Atlit Yam
הכפר הנאוליתי בעתלית-ים | |
Location off the coast of Haifa District, Israel | |
Location | Off the coast of Atlit, Israel |
---|---|
Region | Eastern Mediterranean Sea |
Coordinates | 32°42′38.98″N 34°56′6.54″E / 32.7108278°N 34.9351500°E |
Type | Settlement |
Area | 40 dunams (9.9 acres) |
History | |
Founded | 6900 BCE |
Abandoned | 6300 BCE |
Periods | Pre-Pottery Neolithic B |
Atlit Yam is a submerged ancient Neolithic village off the coast of Atlit, Israel. It has been carbon-dated as to be between 8,900 and 8,300 years old. Among the features of the 10-acre (4.0 ha) site is a stone circle.
History
Atlit Yam provides the earliest known evidence for an agro-pastoral-marine subsistence system on the
Underwater excavations have uncovered rectangular houses and a well. The site was covered by the
Archaeological findings
Submerged settlements and
A stone semicircle, containing seven 600 kg (1,300 lb)
Ten
An excavation was mounted by the University of Haifa on October 1, 1987. A complete human burial, in an excellent state of preservation, was discovered under 10 metres (33 ft) of water on October 4 1987, with the skeleton oriented in a flexed position and laid on her right side. Subsequent carbon dating of plant material recovered from the burial placed the age of the site at 8000 +-200 years.
Animal bones and plant remains also have been preserved. Animal bones come mainly from wild species. The plant remains include wild grape, poppy, and caraway seeds. Granary weevils indicate the presence of stored grain. Pollen analysis and the remains of marsh plants indicates the local presence of swamps.
The Homo I skeleton showed traits similar to Natufian populations, but had its own unique morphologic structure, which evidenced inbreeding in the community. The researchers emphasized that one skeleton is not an adequate sample on which to base conclusions. Inland and coastal groups present different types of economical and cultural adaptations to their environment.[9]
Radiocarbon dating
The settlement has been dated[
Lab-number | BP | date (approx.) | deviation |
---|---|---|---|
RT-2477/8 | 7605 | 6460 BC
|
55 |
RT-2479 | 7460 | 6270–6390 BC | 55 |
RT-2489 | 7880 | 6660–6700 BC | 55 |
References
- ^ Marine archaeology Archived June 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Ehud Galili/Y. Nir, "The submerged pre-pottery Neolithic water well at Atlit-Yam, northern Israel, and its palaeoenvironmental implications", The Holocene 3, 1993, 265–270.
- ^ Ehud Galili/ Jacob Sharvi. "Submerged Neolithic water-wells from the Carmel coast of Israel". Landschaftsverband Rheinland, Rheinisches Amt für Bodendenkmalpflege (ed.), Brunnen der Jungsteinzeit. Internationales Symposium in Erkelenz, 27–29 October 1997. Materialien zur Denkmlapflege im Rheinland 11, 1998 (Bonn Habelt). p. 31–44.
- ^ Than, Ker (2006-11-30). "Ten-Story Tsunami Thrashed Mediterranean 8,000 Years Ago". Fox News. Archived from the original on 2007-02-12. Retrieved 2005-12-20.
- ^ Hecht, Jeff (2006-12-13). "How Etna's Neolithic Hiccup Set Off a Tsunami". New Scientist. Retrieved 2005-12-20.
- ^ ISSN 0262-4079. Retrieved 28 November 2009.
- ^ "Israel's Atlantis". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2019-04-15.
- ^ "The Pre-Pottery Neolithic Site of Atlit-Yam". Israel Antiquities Authority. Retrieved 2019-04-15.
- .
External links
- "The Pre-Pottery Neolithic Site of Atlit-Yam". Israel Antiquities Authority. Retrieved 2019-04-15.