam Belmaker, Donald O. Henry, Momoko Osawa, Takashi Nakazawa, Sophie G. Habinger, Peter Tung, Herve Bocherens, Sate Massadeh, Seiji Kadowaki
Summary: This study analyzed the stable carbon and oxygen isotopic compositions of faunal remains from the Tor Hamar rock shelter site in southern Jordan to reconstruct paleoenvironments and hunting activities. The results showed an environmental shift from a wetter condition to a drier condition, consistent with the lake-level shift of Lake Lisan and its pollen data. The isotopic data of gazelle also indicated a change in human hunting strategy, possibly targeting multiple different species.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Anthropology
Max D. Price, Lee Perry-Gal, Hagar Reshef
Summary: This paper presents the first comprehensive study of the biometrical data of pigs and wild boar in the southern Levant, revealing morphological changes and the first evidence of domestication in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic period. The study also suggests that the genetic replacement in the Iron Age was correlated with an increase in body size. Additionally, the data from the Roman period indicate variability in pig management techniques and the exploitation of different pig populations.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rivka Chasan, Danny Rosenberg, Florian Klimscha, Ron Beeri, Dor Golan, Ayelet Dayan, Ehud Galili, Cynthianne Spiteri
Summary: Organic residue analysis of pottery from prehistoric sites in the southern Levant suggests that beehive products from wild bees were used during the Chalcolithic period, despite debate over the true frequency of beeswax use. Wild resources were seemingly preferred over beehive products due to the socio-economic system's focus on domesticated resources, controlled production, and standardization, with bee products only becoming economically important in the southern Levant several millennia later.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Geography, Physical
Ben Greet
Summary: This paper re-examines the avian iconography of the Ghassulian culture and proposes a more abstract interpretation of these avian images as symbols of spiritual liminality. It emphasizes the significance of birds within the societies of the Late Chalcolithic.
QUATERNARY INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Biology
Anthony Formaux, Dany Paleressompoulle, Joel Fagot, Nicolas Claidiere
Summary: Conventions are an important aspect of human social and cultural behavior, and they may also play a crucial role in animal societies. However, our understanding of non-human conventions is limited. Through experimentation, it has been found that conventions can readily emerge in non-human primates and exhibit similar fundamental properties as human conventions.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Anthropology
Steven Mithen, Amy Richardson, Bill Finlayson
Summary: During the Late Epipalaeolithic and Early Neolithic, societies in the Levant region underwent significant transformations in their social, cultural, and economic structures. The discovery of similar artifacts and symbols at the Pre-Pottery Neolithic site of WF16 in southern Jordan and sites like Gobekli Tepe suggests connectivity and the existence of extensive social networks spanning Southwest Asia. These connections played a crucial role in the emergence of farming.
Letter
Medicine, General & Internal
Wenjuan Zhang, Brian D. Davis, Stephanie S. Chen, Jorge M. Sincuir Martinez, Jasmine T. Plummer, Eric Vail
Summary: The research focused on sequencing and phylogenetic analyses of SARS-CoV-2 isolates from symptomatic patients at Cedar-Sinai Medical Center in November-December 2020, providing insights into a surge in cases and hospitalizations during that period.
JAMA-JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
(2021)
Article
Anthropology
Rivka Chasan, Cynthianne Spiteri, Danny Rosenberg
Summary: This paper presents a comprehensive study of culinary practices in the southern Levant from the Pottery Neolithic to the Late Chalcolithic period. The results suggest that there was a fairly uniform diet during this time, with a preference for meat from domestic ruminants and cultivated vegetal resources. Some variation was noted in the use of dairy products. Overall, the research shows that social and economic developments did not significantly influence what people ate and how they used vessels for food preparation and consumption.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Vanessa Souza Soriano, Clive Julian Christie Phillips, Cesar Augusto Taconeli, Alessandra Akemi Hashimoto Fragoso, Carla Forte Maiolino Molento
Summary: Animal protection laws are enforced differently depending on the category of animals, leading to inconsistencies in the recognition of animal maltreatment. Citizens are more sensitive to animal maltreatment in sheep farming compared to farmers, but most people are unaware of Brazilian animal protection laws. More attention and education on animal welfare laws are needed to bridge the gap between perception and enforcement in animal protection.
