Upper Paleolithic Levels XIII-VI (A and B) from the 1937-1938 and 1947-1948 Boston College Excavations and the Levantine Aurignacian at Ksar Akil, Lebanon

Abstract

The rockshelter of Ksar Akil in Lebanon witnessed the most prolonged occupation of any single location during the Levantine Upper Paleolithic. Investigations began at the site in the early 1920s and have spanned almost 90 years. This paper examines the upper portion of the stratigraphic sequence, including the Levantine Aurignacian, and for the first time, correlates data collected in both the 1937-1938 and 1947-1948 field seasons of Boston College. In general, there appears to be little divergence in the description of assemblage types reported by most scholars. Where differences do occur, they involve interpretation of these data, specifi cally in terms of related groupings of levels, phase designations, and cultural affi liations. A significant observation concerns the characterization of the Levantine Aurignacian from the perspective of Ksar Akil. Each level studied in the present research is comprised of numerous blades and bladelets as reported in the 1969-1975 investigations of J. Tixier. This includes Ksar Akil Phase 5 that is generally acknowledged as representing the “ classic Aurignacian,” an industry which has been widely described as oriented toward flake production in other parts of the Levant.