CHARRED WOOD REMAINS FROM KEBARA CAVE, ISRAEL - PRELIMINARY-RESULTS

An anthracological analysis of a small sample of charred wood remains from radiometrically dated Mousterian and Upper Palaeolithic levels at Kebara cave, Israel, resulted in the Identification of six plant taxa : Quercus calliprinos (an evergreen oak), Quercus ithaburensis (a deciduous oak), Pistacia cf. atlantica, Crataegus, Salix and Ulmus. The most significant result of this preliminary study is that the composition of the analysed sample, both with respect to the taxa identified and their relative frequencies, appears to resemble the composition of the present-day local vegetation. Although the picture is far from being complete, as the study is still at a very early stage, this result may be explained, at least partially, by the fact that most of the specimens originated in layers dating to the beginning of an interstadial phase, during which time climatic conditions in the Kebara region may not have been much different from those presently prevailling. A much larger sample should, however, be analysed before the history of the vegetation in the vicinity of the cave, during the time span covered by it sediments, can be discussed with greater confidence.