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‘Atiqot 104 (2021)
ISBN 2948-040X
Groundstone Tools from Khirbat el-ʻUmdan, Bet Shemesh
(pp. 19–25)
Ariel Vered
Keywords: Judean Shephelah, typology, stone industry, trade
The excavation at the Chalcolithic site of Khirbat el-ʻUmdan yielded a small, typologically varied assemblage of groundstone tools. Vessels comprise the lion’s share of the group, followed by grinding and pounding utensils. The assemblage is characterized by a diversity of raw materials: limestone, flint, basalt, sandstone and beachrock. While a large portion of the assemblage was made of locally available raw materials, a considerable portion was made on non-local ones, attesting to connections with the surrounding regions, either directly or through mediating agents.