Sites of Human Evolution at Mount Carmel: The Nahal Me’arot / Wadi el-Mughara Caves

World Heritage Research

Discover scientific research and academic studies that deepen our understanding of Sites of Human Evolution at Mount Carmel: The Nahal Me’arot / Wadi el-Mughara Caves from its history and significance to its conservation, management, and contemporary challenges.

• Revisiting taphonomic methodologies in microvertebrate research: A case study from Tabun Cave Layer C (Mount Carmel Israel)

  A critical reappraisal of taphonomic methodologies in microvertebrate research, using Tabun Cave Layer C (Mount Carmel, Israel) as a case study, reveals the robustness and importance of comprehensive taphonomic analysis. The study reorganizes and reanalyzes raw data from Fried et al. (2024), applying established frameworks such as those by Andrews (1990). Key findings emphasize the necessity of identifying accumulation agents and assessing post-depositional processes to avoid interpretive errors, thereby providing critical palaeoecological insights into Neanderthal and Homo sapiens fossil remains. This work advocates for the refinement and broader integration of taphonomic methodologies in microvertebrate palaeoecology.

  Fernández-Jalvo, Y., García-Morato, S., Denys, C., & Andrews, P. (2026). Revisiting taphonomic methodologies in microvertebrate research: A case study from Tabun Cave Layer C (Mount Carmel Israel). Quaternary Science Advances, 23, 100323. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.qsa.2026.100323

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• Natufian sickle blades (ca. 15,000–11,700 cal. BP) reveal cereal cultivation ca. 4.5 millennia before domestication

  A groundbreaking analysis of Natufian sickle blades from Mount Carmel's caves reveals that prehistoric communities employed sophisticated cereal harvesting techniques approximately 4.5 millennia before systematic crop domestication. Microscopic use-wear analysis on flint sickle blades from el-Wad Terrace and Salibiya I sites identified patterns consistent with the harvest of semi-ripe and ripe cereals, utilizing their natural shattering mechanism. Additionally, traces of stripping suggest a threshing operation to extract grains efficiently. The study reconstructs an intensive, well-organized harvest strategy that began in mid-spring and continued until late spring, targeting unshattered plants. This practice demonstrates an advanced understanding of cereal properties and mixed stands, indicating early cultivation aimed at minimizing seed loss and stockpiling for future sowing.

  Groman-Yaroslavski, I., Krugman, T., Belfer-Cohen, A., Yeshurun, R., Grosman, L., Kaufman, D., Barshay, K., Piliponsky, M., Vardi, J., Abadi, I., & Weinstein-Evron, M. (2026). Natufian sickle blades (ca. 15,000–11,700 cal. BP) reveal cereal cultivation ca. 4.5 millennia before domestication. Scientific Reports, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-54740-5

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• Data production, analytical noise, and predator attribution in Tabun Cave Layer C: a reply to Fernández-Jalvo et al. (2026)

  A robust analysis of microvertebrate remains from Tabun Cave Layer C confirms that molar digestion grading provides a reliable, noise-resistant signal for predator attribution. This study counters criticisms by Fernández-Jalvo et al. (2026), reinforcing the original finding that a low-impact raptor, such as Tyto alba, was likely the primary accumulating agent of the microvertebrate assemblage. The research employs a 'signal-versus-noise' framework to address post-depositional noise and demonstrates that taxonomic restrictions on molar digestion did not alter conclusions. Limited evidence for hydrodynamic sorting further supports this attribution.

