Ancient quarry proves human impact on landscape

3/3. Cup Marks. Step-like morphology of the quarrying front on the rocks. Gabi Laron

Kaizer Hill quarry, discovered in central Israel, demonstrates the changing attitudes to landscape in the transition from hunting-gathering to farming

Archaeologists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem uncovered in central Israel the earliest known Neolithic quarry in the southern Levant, dating back 11,000 years. Finds from the site indicate large-scale quarrying activities to extract flint and limestone for the purpose of manufacturing working tools.

In a research paper published in the journal PLOS ONE, a team of archeologists, led by Dr. Leore Grosman and Prof. Naama Goren-Inbar from the Institute of Archeology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, showed how inhabitants of the Neolithic communities changed their landscape forever. [...] EurekAlert!