Article
Infectious Diseases
S. Parthiban, A. Ramesh, Anbu Kumar Karuppannan, G. Dhinakar Raj, J. Johnson Rajeswar, S. Hemalatha, S. Jaisree, K. Senthilkumar, D. Balasubramanyam, M. Parthiban, Sarathchandra Ghadevaru
Summary: This study revealed a 10.5% molecular prevalence of PCV2 infection in swine populations in Tamil Nadu, India, with new genotypes PCV2b IM1 and PCV2d-2 being reported for the first time in South India. Genetic shifts of PCV2 isolates in India were observed, similar to global genotypic shift trends.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Brian Zambri, Susan Solomon, David W. J. Thompson, Qiang Fu
Summary: The recovery of the Antarctic ozone hole has led to significant changes in the circulation and temperature of the Southern Hemisphere stratosphere, with trends showing the opposite of those seen during the period of ozone depletion in the late 20th century. The observed differences in stratospheric trends between the recovery and depletion periods are statistically significant.
Article
Anthropology
Jose-Miguel Tejero, Rivka Rabinovich, Reuven Yeshurun, Talia Abulafia, Ofer Bar-Yosef, Omry Barzilai, Mae Goder-Goldberger, Israel Hershkovitz, Ron Lavi, Maayan Shemer, Ofer Marder, Anna Belfer-Cohen
Summary: The Levantine region is crucial for understanding Upper Paleolithic traditions, with the Levantine Aurignacian showing unique similarities to the European Aurignacian. Studies on ornaments from this region suggest a link between the symbolic spheres of the Levantine and European Aurignacian cultural entities, indicating a possible contribution of European groups to the local cultural features.
JOURNAL OF HUMAN EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Geography, Physical
Omry Barzilai, Talia Abulafia, Maayan Shemer, Hila May, Meir Orbach, Amos Frumkin, Reuven Yeshurun, Rachel Sarig, Naomi Porat, Israel Hershkovitz
Summary: This paper discusses the new findings from Geula Cave in Israel, a Middle Paleolithic site. The analysis of the new excavation reveals consistent lithic technology and intensive animal activities. Luminescence ages suggest a long occupation history from 175 to 100 ka. The study emphasizes the importance of reevaluating past excavations for a better understanding of regional history.
QUATERNARY INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Danny Rosenberg, Tatjana M. Gluhak, Daniel Kaufman, Reuven Yeshurun, Mina Weinstein-Evron
Summary: The study reveals that the Natufian basalt pestles from el-Wad Terrace were sourced from multiple locations surrounding the Sea of Galilee, around 60-120 km away from the site, possibly transported through exchange obtaining and direct procurement models. The research also suggests that a large area around the Sea of Galilee remained unclaimed in the Natufian period.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Geography, Physical
Oz Varoner, Ofer Marder, Meir Orbach, Reuven Yeshurun, Yossi Zaidner
Summary: This study explores the provisioning strategies of Homo sapiens in the mid-Middle Paleolithic of the Levant region. Different lithic provisioning strategies were observed in different horizons, with the Pelvis Horizon showing evidence of personal toolkits associated with individual provisioning strategies, and the Stones Horizon displaying mixed evidence of in situ knapping and mobile toolkits.
QUATERNARY INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Chiara Belli, Valentina Caracuta, Mina Weinstein-Evron, Reuven Yeshurun, Elisabetta Boaretto, Dani Nadel
Summary: Raqefet Cave in southeast Mount Carmel, Israel, has a long archaeological sequence from the early Upper Paleolithic to the Late Epipaleolithic. By analyzing dated almond charcoal, researchers reconstructed Late Pleistocene precipitation patterns, showing fluctuations within the range of modern east Mediterranean climate.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Archaeology
Netta Mitki, Reuven Yeshurun, Ravid Ekshtain, Ariel Malinsky-Buller, Erella Hovers
Summary: The study uses a combination of proxies to investigate changes in mobility in a Late Middle Paleolithic open-air site in the Levant. It found similarities in lithic assemblages across archaeological units, indicating similar modes of raw material acquisition and use. Additionally, the zooarchaeological comparison highlighted taxonomic and taphonomic similarities among the units, suggesting differences between occupation horizons were more in degree rather than kind.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE-REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Biology
Ma'ayan Lev, Dani Nadel, Mina Weinstein-Evron, Reuven Yeshurun
Summary: The study systematically described and analyzed the herpetofauna from Raqefet Cave in Mount Carmel, Israel, showing that the faunal assemblages originated from a mosaic of open and wooded Mediterranean habitats, similar to present-day Mount Carmel. The analysis also suggests that the postulated climatic fluctuations of the latest Pleistocene did not have a considerable impact on the environments surrounding Raqefet Cave during the Natufian use of the site.
HISTORICAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Geography, Physical
Yossi Zaidner, Reuven Yeshurun
QUATERNARY INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Archaeology
Abra Spiciarich, Omri Lernau, Lidar Sapir-Hen, Yiftah Shalev, Yuval Gadot
Summary: This paper summarizes the ichthyological evidence for the import and trade of fish into ancient Jerusalem from the Nile River, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, and Lake of Galilee against the backdrop of social and political developments. The research examines the production and trade of fish based on new assemblages from archaeological excavations in the City of David and the Givati Parking Lot dating from the 8th to 2nd centuries BCE. The findings reveal variations in production techniques by species and the continuity of trade even after the city's destruction. The study also highlights changes in trade and consumption in response to political and cultural shifts in different historical periods.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE-REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Natalie D. Munro, Roxanne Lebenzon, Lidar Sapir-Hen
Summary: The average body size of human prey animals in archaeological sites is influenced by various factors, including environmental, physiological, and anthropogenic variables. In the southern Levant, the body size of mountain gazelle has changed over time, with the smallest size in the early and middle Epipaleolithic, largest size in the early late Epipaleolithic, and stable size in the Middle Pre-Pottery Neolithic. The trend is not influenced by sex ratio or climatic factors, but possibly related to human impacts on gazelle populations and their habitats.
Article
Archaeology
Linoy Namdar, Yuval Gadot, George Mavronanos, Boaz Gross, Lidar Sapir-Hen
Summary: Skeletons of ten articulated goats and numerous other caprine remains were found in a destroyed architectural complex in Tel Beth Shemesh, Israel. By examining the demographics of the herd, we gained insights into the local population's economic, cultural, and religious habits. The herd was likely managed for meat, possibly for holiday feasts.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE-REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Anthropology
Lidar Sapir-Hen, Erez Ben-Yosef
Summary: This study provides valuable insights into the identity and social structure of the local nomadic tribes operating the two main copper production centers in Wadi Arabah between the thirteenth and the ninth century BCE. The analysis of animal remains suggests a continuity in livestock exploitation methods with an economic shift occurring in the late eleventh century, indicating a regional economic flourishing during the late eleventh to ninth century BCE.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Archaeology
Lidar Sapir-Hen, Deirdre N. Fulton
Summary: Studies of dog remains in the Iron Age southern Levant show their unique nature in the archaeological context, contradicting the view that they are 'unclean' or pariah based on certain textual references. Dogs were found to be relatively common in the archaeological record, suggesting their roles as herders, guards, and occasional hunters in village life.
OXFORD JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Archaeology
Abra Spiciarich, Omer Sergi, Karen Covello-Paran, Yoav Tsur, Hannes Bezzel, Lidar Sapir-Hen
Summary: The study of faunal remains from Horvat Tevet site in the Jezreel Valley reveals a complex redistributive apparatus during the Late Iron IIA period. Comparative analyses with contemporary sites in northern valleys of Israel show that Horvat Tevet had an unprecedented agricultural production beyond local needs. Furthermore, intra-site comparison suggests hierarchical distinctions in consumption patterns between elites and the labor force, indicating that Horvat Tevet was an administrative center of a royal Israelite estate.
PALESTINE EXPLORATION QUARTERLY
(2023)
Article
Archaeology
Lidar Sapir-Hen, Deirdre. N. N. Fulton, Matthew. J. J. Adams, Israel Finkelstein
Summary: This paper examines faunal assemblages from two contemporary sites in the Jezreel Valley, Israel, revealing that the control of resources by the Great Temple in Megiddo impacted the animal economy in neighboring settlements, indicating the presence of a larger regional economic organization.
BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF OVERSEAS RESEARCH
(2022)