Mina Weinstein-Evron | University of Haifa (original) (raw)

Papers by Mina Weinstein-Evron

El-Wad is one of the major Natufian base camps of the Mediterranean core-area. Quantitative, morp... more El-Wad is one of the major Natufian base camps of the Mediterranean core-area. Quantitative, morphologic and morphometric analyses of phytoliths from the site were con ducted in or der to iden tify the plants used in specific archaeological context. The results show that pooid grasses dominated the phytolith record. High concentrations of phytoliths from grass leaves and stems suggest dwelling remains, an important element of Natufian plant exploitation. Phytoliths also indicate that wood and bark were the second most abundant form of vegetation preserved in the site. This study provides new data about Natufian modes of environmental exploitation (or subsistence) on the threshold of early food producing communities in the southern Levant.

Berghahn Books, Dec 31, 2022

Journal of Human Evolution, 2020

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2018

Textiles are among the most informative items among archaeological finds. However, their physical... more Textiles are among the most informative items among archaeological finds. However, their physical and chemical characteristics and the effect of prolonged burial make them particularly sensitive and difficult to investigate and conserve. In keeping with conservation ethics and in order to ensure the preservation of textiles while allowing maximal retrieval of information, advanced research tools are required. Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) is an imaging technique which uses reflected light to record the three-dimensional characteristics of the surface of objects. This study investigated the implementation of Micro-RTI-a novel RTI technology using a microscope-for the examination and documentation of archaeological textiles. The technique allows the capture, examination, documentation and presentation of fine surface details which often cannot be identified by ordinary photography. In this study, an assemblage of textiles of different periods from the Judean Desert, Israel, was examined. Comparison of images made by several techniques in parallel showed that Micro-RTI provides the most comprehensive information about the textiles including a significant advantage in the visual representation of the weave, the fibers, the surface and patterns of decay and erosion. The results of this study demonstrate the significant potential of Micro-RTI technology for the research and documentation of archaeological textiles.

International Journal on Algae, 1999

International Journal on Algae, 2000

Israel Journal of Plant Sciences, 1998

Species diversity of epilithic cyanobacteria was studied in a 90 m deep prehistoric el-Wad cave e... more Species diversity of epilithic cyanobacteria was studied in a 90 m deep prehistoric el-Wad cave eroded in Cenomanian limestones of Mount Carmel, Israel. The degree of illumination is the most variable index throughout the cave, whereas humidity and temperature vary moderately. In a number of sites inside the cave dripping water occurs due to filtration of rain water. In el-Wad cave 42 species from 20 genera of blue-green algae were found. The share of coccoid forms decreased and filamentous (especially oscillatorial) ones increased from the entrance to the end of the cave. Intensity of light was the governing factor for distribution of cyanobacteria in el-Wad cave; the availability of dripping affected it to a lesser extent due to the constantly high humidity of the air. Diversity of species composition and taxonomic spectrum of cyanophytes was reduced from the entrance to the end of the cave, covarying positively with darkness stress.

Journal of Arid Environments, Jul 1, 2010

Berghahn Books, Nov 29, 2018

Scientific Reports, Jan 26, 2021

We present here the earliest evidence for large-scale table olive production from the mid-7 th mi... more We present here the earliest evidence for large-scale table olive production from the mid-7 th millennium BP inundated site of Hishuley Carmel on the northern Mediterranean coast of Israel. Olive pit size and fragmentation patterns, pollen as well as the architecture of installations associated with pits from this site, were compared to finds from the nearby and slightly earlier submerged Kfar Samir site. Results indicate that at Kfar Samir olive oil was extracted, while at Hishuley Carmel the data showed that large quantities of table olives, the oldest reported to date, were prepared. This process was most probably facilitated by the site's proximity to the Mediterranean Sea, which served as a source of both sea water and salt required for debittering/pickling/salting the fruit, as experimentally demonstrated in this study. Comparison of pit morphometry from modern cultivars, wild-growing trees and the archaeological sites, intimates that in pit morphology the ancient pits resemble wild olives, but we cannot totally exclude the possibility that they derive from early cultivated trees. Our findings demonstrate that in this region, olive oil production may have predated table olive preparation, with each development serving as a milestone in the early exploitation of the olive. Throughout the Mediterranean Basin, the olive tree is considered an emblematic and economically important species (e.g., 1-3). The domesticated form (Olea europaea subsp. europaea var. sativa), commonly known as Olea europaea, has given rise to hundreds of cultivars in different geographic areas 4,5. Its main wild progenitor, commonly known as oleaster (O. europaea subsp. europaea var. sylvestris [Mill.] Lehr.), is a typical but a minor component of the natural Mediterranean garigue, maquis and forest landscapes. Identification of the earliest domestic olives has proved to be complex. Genetic research has demonstrated that reciprocal gene flow regularly took place between wild and domesticated types 6,7 , while oleaster plants have served as stock material onto which cultivated clones are grafted 8-10. This might partly explain why genetic studies have reached dissimilar conclusions regarding the number of domestication events and geographic origin of Olea domestication 11-15 .

