Chapter 4: Neolithic 2 Tell Labweh (Pages 203-205)

Pre-History and Archaeology Glossary

Excerpts and Definitions and Addendums:

The modern village of Labweh is in the Bekaa Valley 26 kilometres north-east of Baalbek. There are two Neolithic sites here - one just to the north of the village which has not been excavated and another to the south which is the site with which we are concerned. Tell Labweh stands on a low hill at the side of the valley where the land rises up towards the Anti-Lebanon Mountains. It overlooks springs which are one of the sources of the Orontes River. The site is spread over a wide area but the deposits are only about 4 metres deep. The surface has been much disturbed by agricultural terraces and a new road has been dug through the mound cutting it in two.

Kirkbride has made two soundings in the site to obtain the sequence of occupation. Trench A was not excavated to bedrock but the lowest levels reached were devoid of structures. Above them were two superimposed rectangular buildings with several rooms. The lower courses of the walls were built of stone but it is thought that the upper parts would have been made of mud-brick. The floors of these buildings were surfaced with white burnished plaster and red burnished plaster floors could be seen in the section beside the new road. Several secondary burials were found in these structures ...

The History of the Ancient Near East Electronic Compendium