The Peqi’in Burial Cave
The Peqi'in cave is situated in the Galilean hills, which sloped down to the “east to Peqi’in valley” in northern Israel . The Peqi’in cave was discovered in 1995, when a road was being built when a “bulldozer accidentally” collapsed the roof of the cave . In the summer of 1995, salvage excavation was conducted by Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) . This Chalcolithic burial site was revealed to be a geologically active cave.
Stratigraphy
The length of the cave is 17 metres, with a width of 5-7 meters . It “consists of three units situated on three levels, sloping down from east to west” . A passageway, from the entrance to the upper section, and the eastern side, was blocked by debris and impenetrable” . Also due to …show more content…
Some are decorated with a variety of red-painted patterns. While a few of the bowls had anthropomorphic features on the bowls. Inside some of the bowls were skulls, and evidence of soot inside the bowl, indicating it may have been part of a burial custom . Other Chalices, higher than the others and had “three bowls with depictions of faces another stand has two bowls, and a third shows remains of facial features and hands” …show more content…
Five hundred beads of various design, were found that were made from shell, rock, minerals, volcanic rock, plus many more .
Bones
Peqi’in cave houses approximately, 600 to 1000 human remains . Gal et al (2011), believes that a hierarchy system existed and therefore, only the elite had use of the caves . Gal et al (2011) further believes that the crushed layer of bone under ossuaries, suggest that the “ossuaries were emptied and reused” . However, there is no evidence to indicate this is the case.
Trade
The artefacts found within the cave, are unique, and encompasses “regional chalcolithic subcultures” . This being the case it could well indicate trade, as the items found spread from “from Gilat and Be’er Sheba in the Negev, the Judean Desert, the Jordan rift valley, and the Golan to the east, and the coastal plain to Byblos”
The Peqi'in cave is situated in the Galilean hills, which sloped down to the “east to Peqi’in valley” in northern Israel . The Peqi’in cave was discovered in 1995, when a road was being built when a “bulldozer accidentally” collapsed the roof of the cave . In the summer of 1995, salvage excavation was conducted by Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) . This Chalcolithic burial site was revealed to be a geologically active cave.
Stratigraphy
The length of the cave is 17 metres, with a width of 5-7 meters . It “consists of three units situated on three levels, sloping down from east to west” . A passageway, from the entrance to the upper section, and the eastern side, was blocked by debris and impenetrable” . Also due to …show more content…
Some are decorated with a variety of red-painted patterns. While a few of the bowls had anthropomorphic features on the bowls. Inside some of the bowls were skulls, and evidence of soot inside the bowl, indicating it may have been part of a burial custom . Other Chalices, higher than the others and had “three bowls with depictions of faces another stand has two bowls, and a third shows remains of facial features and hands” …show more content…
Five hundred beads of various design, were found that were made from shell, rock, minerals, volcanic rock, plus many more .
Bones
Peqi’in cave houses approximately, 600 to 1000 human remains . Gal et al (2011), believes that a hierarchy system existed and therefore, only the elite had use of the caves . Gal et al (2011) further believes that the crushed layer of bone under ossuaries, suggest that the “ossuaries were emptied and reused” . However, there is no evidence to indicate this is the case.
Trade
The artefacts found within the cave, are unique, and encompasses “regional chalcolithic subcultures” . This being the case it could well indicate trade, as the items found spread from “from Gilat and Be’er Sheba in the Negev, the Judean Desert, the Jordan rift valley, and the Golan to the east, and the coastal plain to Byblos”