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One of the most interesting aspects of the Late Chalcolithic period in the southern Levant (c. 4500–3900 cal BC), a period marking notable societal transformations and developments in economy, craft and cult, was the appearance of ivory objects. Ivory, originating from the tusks of elephants and hippopotamuses, suddenly appeared in this period in low quantities and only at a few sites, restricted mainly to the northern Negev, Judean Desert and the central Mediterranean coastal plain. The current paper discusses the Late Chalcolithic ivory objects found in the southern Levant and suggests that we should not merely view these finds as artistic objects charged with symbolic value, but rather, we should acknowledge the role of the specific raw material from which they were made, for its social and economic values based on the likely non-local origin of the ivory and the inherent difficulty in its acquisition. These factors bestowed the ivory items with special significance and prestige value that differentiated them from other more common bone tools. Moreover, we suggest that although these findings reflect contacts, albeit limited between the southern Levant and Predynastic Egypt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Late Chalcolithic period in the southern Levant saw notable changes in almost every aspect of daily life. Some of the most significant shifts during this time seem to have been anchored in the subsistence economy and involved food and its cooking, processing, storage, serving, and handling with vessels and tools. The paper offers a comprehensive overview and analysis of one utensil that is likely to have been caught up in these developments—the Late Chalcolithic spoon. While spoons first appeared in the region during the Pottery Neolithic period, the Chalcolithic period witnessed a rise in their frequency and distribution. Nonetheless, they were few in number. While their functions remain unclear, we have presupposed their association with food and kitchenware and have explored them in this vein. This paper delves into their morphological characteristics and distribution and ponders their significance in light of other changes that occurred during the Late Chalcolithic period in the southern Levant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Late Chalcolithic period in the southern Levant saw notable changes in almost every aspect of daily life. Some of the most significant shifts during this time seem to have been anchored in the subsistence economy and involved food and its cooking, processing, storage, serving, and handling with vessels and tools. The paper offers a comprehensive overview and analysis of one utensil that is likely to have been caught up in these developments—the Late Chalcolithic spoon. While spoons first appeared in the region during the Pottery Neolithic period, the Chalcolithic period witnessed a rise in their frequency and distribution. Nonetheless, they were few in number. While their functions remain unclear, we have presupposed their association with food and kitchenware and have explored them in this vein. This paper delves into their morphological characteristics and distribution and ponders their significance in light of other changes that occurred during the Late Chalcolithic period in the southern Levant.

Tepe Gawra has long been seen as an essential site for late prehistoric and early historic periods, not only in Iraq but for the entirety of northern Mesopotamia. This importance stems from its long sequence, and its implications for understanding the development of societal complexity. Despite its small size, Tepe Gawra has produced evidence of highly specialized practices that overshadowed farming. This has led to the suggestion that the site was a "center" at the top of an administered network. Some scholars have challenged this assertion and suggested that the site had a lower town, which acted as the source of agriculture goods for the site. Since the area had been closed off to archaeological work this debate has not been resolved. Through recent survey work around Tepe Gawra, the authors show that there was an extensive lower town dating to the Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age stages of occupation. These findings show that Tepe Gawra was a large self-sustaining settlement exploiting its own agricultural hinterland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Potsherds are very important for the archaeological research because they may date a site, reveal clues about art, technology, and subsistence of people. Potteries show the relationships and exchanges between people from different regions. The Kelar Hill (from now on Tapeh Kelar), Kelardasht region, is one of the most important prehistoric sites in the west of Mazandaran, in north-western Iran. Tapeh Kelar contains cultural materials from the Late Chalcolithic in the fourth millennium BC up to the Islamic Age. The Kura-Araxes context is one of the most significant discoveries of this area. Because Kura-Araxes culture originated far from Tapeh Kelar (in the Southern Caucasus), the primary concern of the present study focused on the structure of the potteries of the site in transitional phase from the Late Chalcolithic to Kura-Araxes and on finding the changes or differences. The study also tries to find the answer to the question whether the Kura-Araxes pots emerged due to exotic agents or not. Twenty five pieces of potsherds from the Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age and Middle Bronze Age periods were studied by petrographic method to compare the mineralogical texture of the Late Chalcolithic and the Middle Bronze Age potsherds with those of Kura-Araxes. Studies show that the pots of Kura-Araxes at this site are local products despite some changes in their texture due to source change; therefore, the idea that Kura-Araxes tradition potteries were first brought by way of exchange or trade and then copied by local potters is negated.

