‘Enan
RENEWED EXCAVATIONS
Excavations were renewed at ‘Enan in 1996 by F. R. Valla on behalf of the Centre National Français de la Recherche Scientifique and H. Khalaily on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority. The main aims of the research were to refine the stratigraphy of the Natufian layers and excavate more houses and living floors so as to obtain a better definition of the meaning of “sedentism” in the Natufian culture. Of major interest was the Natufian economy, since the concept of sedentary hunters-gatherers at this stage remains open to debate. This research included technological aspects, such as studies of tool manufacture (flint, bone, basalt, etc.) and studies of ideology and belief, insofar as these latter two are reflected in burial practices, decorative items, and other data accessible to archaeologists.
To achieve these goals it was decided to avoid, as much as possible, working in areas formerly studied and to open a new area of 130 sq m to the east of the old excavation area. Only at the extreme western part of the former excavation, where difficulties arose in assigning house 26 an accurate stratigraphic position in the Early–Late Natufian sequence, was a small probe conducted.
EXCAVATION RESULTS
THE EPIPALEOLITHIC PERIOD. A superficial scraping was undertaken in house 26 in order to obtain a sample of the flint industry from its floor, as this industry is most sensitive to temporal changes. The recovered material demonstrates that no remnant of the floor was left during the previous excavation there. A flint assemblage much older than the house was collected; it belongs to an early episode of the Kebaran and indicates that the natural terrace in which the Natufians dug the house contained remains of a Kebaran occupation. The industry is characterized by a high proportion of bladelets and some carinated cores. Tools are mainly microliths dominated by bladelets with fine retouch and narrow micropoints. This contributes to our understanding of the use of the spring of ‘Enan in prehistoric times and adds a further perspective to the poorly known early Epipaleolithic in the
THE FINAL NATUFIAN PERIOD. Previous excavations at the site are interpreted as indicating that the last prehistoric settlement there consists of a layer of small stones (layer Ib) with very limited architectural features, some graves, and an assemblage rich in a variety of artifacts. The flint industry includes very small lunates, indicative of the final Natufian.
Architecture. In the area excavated since 1996, architectural features and installations in level Ib fall into two sub-phases (Ib1 above and Ib2 below). In conformity with the Natufian tradition, the main buildings are dug into previous deposits and have curvilinear walls. They present a succession of occupations and abandonments, indicated by superimposed living floors associated with smaller installations. These create a series of sub-phases not yet fully explored since fieldwork is incomplete.
Among the five buildings currently under excavation, two were probably houses, at least during part of their period of use. Both belong to the upper phase (Ib1) and appear to follow the same schematic arrangement. They cover a surface of c. 10 sq m, are oval in shape, and delimited only upslope by a curved wall of undressed blocks of limestone, leaving the structures largely open to the north, facing the spring of ‘Enan. Some smaller structures, hearths, postholes, etc., are placed in a line between the two extremities of the wall, dividing each inhabited space into two parts. Others are arranged along an axis perpendicular to this line in the center of each house. Three floors have been identified so far in one of these houses, indicating minor changes in the arrangement of its internal features. At one stage, two hearths seem to have been concurrently in use: an open hearth and a deep fire pit. Partial rebuilding of the wall inside the original house is associated with the latest floor. In the second house no less than four floors were identified, but only the upper two fit the pattern described above. The structure does not appear to have been originally intended as a domestic dwelling.
Due to their internal plan, three other structures can be understood as having been domestic dwellings for at least part of their period of use. Another building has been only partially excavated and its function cannot be determined. These structures exhibit the same general characteristics as the houses, as they are more or less oval in plan and dug into earlier deposits, and part of their circumference consists of a wall built of one row of local limestone boulders, either large blocks in a single course or smaller stones roughly fit together. One of these structures was covered by c. 20 cm of sediment (layer Ib2, 14C dated 10530±100
The other structures can be seen at the top of the layer and belong to phase Ib1. In one example that later became a domestic dwelling, the entire surface is covered with a variety of small installations, all related to the use of fire. One fire pit seems to have produced burnt clay similar to pottery, either deliberately or by chance. At that stage a large, oval basin (c. 3 sq m) lined with stones stood adjacent to this building. The other studied building includes at least two sub-phases. At an early stage, a hearth lined with small parallelepiped-shaped stones, possibly an oven, produced a mass of white ash scattered with quantities of refuse. Later, an open semicircular basin was carefully created in a pile of rubble intentionally packed on top of the refuse. A grave seems to be associated with this installation.
Graves. The remnants of 16 individuals in 14 graves and an isolated skull of a child were found in level Ib. All belong to phase Ib1. Most graves are related to architectural features, at least by virtue of proximity. The main exceptions are a set of 6 burials (plus a burial in the former excavations) in an isolated concentration at the top of the layer.
The bones found in the new excavations belong to 10 adults (3 males, 5 females, 2 of unknown gender), 1 adolescent, 4 children, and 2 newborns. Variations in the treatment of the body could not be associated with sex or age. Except for one group of 3 individuals (an adult male, a child 1–2 years old, and a newborn infant), each grave contained a single individual. All were primary burials. Corpses seem to have been inserted into narrow pits, with some bones abutting the sides of the pit. The burial position was not uniform. Hypercontraction was favored (8 individuals), sometimes by binding (2 individuals) or by means of packing the corpse into a bag (2 individuals); other examples were semi-flexed, seated, squatting, or lying at full length. Many were recumbent on their backs and two were prone.