  Fried, T., Weissbrod, L., Shimelmitz, R., & Weinstein-Evron, M. (2026). Data production, analytical noise, and predator attribution in Tabun Cave Layer C: a reply to Fernández-Jalvo et al. (2026). Quaternary Science Advances, 23, 100338. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.qsa.2026.100338

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• Three millennia of lizard and snake consumption by Natufian foragers

  A comprehensive analysis of squamate (lizard and snake) remains from the Nahal Me’arot/Wadi el-Mughara Caves at Mount Carmel reveals that these reptiles formed a substantial and consistent part of Natufian foragers' diet over three millennia. Evidence of butchery on snake vertebrae indicates regular consumption, with shifts in squamate abundance and bone modification patterns correlating to changes in site-use intensity rather than environmental factors. Unlike older Paleolithic sites, Natufian herpetofaunal assemblages show a more abundant, taxonomically stable, and less diverse range of larger-bodied species, suggesting human foraging choices adapted to emerging sedentary lifestyles. The study highlights the resilience of targeted squamate species despite fluctuations in habitation intensity, offering insights into early human impact on local reptile communities.

  Lev, M., Weinstein-Evron, M., & Yeshurun, R. (2026). Three millennia of lizard and snake consumption by Natufian foragers. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 123(35). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2609354123

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• Roman-Period Burial Caves on the Slopes of Mount Carmel: An Anthropological Study

  Archaeological excavations at Ḥorbat Mitla, on the western slopes of Mount Carmel, have uncovered a significant concentration of Roman-period burial caves. The study identified at least 65 individuals—ranging from infants to adults of both sexes—in 13 caves, representing a typical 'civilian' cemetery population. Despite the poor preservation of skeletal fragments, on-site anthropological analysis provided insights into this historic burial site. This discovery contributes to our understanding of Roman-period funerary practices and demographic structures in the region.

  Nagar, Y. (2025). Roman-Period Burial Caves on the Slopes of Mount Carmel: An Anthropological Study. ’Atiqot, 117(1). https://doi.org/10.70967/2948-040x.2267

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• The human side of biodiversity: coevolution of the human niche, palaeo-synanthropy and ecosystem complexity in the deep human past

  A groundbreaking study reveals that human activities, particularly those of hunter-gatherers, have played a pivotal role in shaping biodiversity dynamics and ecosystem complexity since the Late Pleistocene. The research challenges the conventional view that biodiversity loss is solely an anthropogenic issue, instead highlighting the deep-time interplay between humans and ecosystems. By analyzing archaeological evidence from sites like Mount Carmel's Nahal Me'arot caves, the study demonstrates that human-environment feedback systems have significantly influenced biodiversity, with implications for understanding current ecological crises. It argues that fostering cultural diversity could be key to promoting biodiversity conservation, offering a novel perspective on planetary stewardship.

  Hussain, S. T., & Baumann, C. (2024). The human side of biodiversity: coevolution of the human niche, palaeo-synanthropy and ecosystem complexity in the deep human past. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 379(1902). https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2023.0021

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• Cultural Dynamics in the Levantine Upper Paleolithic, ca. 40–33 ky BP: Insights Based on Recent Advances in the Study of the Levantine Aurignacian, the Arkov-Divshon, and the Atlitian

  Recent research challenges the long-held model of two co-inhabiting cultural groups during the Levantine Upper Paleolithic (ca. 40–33 ky BP), instead proposing at least three distinct entities: the Early Ahmarian, Levantine Aurignacian, and younger Arkov-Divshon/Atlitian cultures. High-resolution excavations at Manot Cave and Nahal Rahaf 2 Rockshelter, combined with radiocarbon dating and detailed stratigraphic analysis, revealed a chronological overlap among these groups, particularly between the Arkov-Divshon, Levantine Aurignacian, and possibly the Early Ahmarian. The study further suggests an evolutionary link between the Arkov-Divshon and Atlitian flint industries, while highlighting foreign cultural features in the Levantine Aurignacian. These findings necessitate a revision of migration and interaction models for this period.

  Shemer, M., Barzilai, O., & Marder, O. (2024). Cultural Dynamics in the Levantine Upper Paleolithic, ca. 40–33 ky BP: Insights Based on Recent Advances in the Study of the Levantine Aurignacian, the Arkov-Divshon, and the Atlitian. Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41982-024-00176-0

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