Occupational Dynamics at Unit III of the Middle Paleolithic Site of Nesher Ramla, Israel

Abstract This paper presents the results of spatial analyses of Unit III in Nesher Ramla, Israel, an open-air mid-Middle Paleolithic site. Featuring numerous anthropogenic features (e.g., hearths and artifact clusters), a well-preserved lithic assemblage, and well-defined deposits, Unit III constitutes an excellent case for exploring the ability of the Nesher Ramla Homo to organize and maintain their space. We employed two analytical procedures: tracing the spatial distribution of various lithic categories and refitting. The results were correlated with field records and plans to produce high-definition distribution and density maps, which suggest a division into northern and southern areas. The northern area consists of small accumulations of bones, stones, and a few lithic artifacts; it likely served as a task-specific field camp for brief butchering events. The southern area featured dense artifact accumulations associated with combustion features, and it seems to have functioned as a domestic space where various activities were carried out: flint knapping, bone processing, animal consumption, etc. While the temporal relations between the northern and southern areas are uncertain, they do not seem to have been contemporaneous; instead, they appear to have been associated with different visits. Alongside other published data from the upper units of Nesher Ramla, the current study contributes to new insights into shifts in functions and duration of occupations at the site.