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Before History: The Golan’s Chalcolithic Heritage

By Claire Epstein

This is the story of an archaeological adventure that began over 20 years ago in the Golan. It continues even today.

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Footnotes

1.

See Thomas E. Levy, “Craft Specialization First Begins in the Chalcolithic Period,” BAR 16:06.

2.

A wadi is a rocky watercourse that is dry except during the rainy season.

Endnotes

1.

David Ussishkin, “The ‘Ghassulian’ Shrine at ‘En-gedi,” Tel-Aviv 7 (1980), pp. 38–39.

2.

Miriam Tadmor, “The Judean Desert Treasure from Nahal Mishmar: A Chalcolithic Traders’ Hoard?” in A. Leonard and B.B. Williams, eds., Essays in Ancient Civilization Presented to Helene J. Kantor (Chicago: The Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, 1989), pp. 250–261; Marie-Henriette Gates, “Nomadic Pastoralism and the Chalcolithic Hoard from Nahal Mishmar,” Levant 24 (1992), pp. 131–139.

3.

Claire Epstein, “Cult Symbols in Chalcolithic Palestine,” Bolletino del Centro di Studi Preistorici 19 (1982), pp. 63–82.

4.

Daniel Zohary and Maria Hopf, Domestication of Plants in the Old World, 2nd ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988).

5.

Epstein, “Oil Production in the Golan Heights During the Chalcolithic Period,” Tel Aviv 20 (1993), pp. 133–146.

6.

Epstein, “Basalt Pillar Figures from the Golan,” Israel Exploration Journal 25 (1975), pp. 193–201; Epstein, “Basalt Pillar Figures from the Golan and the Huleh Region,” Israel Exploration Journal 38 (1993), pp. 205–223.

7.

Rivkah Gonen, “The Chalcolithic Period,” in Amnon Ben-Tor, ed., The Archaeology of Ancient Israel (Tel-Aviv: The Open University, 1992), p. 74.

8.

A similar interpretation was suggested for the nose indicated on several metal items found in the Cave of the Treasure; see Pesach Bar-Adon, The Cave of the Treasure (Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society, 1980), p. 132.

9.

Claire Epstein and Tamar Noy, “Observations Concerning Perforated Flint Tools from Chalcolithic Palestine,” Paleorient 14 (1988), pp. 138–141.