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Other Archaeological Sites / The Neolithic of the Levant (500 Page Book Online) Ancient Shiqmim Located deep in the Negev Desert in Israel lies the dwellings of an ancient people who once populated the inhospitable locale. Approximately 6500 years ago the Negev received more rainfall than it does today making it more fertile and livable. In 1977 Shiqmim was discovered by a group of archaeologists revealing large underground tunnel systems and dwellings ... The large Chalcolithic (circa 4500-3500 BC) village and mortuary complex of Shiqmim has produced a unique diminutive human figurine. Its anthropomorphic features are captivating but it also shares in the abstract artistic style of violin-shape figurines. Uniquely bringing together these two distinct southern Levantine artistic traditions the Shiqmim figurine permits us to see overlapping cultural - stylistic - spatial - chronological dimensions of the Chalcolithic Culture of Palestine ... |