Paléorient, 1994

La grotte de Jamal, dans le Mont Carmel, comprend peu de matériel lithique du Paléolithique ancie... more La grotte de Jamal, dans le Mont Carmel, comprend peu de matériel lithique du Paléolithique ancien et moyen. L'élude géologique et les analyses micromorphologiques indiquent un mode de déposition complexe, ainsi que des processus post-dépositionnels intenses et de longue durée, essentiellement érosion et effondrement karstique. Les fluctuations du niveau édaphique semblent avoir joué un rôle majeur dans l'histoire géologique de la grotte. Toute discussion de la fonction du site et de son paléoenvironnement doit prendre en compte la proximité de la grotte de Tahoun. En effet, les deux sites faisaient probablement partie du même complexe culturel et dépendaient du même système hydrologique. Mots clés : Mont Carmel, Grotte Jamal, Paléolithique ancien et moven.

Berghahn Books, Dec 31, 2022

Quaternary Science Reviews, Dec 1, 2021

Karstic caves in the Eastern Mediterranean region hold significant archaeological importance as t... more Karstic caves in the Eastern Mediterranean region hold significant archaeological importance as they served as an important dwelling place for prehistoric hominins. Yet, such caves were used at the same time as a habitat for birds and bats. As a result, bat guano and bird droppings are not only a major source of cave deposits, but also trigger significant chemical alterations (diagenesis) due to their decomposition that can greatly affect the preservation of archaeological materials as reported from many Palaeolithic cave sites. While the diagenetic processes associated with bat guano degradation are quite well understood, the identification of partially-preserved or burnt guano residues in archaeological cave sites has not received much attention. Here we present a micromorphological, chemical and mineralogical study of modern guano of insectivorous bats, frugivorous bats and pigeons, collected from karstic caves in Israel. Each of these guano types was studied in fresh, charred and ashed forms. Based on the patterns obtained we present guidelines that allow identification of partially-degraded and burnt bat and bird guano remains. These include (1) high phosphorous and calcium associated with high quantities of chitin fragments in insectivorous bat guano; (2) low phosphorous and calcium associated with high quantities of seed coats, fibrous organic matter and red oval organic particles in frugivorous bat and pigeon guano. We found that faecal spherulites are present in bat guano and absent in pigeon droppings. Blackening and rounding of the edges of organic components characterise guano upon charring, while ashed guano is characterised by a micritic calcite groundmass in the case of fruit bat and pigeon guano without any pseudomorphs after calcium oxalate, unlike wood ash. We further show that ashed insectivorous bat guano is characterised by a micritic groundmass that includes phosphatic particles and potassium sulphate. These data indicate that while the combustion of guano presents similarities to other organic-based burnt deposits found in archaeological sites, a careful micromorphological study, aided by certain elemental and mineralogical signatures, can reveal whether or not burnt deposits originate from guano. Last, we studied the micromorphology of in situ degraded frugivorous and insectivorous bat guano in caves, observing that a bedded and laminated structure characterises fresh deposits while, as degradation progresses the proportion of authigenic minerals, appearing as nodules and veins, increases, disrupting the laminated structure. Importantly, chitin fragments in insectivorous bat guano and seed coats and some organic fibers in frugivorous bat guano preserve within degraded bat guano deposits and can serve as indicators for the presence and feeding habits of bats. Applying the guidelines given here to archaeological studies at prehistoric cave sites may produce new insights regarding human behavior, human–bat interactions, as well as for the formation processes at these sites.

