The Chalcolithic Mortuary Site near Mezad Aluf, Northern Negev Desert: A Preliminary Study

Expediting Reincarnation in the Fifth Millennium BCE: Interpreting the Chalcolithic Ossuaries of the Southern Levant

“…These cemeteries are diverse in size, mortuary structure morphology, and associated burial finds. Perhaps the best example of a formal extramural Chalcolithic cemetery is that of Shiqmim (Levy and Alon , , , , ; Levy et al . ; Levy et al .…”

“…These cemeteries are diverse in size, mortuary structure morphology, and associated burial finds. Perhaps the best example of a formal extramural Chalcolithic cemetery is that of Shiqmim (Levy and Alon 1979, 1985a, 1985b, 1987Levy et al 1991;Levy et al 1994;Levy 1998), where the cemetery lies on a ridge above the settlement. Here are found rock-hewn cists and above-ground circular stone structures containing commingled secondary remains, albeit poorly preserved and in small quantities.…”

Ceramic composition at Chalcolithic Shiqmim, northern Negev desert, Israel: investigating technology and provenance using thin section petrography, instrumental geochemistry and calcareous nannofossils

“…Alluvial terraces along the banks of the Nahal Beersheva provided a base for agricultural activity and settlement expansion; local loessial soils have been cultivated for centuries in historic times. Archaeological excavations at Shiqmim were carried out by T. E. Levy and D. Alon in 1982-1984(Phase I, Levy 1987, 1993 (Phase II, Levy et al 1991). An 'upper village', represented by relatively thin cultural deposits on loessial hills about 6 m above the present-day wadi bed, and a 'lower village' situated on a terrace some 1.5 to 2 m above the channel have been described (Levy et al 1991).…”

“…Cast copper 'prestige' objects manufactured using clay casting moulds and evidence of local smelting and copper tool production in the southern Levant are found for the first time at some Chalcolithic sites (Golden 2010;Golden et al 2001;Levy and Shalev 1989;Shalev et al 1992;Shugar 2001). These, and other developments in material culture, were accompanied by demographic shifts and apparently increasing population density in some areas, such as the northern Negev desert, along with new social practices, such as the establishment of sanctuaries and extramural cemeteries (Levy 1998;Levy and Alon 1982;Seaton 2008;Ussishkin 1980). Many researchers have considered the emergence of Chalcolithic culture to be primarily autochthonous in origin (e.g., Kaplan 1958;1969;Levy 1998;Moore 1973;Seaton 2008).…”

Some spatial analyses of Chalcolithic settlement in Southern Israel

“…On the one hand there are studies that have presented a stratified and complex society, in which the Northern Negev had distinct regional cultures that represented chiefdom societies, and had established centres for coordinating social, economic and religious activities. Such conclusions were based upon distribution maps, the use of ''central place theory'' and the application of Thiessen Polygons (Levy and Alon, 1982;Levy, 1983bLevy, , 1986bLevy, , 1995Levy, , 2000Levy, , 2006. On the other hand, other researchers have suggested a social structure of no great complexity in which they see a complete lack of evidence for social ranking or stratification, and conclude that there was probably no political or religious elite, but that society constituted an egalitarian, rural farming community led by heads of households (e.g.…”