The Dating of the Upper Paleolithic Layers in Kebara Cave, Mt Carmel

Renewed excavations in Kebara cave (Mt Carmel) made it possible to obtain a series of radiocarbon dates from the Upper Paleolithic layers of the site. The various readings indicate the presence of early Ahmarian industries around 43 –36 ka bpwhile the Levantine Aurignacian is dated to 36 –32 ka bp. Combined with the previously published TL dates for the uppermost Mousterian layers it is suggested that during the transition from the Middle to the Upper Paleolithic, the cave was abandoned and that this cultural phase should be dated to c. 46 /45 –43 /42 ka bp.