In July 2017, a salvage excavation was conducted on Har Kippon (Permit No. A-8074; map ref. 219432–537/565645–745; Fig. 1) prior to the laying of a gas pipeline. The excavation, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and financed by Negev Natural Gas Ltd., was conducted by T. Abulafia (field photography and surveying), with the assistance of Y. Alamor (administration), E. Aladjem (GPS) and C. Amit (studio photography).
The site, located on the Har Kippon ridge, was identified during a survey conducted by J. Vardi (License No. S-680/2016) along the planned route of the gas pipeline. Har Kippon (389 m asl) is part of a series of ridges extending from southwest to northeast, interspersed by steep valleys that form a rugged landscape. The hilly terrain of Har Kippon is characterized by flint outcrops of the Mishash and Menuha Formations (Fig. 2). The excavated area yielded finds from the Middle Palaeolithic period and a few unidentified proto-historic finds.
Fourteen excavation squares were opened up (1 × 1 m each; Figs. 3, 4), distributed across areas where concentrations of knapping debitage had been identified (Fig. 5). The knapped flint items were found in a shallow layer (15 cm thick), beneath which were loess soil and calcareous stones that were devoid of archaeological finds.
The quality of the flint assemblage gathered at the site is very poor as a result of weathering and prolonged exposure to the sun. The items are coated with a thick dark patina (‘desert varnish’), and most of the worked items are broken. The flint is derived from local rock outcrops that are exposed to the elements, where the Mishash layer is easily quarried; fragments scattered along the ridge can also be used.
Approximately 250 flaked flint items were collected (Table 1); most of the debitage consists of flakes and primary flakes. The excavation yielded eleven cores, and another three were recovered as surface finds (Table 2). Most of the cores were flake cores, and a few could also be used for the production of blades. The majority of the cores are centripetal Levallois cores (Fig. 6:1), including one small core of this type formed on a flake (15 × 40 × 40 mm; Fig. 6:2). Two bidirectional Levallois cores (Fig. 6:3) and irregularly shaped cores were also found.
The excavation yielded 31 tools, and another six were surface finds (Table 3). Most of the tool assemblage comprises retouched items (38.7% from the excavation; Fig. 7:1–3). The second most common type includes flakes and blades with notches and denticulates (25.9%), followed by scrapers (16%; Fig. 7:4). Among the end scrapers found on the surface was a heavy-duty scraper (Fig. 7:5) made on a large flake. Three side scrapers (Fig. 7:6) and two awls were also found (Fig. 7:7); the latter probably belong to a later period.
Table 1. Distribution of flint finds
|
Excavation
|
Surface finds
|
Type
|
N
|
%
|
N
|
%
|
Primary flake
|
66
|
22.4
|
|
|
Primary blade
|
18
|
6.1
|
|
|
Flakes
|
82
|
27.9
|
|
|
Blades
|
26
|
8.8
|
|
|
Bladelets
|
3
|
1.0
|
|
|
Core trimming elements
|
5
|
1.7
|
|
|
Overpass
|
2
|
0.7
|
|
|
Burin spall
|
1
|
0.3
|
|
|
Chunks
|
44
|
15.0
|
|
|
Chips
|
5
|
1.7
|
|
|
Total debitage
|
252
|
85.7
|
|
|
Tools
|
31
|
10.5
|
6
|
66.7
|
Cores
|
11
|
3.7
|
3
|
33.3
|
Total
|
294
|
100.0
|
9
|
100.0
|
Table 2. Distribution of core types
|
Excavation
|
Surface finds
|
Core type
|
N
|
%
|
N
|
%
|
Centripetal Levallois
|
6
|
54.5
|
2
|
66.7
|
Bidirectional Levallois
|
2
|
18.2
|
1
|
33.3
|
Irregular
|
3
|
27.3
|
|
|
Total
|
11
|
100.0
|
3
|
100.0
|
Table 3. Tool type distribution
|
Excavation
|
Surface finds
|
Tool type
|
N
|
%
|
N
|
%
|
Retouched blade
|
6
|
19.4
|
1
|
16.7
|
Retouched flake
|
6
|
19.4
|
2
|
33.3
|
Scraper
|
5
|
16.1
|
3
|
50
|
Side scraper
|
3
|
9.7
|
|
|
Awl
|
2
|
6.5
|
|
|
Denticulate
|
2
|
6.5
|
|
|
Notch
|
6
|
19.4
|
|
|
Unknown
|
1
|
3.2
|
|
|
Total
|
31
|
100.0
|
6
|
100.0
|
Although the hilly terrain is relatively inaccessible and affords little sustenance, the available raw material is easily collected and quarried and was thus favored by the local population in the Middle Paleolithic period. Nevertheless, the excavation indicates that the site was only sporadically occupied, as most of the finds were recovered from the surface.