Who were the Natufian culture?

The Natufian culture was an archaeological culture of the late Epipalaeolithic Near East that existed from around 15,000 to 11,500 Before Present, representing the Late phase of the Epipalaeolithic period in the Mediterranean Levant. Unusually for the time, these communities supported sedentary or semi-sedentary populations before the introduction of agriculture, exploiting wild cereals and hunting animals like mountain gazelles. Archaeogenetic analysis reveals that later Levantines from the Neolithic to Bronze Age were primarily derived from the Natufians, with additional gene flow from Anatolia.

What we know

• The Natufian culture represents the Late phase of the Epipalaeolithic period in the Mediterranean Levant. [2, 4]
• The Natufian culture supported a sedentary or semi-sedentary population before agriculture was introduced. [2]
• Evidence of bread-like foodstuff has been found at the 14,400-year-old Natufian site of Shubayqa 1 in Jordan. [2]
• Later Levantines from the Neolithic to Bronze Age derive their ancestry primarily from the Natufians, alongside gene flow from Anatolia. [2]

Still open

• It remains uncertain whether beer-related residues found in Raqefet Cave are intentional brewing or the result of spontaneous fermentation.

Where to go next

• whenWhat came before the Natufians in the Levant?
• the bigger pictureHow did the Epipalaeolithic Near East develop?
• a case in pointWhat was found at Shubayqa 1?
• whoWho was Dorothy Garrod?
• compared withHow did the Zarzian culture compare to the Natufian?
• an unexpected connectionDid ancient hunter-gatherers brew beer before farming?Residues found in a Natufian cave suggest possible beer-making thousands of years before the advent of agriculture.

Sources

• [1]Natufian culture (Wikidata Q733489) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Natufian culture · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Kebaran culture · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Epipalaeolithic Near East · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Zarzian culture · CC BY-SA 4.0

Your path

1. How does hydraulic fracturing stimulate well production?
2. /Who were the Natufian culture?