The Geochemistry of Basalt Handaxes from the Lower Palaeolithic Site of Ma‛ayan Baruch, Israel-A Perspective on Raw Material Selection

The Upper Acheulian site of Ma‛ayan Baruch, northern Israel, is primarily known for its exceptionally large assemblage of thousands of flint handaxes. Within this assemblage, a minute collection of basalt handaxes was retrieved as well, representing particular technological choice within the Upper Acheulian. Using geochemistry, we were able to determine that these basalt handaxes were not made from local basalt, but from different sources. Thus, the use of basalt at the site does not represent an ad hoc choice of using local raw material but, rather, a more complex technological choice pertaining to variability in raw material selection in the Lower Palaeolithic Levant.