An Amudian Oddity: A Giant Biface from Late Lower Palaeolithic Qesem Cave. (20th October 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Barkai, Ran; Gopher, Avi; Solodenko, Natalya; Lemorini, Cristina
• Is Part Of: Tel Aviv. Volume 40:Number 2(2013)
• Page Start: 176
• Page End: 186
• Publication Date: 2013-10-20
• Subjects: QESEM CAVE -- ACHEULO-YABRUDIAN CULTURAL COMPLEX -- BIFACE -- HANDAXE -- MIDDLE PLEISTOCENE; Excavations (Archaeology) -- Israel -- Periodicals; Excavations (Archaeology) -- Middle East -- Periodicals; Israel -- Antiquities -- Periodicals; Middle East -- Antiquities -- Periodicals; Middle East -- Civilization -- To 622 -- Periodicals; 933
• DOI: 10.1179/033443513X13753505864160
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0334-4355

Abstract

Abstract : The paper reports the discovery of an extraordinary flint implement—a large biface—and discusses its significance in the context of Qesem Cave in particular and the late Lower Palaeolithic Acheulo-Yabrudian Cultural Complex of the Levant in general. We contend that this unusually large biface was discarded in an unfinished and unused state, most probably due to a collapse event that took place at the cave some 280, 000 years ago.