Journal of Human Evolution, 2021

During the reanalysis of the finds from Jelinek's and Ronen's excavations at Tabun Cave, Israel, ... more During the reanalysis of the finds from Jelinek's and Ronen's excavations at Tabun Cave, Israel, we encountered a cobble bearing traces of mechanical alterations similar to those recorded on grinding tools. However, the artifact derives from the early layers of the Acheulo-Yabrudian complex of the late Lower Paleolithic (ca. 350 ka), a time with no evidence for grinding or abrasion. Accordingly, we sought to determine whether the traces on the artifact can be attributed to purposeful human action. We conducted a detailed use-wear analysis of the cobble and implemented an experimental program, gaining positive results for the hypothesis of purposeful human practice. We argue that the significance and novelty of early abrading technology is that it marks a new mode of raw material manipulationdone that is categorically different from other modes of tool use observed among earlier hominins or other primates and animals. Throughout the Early Pleistocene, use of stone tools was associated with vertical motions (battering, pounding, striking) or with the application of a thin or narrow working edge, leveled at cutting or scraping. Conversely, abrading consists in applying a wide working surface in a continuous sequence of horizontal motions, geared to modify or reduce the surfaces of a targeted material. The emergence of this technology joins additional behavioral changes recently identified and attributed to the Middle Pleistocene, illustrating the growing and diversifying capabilities of early hominins to harness technology to shape their environment.

Berghahn Books, Dec 31, 2022

Journal of Human Evolution, 2020

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2018

International Journal on Algae, 1999

International Journal on Algae, 2000

Israel Journal of Plant Sciences, 1998

Journal of Arid Environments, Jul 1, 2010

Berghahn Books, Nov 29, 2018

Scientific Reports, Jan 26, 2021

Paléorient, 1994

Berghahn Books, Dec 31, 2022

Quaternary Science Reviews, Dec 1, 2021

Journal of Human Evolution, 2021

One of the hallmarks of the Natufian Culture of the Levant, a terminal Pleistocene sedentary fora... more One of the hallmarks of the Natufian Culture of the Levant, a terminal Pleistocene sedentary foraging society (ca. 15,000–11,700 cal. BP), is a ubiquitous bone industry. During the past eighty years, Natufian worked-bone assemblages have been subjected to detailed stylistic, technological, and traceological analyses. Here we extract further information on the production, use, and disposal of bone artifacts in the Early–Late Natufian sequence of el-Wad Terrace (Mount Carmel, Israel), first by fully integrating them into a comprehensive zooarchaeological and taphonomic study, and then by examining their distribution and preservation patterns in relation to architectural features. On-site production, which generally followed butchery and consumption and which was an extension of these activities, occurred at el-Wad. It made use of discarded butchery refuse, such as gazelle feet and cracked gazelle limb bones. Bone beads were crafted just outside of the dwelling structure and generally used in domestic contexts, as were other bone artifacts. Fragmentation and burning patterns show that the worked items were discarded with other faunal refuse in the place of use and underwent a similar taphonomic history to the total faunal assemblage. Diachronically, a quantitative reduction in bone artifacts and the dwindling use of bone ornaments are noted in the Late Natufian. We see the integration of the study of bone artifacts with zooarchaeology and general and contextual taphonomy as being critical for fully understanding of Natufian technological behavior, site formation processes, use of space, and changes through time.

The Natufian sequence at the site of el-Wad Terrace (EWT) shows a complex depositional record der... more The Natufian sequence at the site of el-Wad Terrace (EWT) shows a complex depositional record derived from intertwined soil-geomorphic and human processes. In order to identify site formation processes at EWT, we analyzed gravel composition, its distribution within the stratigraphic sequence, and micromorphology of both fine-grained material and gravel rims. The fine deposits within the EWT sequence are magnetically enhanced anthropogenic sediments mixed with a colluvial component. They contain miniscule burnt bones, charcoal, and calcareous aggregates reminiscent of reworked ash. The constructed stone floors in the earlier Early Natufian (ca. 15.0-13.7/13.0 ka) are largely covered by crusts on their undersides. In thin sections, the crusts exhibit a sequence of thin phosphate coatings directly overlying limestone calcite followed by clayey and secondary pedogenic calcite on the outer side. The expected post-depositional erosion of floors was likely hampered by their cementation resulting from pedogenic calcite redeposition. The major break in coarse deposition appears to have occurred in the later Early Natufian occupation phase marked by low rate of scree formation. C 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Journal of human evolution, Jan 1, 2007

