Stone "canvas" and Natufian art: An incised human figure from the Natufian cemetery at Raqefet Cave, Israel

Danny Rosenberg; Rivka Chasan; György Lengyel; Dani Nadel

doi:10.1111/ojoa.12189

Stone "canvas" and Natufian art: An incised human figure from the Natufian cemetery at Raqefet Cave, Israel

Danny Rosenberg, Rivka Chasan, György Lengyel, Dani Nadel

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The Natufian culture is the first cultural entity in the southern Levant to have large graveyards and a wide array of symbolic expressions. Hundreds of Natufian burials have been discovered and studied; at some Natufian sites the presence of stone slabs within the graves has been recorded. One interesting yet rare phenomenon documented is the slabs bearing clear incised patterns, suggesting the Natufians were using these flat stone blocks as 'canvases'. Here we report and discuss an incised anthropomorphic figure that has been discovered in the Natufian graveyard at Raqefet Cave, Mt. Carmel, Israel. The human figure, most likely shown as dancing, adds another dimension to the rich assemblage of Natufian burial practices and symbolism as recorded at the site of Raqefet Cave as well as at other Natufian sites.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	128-140
Number of pages	13
Journal	Oxford Journal of Archaeology
Volume	39
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/ojoa.12189
State	Published - 1 May 2020

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Fieldwork at Raqefet Cave was carried out under license numbers G-/2004, G-34/2006, G-64/2008, G-34/2010 and G-22/2011 of the Israel Antiquities Authority and permits of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. The Irene Levi-Sala CARE Archaeological Foundation, the National Geographic Society (Grant #8915-11) and the Wenner-Gren Foundation (Grant #7481-2008) generously supported the project. G. L. was supported by the ?NKP-19-4P New National Excellence Program of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology (TNRT/1419/51/2019), and the Bolyai J?nos Research Fellowship (BO/00629/19/2) of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA). We also thank S. Haad for the graphic editing and E. Crater Gerstein and R. Lin for photography and photogrammetry.

Funding Information:
Fieldwork at Raqefet Cave was carried out under license numbers G‐/2004, G‐34/2006, G‐64/2008, G‐34/2010 and G‐22/2011 of the Israel Antiquities Authority and permits of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. The Irene Levi‐Sala CARE Archaeological Foundation, the National Geographic Society (Grant #8915‐11) and the Wenner‐Gren Foundation (Grant #7481‐2008) generously supported the project. G. L. was supported by the ÚNKP‐19‐4P New National Excellence Program of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology (TNRT/1419/51/2019), and the Bolyai János Research Fellowship (BO/00629/19/2) of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA). We also thank S. Haad for the graphic editing and E. Crater Gerstein and R. Lin for photography and photogrammetry.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Archaeology
Geography, Planning and Development
Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)

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10.1111/ojoa.12189

Cite this

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title = "Stone {"}canvas{"} and Natufian art: An incised human figure from the Natufian cemetery at Raqefet Cave, Israel",

abstract = "The Natufian culture is the first cultural entity in the southern Levant to have large graveyards and a wide array of symbolic expressions. Hundreds of Natufian burials have been discovered and studied; at some Natufian sites the presence of stone slabs within the graves has been recorded. One interesting yet rare phenomenon documented is the slabs bearing clear incised patterns, suggesting the Natufians were using these flat stone blocks as 'canvases'. Here we report and discuss an incised anthropomorphic figure that has been discovered in the Natufian graveyard at Raqefet Cave, Mt. Carmel, Israel. The human figure, most likely shown as dancing, adds another dimension to the rich assemblage of Natufian burial practices and symbolism as recorded at the site of Raqefet Cave as well as at other Natufian sites.",

author = "Danny Rosenberg and Rivka Chasan and Gy{\"o}rgy Lengyel and Dani Nadel",

note = "Funding Information: Fieldwork at Raqefet Cave was carried out under license numbers G-/2004, G-34/2006, G-64/2008, G-34/2010 and G-22/2011 of the Israel Antiquities Authority and permits of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. The Irene Levi-Sala CARE Archaeological Foundation, the National Geographic Society (Grant #8915-11) and the Wenner-Gren Foundation (Grant #7481-2008) generously supported the project. G. L. was supported by the ?NKP-19-4P New National Excellence Program of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology (TNRT/1419/51/2019), and the Bolyai J?nos Research Fellowship (BO/00629/19/2) of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA). We also thank S. Haad for the graphic editing and E. Crater Gerstein and R. Lin for photography and photogrammetry. Funding Information: Fieldwork at Raqefet Cave was carried out under license numbers G‐/2004, G‐34/2006, G‐64/2008, G‐34/2010 and G‐22/2011 of the Israel Antiquities Authority and permits of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. The Irene Levi‐Sala CARE Archaeological Foundation, the National Geographic Society (Grant #8915‐11) and the Wenner‐Gren Foundation (Grant #7481‐2008) generously supported the project. G. L. was supported by the {\'U}NKP‐19‐4P New National Excellence Program of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology (TNRT/1419/51/2019), and the Bolyai J{\'a}nos Research Fellowship (BO/00629/19/2) of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA). We also thank S. Haad for the graphic editing and E. Crater Gerstein and R. Lin for photography and photogrammetry. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd",

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Stone "canvas" and Natufian art: An incised human figure from the Natufian cemetery at Raqefet Cave, Israel

Abstract

Bibliographical note

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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