Two bodies received a different treatment. One was deposited behind the semi-circular basin described above, lying on top of the intentionally packed pile of rubble in which the basin was created. The area between the basin and the wall of the enclosing structure was then filled with soil and small stones. The second seems to have been deposited in a box of some kind on the floor of an abandoned house. Later on, the uppermost bones of the burial were displaced or removed when the house was reinhabited.
Two individuals had undergone extraction of the upper right incisor, a practice already observed at ‘Enan in the final Natufian and also known at Shuqba, Kebara,
Floral Remains. Due to lack of data, it is difficult to ascertain Natufian use of plants for crafts, fuel, or food. In layer Ib, no seeds were found and even pollen is poorly preserved. The only available evidence comes from phytoliths—silica casts of plant epidermal cells. A pilot study including ten samples from seven contexts was conducted by A. Rosen. The results indicate that people introduced woody plants, reeds, and grasses to the site. Widely available reeds and sedges were collected as entire plants and are found in every sample. In two places, the high density of their phytoliths suggests the presence of burnt mats. They are associated with diatoms and sponge spicules probably originating from the clay of nearby Lake
Faunal Remains. Animal bones were often reduced to unidentifiable small fragments. Mammals, birds, and fish supplied most of the food from animal sources, and possibly small quantities of lacustrine molluscs. Mountain gazelle (G. gazella) is prominent among the mammals, but its frequency decreases compared to earlier layers at ‘Enan, where it is low relative to other Natufian sites in the Mediterranean vegetational zone. Immature animals constitute only 30 percent of the kill, perhaps confirming low pressure on this species. Other main animals are wild boar (S. scrofa), followed by fallow deer (D. mesopotamica) and roe deer (C. capreolus). Foxes (V. vulpes) are not numerous, in contrast to hares (L. capensis), which nevertheless would have formed only a limited part of the diet due to their small size. Complete carcasses were probably brought to the site but their axial parts (except for teeth) are underrepresented in comparison to limbs. No outstanding patterning in the distribution of the remains on house floors versus fills is evident. Birds consist mainly of waterfowl, many of them migratory birds of paleoarctic origin, the large number of wing and chest parts of which attests to human processing for food; this is in contrast to the rarity of birds of prey, represented by phalanges. Fish remains provide evidence for the importance of the lake as a food source. Vertebrae and other body parts were found in large quantities.
Tool Manufacture. Flints, bones, magmatic rocks, and, more rarely, limestone were the main raw materials utilized by the final Natufian inhabitants at ‘Enan. The few obsidian pieces deserve mention, as they originated as far north as Cappadocia.
Various grades of flint, from fine to coarse grained, are present. Most of the flint originated in the bed of
Antler was not favored for tool manufacture. Bones of small mammals and birds were utilized in addition to gazelle and cervid bones. Their original shapes were modified by a variety of methods. Pointed tools were the main product, occurring in a great variety of forms. Some were probably hand held while others served as projectile points. Curved hooks, a traditional Natufian artifact not previously known from ‘Enan, and “gorgets” (small bipoints) are encountered. Tools with flat working edges, either lateral or distal, were produced in moderate numbers.
At least some of the magmatic rocks were brought to the site from the Golan Heights. Compared to an early Natufian sample, the main change is that the grinding slabs and handstones now outnumber mortars and pestles. Grooved stones are less frequent. A few notched limestone pebbles may be related to fishing.
Decorative and Artistic Items. Many of the decorative items are made of Mediterranean Dentalium shells. Most of these are split into 5–7 mm-long sections. Shorter Dentalium rings are sometimes imitated in a variety of raw materials, including red and green stone and mother of pearl. Various types of green stone were also favored for flat pendants with two or three holes.
A limestone fragment shows lightly engraved lines arranged in a ladder pattern, reminiscent of similar stone engravings at Hayonim. A more elaborate example made on an igneous rock bears a pattern of undulating lines repeated in a frame. No interpretation can be proposed for these objects at present.
CONCLUSIONS
Based upon the architectural remains at ‘Enan, life at the site during the final Natufian was largely similar to that in earlier stages of the Natufian. Year-round occupation cannot yet be conclusively demonstrated. Living floors are separated by periods of abandonment. Building activities were not limited to houses; other structures of unknown function were also constructed.
Faunal remains do not indicate any control of wild animals and the scanty information available (admittedly inconclusive) does not appear to indicate any generalized manipulation of plant life. The data suggest that the final Natufian inhabitants of ‘Enan probably maintained a “sedentary” hunter-gatherer economy not very different from that of their Natufian predecessors at the site.
FRANÇOIS R. VALLA, HAMOUDI KHALAILY
RENEWED EXCAVATIONS
Excavations were renewed at ‘Enan in 1996 by F. R. Valla on behalf of the Centre National Français de la Recherche Scientifique and H. Khalaily on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority. The main aims of the research were to refine the stratigraphy of the Natufian layers and excavate more houses and living floors so as to obtain a better definition of the meaning of “sedentism” in the Natufian culture. Of major interest was the Natufian economy, since the concept of sedentary hunters-gatherers at this stage remains open to debate. This research included technological aspects, such as studies of tool manufacture (flint, bone, basalt, etc.) and studies of ideology and belief, insofar as these latter two are reflected in burial practices, decorative items, and other data accessible to archaeologists.
To achieve these goals it was decided to avoid, as much as possible, working in areas formerly studied and to open a new area of 130 sq m to the east of the old excavation area. Only at the extreme western part of the former excavation, where difficulties arose in assigning house 26 an accurate stratigraphic position in the Early–Late Natufian sequence, was a small probe conducted.