Ahmarian or Levantine Aurignacian? Wadi Kharar 16R and New Insights into the Upper Palaeolithic Lithic Technology in the Northeastern Levant

Abstract

This paper aims to update the characterization of the Upper Palaeolithic (UP) lithic technology in the northeastern Levant by discussing an issue regarding various cultural designations of UP lithic assemblages from Umm el Tlel, a main source of archaeological records in the northeastern Levant. The paper reviews the issue by incorporating the UP assemblages from Wadi Kharar 16R in the middle Euphrates. At this site, some of the techno-typological characteristics (e.g., el-Wad points and straight bladelets from single-platform cores) are similar to those of the southern Early Ahmarian, while other features (e.g., twisted bladelets and carinated tools) are reminiscent of the Levantine Aurignacian sensu lato. Given these observations, the previous identification of “Levantine Aurignacian” and “Ahmarian” at Umm el Tlel may represent the two opposed ends of continuous variations in the relative frequencies of twisted and straight bladelets rather than the two technological traditions exclusive to each other. The UP assemblages at Umm el Tlel and Wadi Kharar 16R are commonly characterized by the apparent mixture of techno-typological elements reminiscent of the southern Ahmarian (e.g., straight, pointed bladelets removed by unidirectional flaking) and the Levantine Aurignacian sensu lato (e.g., twisted bladelets from carinated tools). The employment of such multiple strategies characterizes the UP lithic technology of the two sites. On the other hand, more specific features (e.g., the presence or absence of el-Wad points) and radiocarbon dates indicate chrono-cultural links between Wadi Kharar 16R and Ksar Akil Phase VII and between Umm el Tlel and Ksar Akil Phase V. Consequently, the UP assemblages form Umm el Tlel and Wadi Kharar 16R indicate a coherent picture as well as diachronic patterns of the UP lithic technology in the northeastern Levant, which show some parallels with the later part of the UP sequence at Ksar Akil in the coastal zone.