Kebaran

Kebaran is an archaeological term for a late Upper Paleolithic to early Epipaleolithic cultural tradition in the Levant, dating roughly from 18,000 to 13,000 years ago. The name derives from Kebara Cave in present-day Israel, where diagnostic Kebaran assemblages were first identified.

The Kebaran lithic tradition is characterized by a microlithic toolkit, including small backed bladelets, lunates, and other geometric pieces used in composite tools. Cores and broader flake production accompany retouched elements, reflecting a shift toward standardized, portable technologies. The economy is understood as mobile hunter-gathering with a broad-spectrum foraging strategy, relying on a mix of wild fauna and plant resources and seasonal movements across the region.

Geographically, Kebaran sites are distributed across the southern Levant, including parts of present-day Israel, Jordan, and neighboring areas. Chronologically, the Kebaran sequence sits before the Natufian culture and is commonly viewed as part of the transition from the Upper Paleolithic to the Epipaleolithic in this region. The Natufian, which follows later, is associated with increasing sedentism and more intensively exploited local resources.

Significance of the Kebaran lies in its demonstration of early microlithic technological developments and the precursors to later Epipaleolithic adaptations that eventually contributed to agricultural transitions in the broader Levant. As with many prehistoric classifications, the precise boundaries and relationships with neighboring cultures remain topics of ongoing research and debate.