Understanding the behavioral adaptations and subsistence strategies of Middle Paleolithic humans ... more Understanding the behavioral adaptations and subsistence strategies of Middle Paleolithic humans is critical in the debate over the evolution and manifestations of modern human behavior. The study of faunal remains plays a central role in this context. Until now, the majority of Levantine archaeofaunal evidence was derived from late Middle Paleolithic sites. The discovery of faunal remains from Misliya Cave, Mount Carmel, Israel (>200 ka), allowed for detailed taphonomic and zooarchaeological analyses of these early Middle Paleolithic remains. The Misliya Cave faunal assemblage is overwhelmingly dominated by ungulate taxa. The most common prey species is the Mesopotamian fallow deer (Dama mesopotamica), followed closely by the mountain gazelle (Gazella gazella). Some aurochs (Bos primigenius) remains are also present. Small-game species are rare. The fallow deer mortality pattern is dominated by prime-aged individuals. A multivariate taphonomic analysis demonstrates (1) that the assemblage was created solely by humans occupying the cave and was primarily modified by their food-processing activities; and (2) that gazelle carcasses were transported complete to the site, while fallow deer carcasses underwent some field butchery. The new zooarchaeological data from Misliya Cave, particularly the abundance of meat-bearing limb bones displaying filleting cut marks and the acquisition of prime-age prey, demonstrate that early Middle Paleolithic people possessed developed hunting capabilities. Thus, modern large-game hunting, carcass transport, and meat-processing behaviors were already established in the Levant in the early Middle Paleolithic, more than 200 ka ago.

Scientific Reports, 2020

Squamate (lizard and snake) remains are abundant in the terminal Pleistocene Natufian archaeologi... more Squamate (lizard and snake) remains are abundant in the terminal Pleistocene Natufian archaeological sites of the Levant, raising the question of whether they constitute part of the broad-spectrum diet characteristic of this period. However, the role of squamates in Natufian diets remains unclear, as they are taphonomically under-studied. We conducted a series of experiments and actualistic observations that tested the impact of pre-and post-depositional processes on squamate vertebrae. We emphasized the multiple destruction processes that leave overlapping or altered marks on the bones, such as digestion marks that were modified by trampling. The resulting bone modification typology provides a tool for studying archaeological squamate remains. the experimental data were compared to the archaeological bone samples of the Natufian sequence of el-Wad Terrace (Mount Carmel, Israel, 15,000-12,000 cal BP). The Natufian squamate samples deviate from all actualistic ones in their lesser evidence of digestion and much greater indications for trampling, erosion and breakage. the taphonomic study, coupled with intra-site analysis, has unraveled the complex depositional history of el-Wad terrace, enabling us to differentiate between cultural and non-cultural contexts and to identify possible human consumption of the European glass lizard and the large whip snake in the Natufian.

Remains of early architecture at the Epipaleolithic-Neolithic transition of the Near East are com... more Remains of early architecture at the Epipaleolithic-Neolithic transition of the Near East are commonly evaluated by means of two criteria: structure size and permanent interior features or decorations. Less attention has been given to associated refuse, which could be the key for discerning the role of architectural space in the lives and minds of the last hunter-gatherers. We consider this dimension by modeling the deposition of animal remains in an Early Natufian (ca. 14,000 cal BP) architectural complex at the el-Wad Terrace (Mount Carmel, Israel). Contextual taphonomy shows that a sequence of structures was used for everyday living activities, including food preparation and consumption—probably at the household level—as well as bone working. Despite the relatively permanent habitation, reflected by repeatedly renovated stone architecture, a broad-spectrum economy, and the infliction of heavy habitation damage to in situ refuse, the inhabitants did not systematically engage in the clearing away of organic trash or otherwise marking out their domicile. The perception of the house was probably still “Paleolithic” and functional in character, highlighting the complex mosaic of old and new traits in the preagricultural communities of the Levant.