A Neolithic technological approach to the production of stone beads: Insights from the analysis of the Nahal Hemar cave assemblage

Abstract

The stone beads assemblage of Nahal Hemar Cave, southern Israel, was analyzed to reconstruct the technology applied by artisans during the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (9900–9400 BP). The analysis highlights three main inter-related aspects: broad range of raw materials used, bead production in accordance with types and mechanical properties of the minerals, and fashioning of beads into types suitable for specific use. Raw materials were identified with SEM-EDS analyses, and in one instance by using portable XRF. Eleven minerals indicate a vast geographical range of sources. Use-wear analysis of microscopic wear patterns revealed the application of production procedures that indicate an intimate acquaintance with the properties of the minerals, including abrasion and polishing strategies and selective methods of drilling and binding. It is shown that bead production followed decision-making processes dependent upon constraints imposed by the properties of the stone and by the tools used for manipulating them.