Looking at the Overlooked: The Possible Significance of the Ground Stone Assemblage from the Cave of the Treasure, Judaean Desert, Israel

Abstract

A small ground stone tool assemblage was among the finds unearthed during the 1960–1962 excavations at the Cave of the Treasure in Naḥal Mishmar, ascribed by the cave's excavator, Pesach Bar-Adon, to the Chalcolithic period. Although the ground stone components were partially presented in the final publication, a comprehensive account of the finds was never completed. Here, we offer a detailed presentation of the ground stone assemblage, including items not published previously. This assemblage is then discussed in light of the importance of the cave and the phenomenon of using hard-to-access cliff caves in the Judaean Desert.