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Other Archaeological Sites / The Neolithic of the Levant (500 Page Book Online) McDonald Ancient Near East Book Auction Ad Infinitum Pre-Historic Atlit Yam A settlement 400 meters off the Israeli shore and is the largest (60,000 square meters) and most deeply submerged (8 - 12 meters below sea level) prehistoric settlement ever uncovered along the Mediterranean coast. The architecture of the dwellings, the lithic tool assemblages and radiocarbon dating indicate habitation during the late Pre-Pottery Neolithic (PPN) period circa 8100--7500 BP. Floral and faunal remains suggest that the village economy was complex, based on several different food resources acquired through hunting, incipient herding, fishing, and farming. These probably permitted year-round occupation. More importantly however Atlit-Yam is among the earliest communities to reveal evidence of maritime activity. From this site new insights into maritime pursuits and the domestication of animals and plants as well as early evidence for exploitation of water tables, the construction of wells in prehistoric times and sea level changes will be forthcoming. Further study of Atlit-Yam may also contribute to our understanding of the process of colonization of the Mediterranean islands .....
ABSTRACT: Atlit Yam: A Prehistoric Journal Article
Atlit-Yam: A Prehistoric Site on the Sea Floor of the Israeli Coast The History of the Ancient Near East Electronic Compendium |