The stratigraphy and paleogeography of the Middle Paleolithic open-air site of ‘Ein Qashish, Northern Israel

The Middle Paleolithic site of 'Ein Qashish is located on the floodplain of the Qishon stream, northern Israel, which drains into the Mediterranean Sea. It is located at the inlet to a narrow water gap between Mt. Carmel and Tiv'on Hills. The excavation and 3 trenches up to 5 m deep provide the stratigraphy and allow a reconstruction of the paleogeography and depositional environments. The archaeological layer, OSL dated to about 64 plus or minus 4 ka, is composed of carbonate gravel and overlies 66 plus or minus 4 ka (MIS4) black, heavy alluvial clays deposited by the Qishon Stream, which represents marsh environment. The site is covered by another clay unit, representing a second marsh period between 50 plus or minus 3 and 41 plus or minus 3 ka (MIS3). This sedimentary complex is unconformably covered by coarse gravel and reddish clay matrix, dated to between 15.1 plus or minus 0.7 and 10.5 plus or minus 0.5 ka, which is derived from Wadi Qashish - a steep mountainous stream of Mt. Carmel. The mineralogical analyses of the clays indicate high quartz concentrations and smectitic IS, which support the interpretation of Qishon basin origin, versus illitic IS from Mt. Carmel slopes. The duration of the prehistoric human activity is estimated at