| Alternative name | Tell Hashbai |
|---|---|
| Location | Beqaa Valley,Lebanon |
| Type | Tell |
| Part of | Settlement |
| History | |
| Founded | c. 8200-6200 BC |
| Periods | PPNB,Neolithic |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 1965-1966 |
| Archaeologists | Lorraine Copeland, Peter J. Wescombe, Henri de Contenson |
| Condition | ruins |
| Public access | Yes |
Hashbai orTell Hashbai is an archaeological site on the west of theBeqaa Valley inLebanon.[1][2]
The area is watered by theMount Lebanonreservoirs and sits beside the Wadi Hashbai, close to the Ain Hashbai springs.[3] The site is located on the side of the valley as older sites in the central valley have been deeply covered in soil.
It was first surveyed and studied in 1965-6 byLorraine Copeland, Peter Wescombe andHenri de Contenson. Materials found included burnished, red-washed shards of pottery (some with incision decoration),arrowheads, sickle blades with coarse denticulation,obsidian,basalt rubber and alimestone pestle. suggestedPPNB orNeolithic dating similar toTell Ramad,Byblos orAmuq with occupation as late as theBronze Age. A dark brown and blackflint group of later appearance was also detected. It was suggested that if this flint group were to belong with the production period forDark Faced Burnished Ware or red-washed pottery, then it may carry an even earlierPPNB date. Along with evidence fromWhite Ware in the area, this has suggested that the Beqaa sites are of a sub-group suggested to date earlier chronologically than finds from Byblos.[4]