 | |
  Shuqba cave Location in the West Bank, Palestine | |
| Region | Judaean Mountains |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 31°58′55″N35°02′37″E / 31.98194°N 35.04361°E /31.98194; 35.04361 |
| Grid position | 15420/15435PAL |
| History | |
| Cultures | Natufian culture |
| Site notes | |
| Archaeologists | Dorothy Garrod |
Shuqba Cave is anarchaeological site inWadi Natuf near the town ofShuqba in theWest Bank,Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate,Palestine. The cave is thetype-site for theprehistoricNatufian culture.
In 2013, the cave and the valley it opens into, Wadi Natuf, were added toUNESCO's tentative list for possible designation as aWorld Heritage Site.[1][2]
Shuqba cave is located on the northern bank ofWadi en-Natuf, at a point where thewadi passes a kilometer south of the town of Shuqba, and later runs in a general northwesterly direction towards theIsraeli coastal plain. The town is 28 km northwest ofJerusalem. This area is within theJudaean Mountains.[3]
The site was briefly investigated in 1924 by FatherAlexis Mallon,[4] who suggested that theBritish School of Archaeology in Jerusalem take responsibility for excavating the cave. During the course of one seasonDorothy Garrod, with a team of local workers, placed a trench in the central chamber, as well as a small sounding in Chamber III.[5] She identified an archaeological sequence which included a LateLevallois-Mousterian layer. It also included aMesolithic layer that she subsequently named"Natufian".[6] This was the first time that a Natufian layer had been found as part of a stratified deposit. This layer containedcharcoal traces and a previously unknownmicrolithicstone tool industry characterized by crescent-shapedlunates. Garrod's team found worked bone objects. The fauna was dominated bygazelle, and also included the domesticdog. The remains of 45 human skeletons, mostly fragmentary, allowed insights into a range of distinctive mortuary practices.[7][8][3]
Recent investigations have identified what are believed to be Neanderthal remains, together with Nubian Levallois knapping tools previously thought to be specific toHomo sapiens.[9] A recently reexamined fossilised tooth found by D. Garrod in the cave, is the southernmost evidence ofNeanderthals ever discovered, raising the possibility that thishominin species originally coming from Eurasia might indeed have reached Africa while fleeing from the advancing northern glacial climate.[10][11]
Shuqba cave falls within the broader prehistoric landscape of the Wadi en-Natuf. While most of the lithic material in the immediate (1 km) survey area along the wadi's north bank is concentrated around the cave,debitage has been found at a small natural terrace 200 m south of the cave. Surface collection suggests that this material derives from the cave and from the 1928 spoil, the bulk of which has been washed down the slope. A terrace is visible today, but it was constructed as part of modern agricultural practices.[3]
In 2013, the area was added toUNESCO's tentative list for possible designation as aWorld Heritage Site.[1][2]
The Wadi en-Natuf and Shuqba Cave came since 2000 under threat due to road building,[2][12] decay,[13][12] lack of protection,[13] and extensive garbage dumping.[12][14] The Israeli authorities have built abypass road through Wadi en-Natuf to connect theIsraeli settlements of theModi'in Illit-Nili bloc.[12][2][14] They have also built an exit ramp from the bypass to allow garbage trucks to dump trash in the valley.[12] Asecurity wall was also built, which makes access to the cave from the Palestinian side more difficult and from the Israeli side impossible.[12][13]
