Gilgal I (Hebrew: גלגל) is an archaeological site in the Jordan Valley, West Bank, dated to the early Neolithic period. The site is located 8 mi (13 km) north of ancient Jericho.[1] The features and artifacts unearthed at Gilgal I shed important light on agriculture in the Levant.[2] The by far oldest domesticated figs found anywhere in the world were recovered from an incinerated house at the site, and have been described as coming from cultivated, as opposed to wild, fig trees.
Gilgal I was first excavated by Tamar Noy in 1979. Further excavations were conducted by Ofer Bar-Yosef of Harvard University, together with Mordechai E. Kislev and Anat Hartmann of Bar-Ilan University.[3]
Findingsedit
The Early Neolithic village was inhabited for about two centuries before being abandoned some 11,200 years ago.[4]
The archaeologists found caches of selectively propagated fig seeds,[dubious – discuss] stored together with wild barley, wild oat, and acorns in quantities too large to be accounted for even by intensive gathering, at strata datable c. 11,000 years ago. The dig also unearthed the remains of thirteen round buildings made of mud and rock.[3]
(Some of the plants tried and then abandoned during the Neolithic period in the Ancient Near East, at sites like Gilgal I, were later successfully domesticated in other parts of the world.[5])
Fig tree cultivationedit
At Gilgal, archaeologists found ancient carbonized figs stored in an 11,400-year-old house which appear to be a mutant "parthenocarpic" variety, adopted and cultivated for human consumption.[1] The figs discovered at Gilgal lack embryonic seeds, a mutation that does not survive in nature more than a single generation. This suggests that the fig trees at Gilgal were artificially maintained by planting live branches in the ground, a horticultural technique known as vegetative propagation. Some fig remains recovered from other sites in the Middle East appear to be of the Gilgal variety.[6]
This provides archaeobotanists with proof that agriculture may have started in the Ancient Near East with people domesticating the fig tree about one thousand years before managing to do the same with wheat, barley, and legumes.[4] This pushes back the date of fig tree domestication by some 5,000 years earlier than thought, and makes figs the oldest domesticated crop we know of.[4]
Clay objectsedit
Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) baked clay objects were discovered at Gilgal I, most of them figurines and symbolic artifacts. As some of the earliest ceramic findings in the Levant, they are of interest to archaeologists for their artistic, stylistic, symbolic and technological characteristics.[2]
Education center projectedit
The Moreshet Foundation Israel (MHF Israel) has been working on developing the Gilgal Education Center in the Jordan Valley, a center open to the public that will highlight the importance of this archaeological site.[7][dubious – discuss]
^ ab. Daily Post. Liverpool, England. 2 June 2006. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
^ abGoren, Yuval; Biton, Rebecca (2010). "Technology of the fired clay objects from Gilgal I". In Ofer Bar-Yosef; A. Nigel Goring-Morris; Avi Gopher (eds.). Gilgal: Early Neolithic Occupations in the Lower Jordan Valley: The Excavations of Tamar Noy. Oxbow Books. pp. 217–221. ISBN9781842174135. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
^ abSoffer, Gili (26 December 2006). "Where's the historical Gilgal?". ynetnews.com. Yedioth Internet. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
^ abcHarvard University release (4 June 2006). "Tamed 11,400 Years Ago, Figs Were Likely First Domesticated Crop". ScienceDaily. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
^Kislev, Mordechai E.; Hartmann, Anat; Bar-Yosef, Ofer (2006). "Early Domesticated Fig in the Jordan Valley". Science. 312 (5778): 1372–1374. Bibcode:2006Sci...312.1372K. doi:10.1126/science.1125910. PMID 16741119. S2CID 42150441.
^. Archived from the original on 2014-08-17. Retrieved 2012-10-19.
^. Archived from the original on 2014-12-26. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
Further readingedit
Bar-Yosef, O. Gopher, A. Goring-Morris, A.N., Gilgal: Early Neolithic Occupations in the Lower Jordan Valley, The Excavations of Tamar Noy American School of Prehistoric Research Monograph Series 4Brill Academic Publishers, 2005
Noy, T., Gilgal I - A Pre-Pottery Neolithic Site Israel - The 1985-1987 Seasons, Paléorient, 15/1, 11–18, 1989
Noy, T. Kozłowski, S.K., A Basket of Flint Artefacts from House 11 at Gilgal I, Locus 37/42, Kozłowski and Gebel (eds.) 1996, Neolithic Chipped Stone Industries of the Fertile Crescent, and Their Contemporaries in Adjacent Regions, Studies in Early Near Eastern Production, Subsistence and Environment 3, ex oriente, Berlin, 271–288, 1996.
