Abstract
The Nazlet Khater 4 site (Nile Valley, Upper Egypt) is located on one of the small wadi-interfluves in the lower desert near the steep cliffs bordering the western Nile Valley edge (Fig. 1). We have previously reported1 the excavation of an early Upper Palaeolithic blade industry at this site, although blade industries in the Nile Valley had only been known2 to occur since 18,000 yr ago. The 1982 excavation reported here confirms that Nazlet Khater 4 is a chert mining site with a complex extraction strategy, going back 33,000 yr. A nearby grave contained a skeleton of a man in the extended position. We show that the cranial morphology is anatomically modern with archaic characteristics such as a very robust mandible. There is evidence that the skeleton has a similar age to that of the mining site.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Vermeersch, P. M. et al. Science 216, 626–628 (1982).
Wendorf, F. & Schild, R. Prehistory of the Nile Valley (Academic, New York, 1976).
Shepherd, R. Prehistoric Mining and Allied Industries (Academic, London, 1980).
Olivier, G., Aaron, C., Fully, G. & Tissier, G. J. Hum. Evol. 7, 513–518 (1978).
Martin, R. Lehrbuch der Anthropologie (Fischer, Jena, 1928).
Ferembach, D. Bull. Mém. Soc. Anthrop., Paris 3 (Sér. XIII), 183–193 (1976).
Weisgerber, G. (ed.) 5000 Jahre Feuersteinbergbau (Deutschen Bergbau-Museum, Bochum, 1980).
Chmielewski, W. in Contributions to the Prehistory of Nubia (ed. Wendorf, F.) 147–164 (Southern Methodist University, Dallas, 1965).
Dart, R. A. & Beaumont, P. Curr. Anthrop. 10, 127–128 (1969).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Vermeersch, P., Paulissen, E., Gijselings, G. et al. 33,000-yr old chert mining site and related Homo in the Egyptian Nile Valley. Nature 309, 342–344 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/309342a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/309342a0
This article is cited by
-
The Upper Palaeolithic Lithic Industry of Nazlet Khater 4 (Egypt): Implications for the Stone Age/Palaeolithic of Northeastern Africa
African Archaeological Review (2011)
-
Palaeolithic chert exploitation in the limestone stretch of the Egyptian Nile Valley
African Archaeological Review (1990)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.