Ohalo II

Ohalo II, located on the southwest shore of the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel, is a remarkably well-preserved archaeological site dating to around 23,000 BCE. As one of the best-preserved hunter-gatherer sites from the Last Glacial Maximum, it offers significant insights into Upper Paleolithic life. The site features six brushwood dwellings, a grave, and hearths, with artifacts including flint tools, grinding stones, and thousands of seeds from various plant species. Notably, it provides the earliest evidence for small-scale plant cultivation long before the advent of agriculture. The site's preservation was facilitated by its submersion under water and silt, which protected organic remains. These findings suggest advanced planning in food processing and potential early gender-based labor divisions.