Noy, T., Stone Cup-Holes and Querns from Gilgal 1: a Pre Pottery Neolithic A Site in Israel, Paléorient, 5, 1979
External linksedit
Radiocarbon dates for Gilgal I
University of Cologne, Radiocarbon context database entry for Gilgal I
January 02, 2024
gilgal, hebrew, גלגל, archaeological, site, jordan, valley, west, bank, dated, early, neolithic, period, site, located, north, ancient, jericho, features, artifacts, unearthed, shed, important, light, agriculture, levant, oldest, domesticated, figs, found, any. Gilgal I Hebrew גלגל is an archaeological site in the Jordan Valley West Bank dated to the early Neolithic period The site is located 8 mi 13 km north of ancient Jericho 1 The features and artifacts unearthed at Gilgal I shed important light on agriculture in the Levant 2 The by far oldest domesticated figs found anywhere in the world were recovered from an incinerated house at the site and have been described as coming from cultivated as opposed to wild fig trees Gilgal IShown within the West BankLocationWest BankCoordinates32 01 58 N 35 28 32 E 32 032778 N 35 475556 E 32 032778 35 475556 dubious discuss TypeTell dubious discuss Part ofVillageHistoryMaterialCharcoal seedsFoundedc 11 400 BPAbandonedc 11 200 BPPeriodsNeolithic PPNA PPNB dubious discuss Site notesExcavation dates1979 2005ArchaeologistsTamar Noy Ofer Bar Yosef Mordechai E Kislev Anat HartmannPublic accessYesGrinding tool from Gilgal Natufian culture 12500 9500 BCE Contents 1 Excavation history 2 Findings 2 1 Fig tree cultivation 2 2 Clay objects 3 Education center project 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksExcavation history editGilgal I was first excavated by Tamar Noy in 1979 Further excavations were conducted by Ofer Bar Yosef of Harvard University together with Mordechai E Kislev and Anat Hartmann of Bar Ilan University 3 Findings editThe Early Neolithic village was inhabited for about two centuries before being abandoned some 11 200 years ago 4 The archaeologists found caches of selectively propagated fig seeds dubious discuss stored together with wild barley wild oat and acorns in quantities too large to be accounted for even by intensive gathering at strata datable c 11 000 years ago The dig also unearthed the remains of thirteen round buildings made of mud and rock 3 Some of the plants tried and then abandoned during the Neolithic period in the Ancient Near East at sites like Gilgal I were later successfully domesticated in other parts of the world 5 Fig tree cultivation edit At Gilgal archaeologists found ancient carbonized figs stored in an 11 400 year old house which appear to be a mutant parthenocarpic variety adopted and cultivated for human consumption 1 The figs discovered at Gilgal lack embryonic seeds a mutation that does not survive in nature more than a single generation This suggests that the fig trees at Gilgal were artificially maintained by planting live branches in the ground a horticultural technique known as vegetative propagation Some fig remains recovered from other sites in the Middle East appear to be of the Gilgal variety 6 This provides archaeobotanists with proof that agriculture may have started in the Ancient Near East with people domesticating the fig tree about one thousand years before managing to do the same with wheat barley and legumes 4 This pushes back the date of fig tree domestication by some 5 000 years earlier than thought and makes figs the oldest domesticated crop we know of 4 Clay objects edit Pre Pottery Neolithic A PPNA baked clay objects were discovered at Gilgal I most of them figurines and symbolic artifacts As some of the earliest ceramic findings in the Levant they are of interest to archaeologists for their artistic stylistic symbolic and technological characteristics 2 Education center project editThe Moreshet Foundation Israel MHF Israel has been working on developing the Gilgal Education Center in the Jordan Valley a center open to the public that will highlight the importance of this archaeological site 7 dubious discuss See also edit nbsp Palestine portal nbsp History portal nbsp Asia portalArchaeology of Israel Gilgal kibbutz Levantine archaeologyReferences edit a b Farming began with fig trees say experts Daily Post Liverpool England 2 June 2006 Archived from the original on 2015 09 24 Retrieved 10 April 2021 a b Goren Yuval Biton Rebecca 2010 Technology of the fired clay objects from Gilgal I In Ofer Bar Yosef A Nigel Goring Morris Avi Gopher eds Gilgal Early Neolithic Occupations in the Lower Jordan Valley The Excavations of Tamar Noy Oxbow Books pp 217 221 ISBN 9781842174135 Retrieved 10 April 2021 a b Soffer Gili 26 December 2006 Where s the historical Gilgal ynetnews com Yedioth Internet Retrieved 10 April 2021 a b c Harvard University release 4 June 2006 Tamed 11 400 Years Ago Figs Were Likely First Domesticated Crop ScienceDaily Retrieved 10 April 2021 Kislev Mordechai E Hartmann Anat Bar Yosef Ofer 2006 Early Domesticated Fig in the Jordan Valley Science 312 5778 1372 1374 Bibcode 2006Sci 312 1372K doi 10 1126 science 1125910 PMID 16741119 S2CID 42150441 Ancient Fig Find May Push Back Birth of Agriculture Archived from the original on 2014 08 17 Retrieved 2012 10 19 Gilgal Visitors Center Archived from the original on 2014 12 26 Retrieved 2012 10 09 Further reading editBar Yosef O Gopher A Goring Morris A N Gilgal Early Neolithic Occupations in the Lower Jordan Valley The Excavations of Tamar Noy American School of Prehistoric Research Monograph Series 4Brill Academic Publishers 2005 Noy T Gilgal I A Pre Pottery Neolithic Site Israel The 1985 1987 Seasons Paleorient 15 1 11 18 1989 Noy T Kozlowski S K A Basket of Flint Artefacts from House 11 at Gilgal I Locus 37 42 Kozlowski and Gebel eds 1996 Neolithic Chipped Stone Industries of the Fertile Crescent and Their Contemporaries in Adjacent Regions Studies in Early Near Eastern Production Subsistence and Environment 3 ex oriente Berlin 271 288 1996 Noy T Stone Cup Holes and Querns from Gilgal 1 a Pre Pottery Neolithic A Site in Israel Paleorient 5 1979External links editRadiocarbon dates for Gilgal I University of Cologne Radiocarbon context database entry for Gilgal I Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gilgal I amp oldid 1181073587, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