Petrographic analysis of ceramics from the Naḥal Tsafit (ca. 4000 b.c.e.) campsite located in the Rotem Plain of the eastern Negev reflects pottery origins both in the Hebron Hills and environs, and most notably in the Faynan region. Attributed to the Chalcolithic Middle Timnian pastoral culture, mostly in deserts and contemporary with the Ghassulian culture, the analysis indicates connections to the copper source region in Faynan. Given the nomadic nature of the site, the absence of Ghassulian remains in Faynan, and the location of Naḥal Tsafit between Faynan and the Mediterranean subhumid climatic zone, the role of nomads as prime players in the Chalcolithic copper trade is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The circumstances and conditions surrounding the shift between the Late Chalcolithic- and Early Bronze Age transition in the southern Levant are still debated, with disagreements regarding the nature and pace of changes in various aspects of material culture still at the centre of discussions. One aspect of this transition that has gained an ever-growing interest in recent years is the appearance of 'Canaanean blades' at Late Chalcolithic-period sites and strata. The site of Fazael (dated to ca. 4200–3900 cal BC), located along the western margin of the Jordan Valley, is one of these sites, where excavations have revealed a large Canaanean blade assemblage in a clear Late Chalcolithic context. The current paper presents the Canaanean blade assemblage in detail and discusses its typological and technological characteristics. We discuss the significance of these findings in the context of the Late Chalcolithic-Early Bronze Age transition in the region and suggest this phenomenon should be dated to a late phase of the Late Chalcolithic period. Finally, we suggest that during the later phase of the Late Chalcolithic, flint knappers, probably specialists, began to produce Canaanean blade blanks using local raw materials but with adapted northern Mesopotamian technology. While it is unclear how this blank production technology reached the southern Levant (artisan traveling from the north to the southern Levant or knowledge transfer), it is clear that the advance modification of the blank was done using local Late Chalcolithic technology. • Canaanean blades first appeared in the southern Levant during the LC. • Fazael is one of the richest sites in LC Canaanean blades. • LC Canaanean blades combine LC and EB technologies. • LC Canaanean blades were produced using the lever pressure technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pottery is of particular importance in archaeology as an indicator of chronology, art, technology, and subsistence system of ancient populations. Pottery discloses contacts and exchanges between different regions. Kelar Hill (henceforth: Tapeh Kelar) of the Kelardasht region is a major prehistoric site in western Mazandaran. The site contains cultural evidences spanning the Late Chalcolithic (fourth millennium BCE) through the Islamic period. Amost significant component of the site’s sequence is a Kura-Araxes deposit. As the Kura-Araxes culture originated far from Tapeh Kelar (in South Caucasia), the primary concern of the present study revolves around the structureof the pottery from the site dating to the transition from the Late Chalcolithic to the Kura-Araxes period to spot the existing variations or discrepancies. The study also tries to answer the question whether or not the Kura-Araxes material represented exotic products at Tapeh Kelar. Some 25 sherds dating to the Late Chalcolithic, and Early‒Middle Bronze Age were picked up for petrographic analysis to compare the mineralogical texture of the LateChalcolithic and Middle Bronze Age ceramics with those of the Kura-Araxes material. The analyses suggest that the Kura-Araxes pieces from Tapeh Kelar were local products despite some disparities in their texture, which stemmed from the difference in raw material sources. Therefore, the presumption that the Kura-Araxes-type pottery first entered the site through exchange or trade before the related forms were copied by local potters is refuted.

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The archaeological discourse on the development of metallurgy in Anatolia, the Levant and, more generally, the Eastern Mediterranean region has extensively focused on crucial aspects such as procurement routes, technological developments, manufacturing strategies, and socio-economic connotations of metal consumption. On the other hand, potential symbolic and ritualistic aspects permeating mining and metal-making activities have rarely been taken into consideration, largely due to the ephemerality of such traditions and practices in the material record. Extensive studies have analyzed the ritual dimensions of iron and copper metalworking across different belief systems and social structures, from pre-industrial sub-Saharan Africa to pre-classical Andean cultures, from Bronze Age Central Europe to China. Drawing on the contemporary anthropological and archaeological debate on the subject, this contribution identifies and analyzes recurrent semantics of ritualization in metalworking processes, looking at different lines of epigraphic and material evidence from the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age Eastern Mediterranean. The aim is to discuss patterns of correlation between belief systems, ritual behavior, and socioeconomic organizations and to prompt more comprehensive analyses on the complementary technological and symbolic aspects of ancient metallurgical practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plaster and mortar samples from Arslantepe (Turkey) hold potential to provide unique information about the lime production and adhibition during the Late Chalcolithic period (4th millennium BCE). A multi-analytical approach including polarized light microscopy (PLM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) has been applied to characterize mortar samples from temple C and elite residences dated back to the late Chalcolithic 3–4 (3800–3400 BCE). A marly limestone has been identified as starting raw material for the lime production, probably coming from two different sources (local and brought from a different part of the Malatya plain). Moreover, different aggregate selection and the use of different production techniques were also detected in the samples, which are probably related to the function of the buildings. Evidence of a re-plastering process was also detected in the two elite houses, which probably refers to a routine maintenance process.

Copyright of Stratum Plus Journal is the property of P.P. Stratum plus and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Arkeoloji Dergisi is the property of Ege University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Pottery is of particular importance in archaeology as an indicator of chronology, art, technology, and subsistence system of ancient populations. Pottery discloses contacts and exchanges between different regions. Kelar Hill (henceforth: Tapeh Kelar) of the Kelardasht region is a major prehistoric site in western Mazandaran. The site contains cultural evidences spanning the Late Chalcolithic (fourth millennium BCE) through the Islamic period. A most significant component of the site’s sequence is a Kura-Araxes deposit. As the Kura-Araxes culture originated far from Tapeh Kelar (in South Caucasia), the primary concern of the present study revolves around the structure of the pottery from the site dating to the transition from the Late Chalcolithic to the Kura-Araxes period to spot the existing variations or discrepancies. The study also tries to answer the question whether or not the Kura-Araxes material represented exotic products at Tapeh Kelar. Some 25 sherds dating to the Late Chalcolithic, and Early‒ Middle Bronze Age were picked up for petrographic analysis to compare the mineralogical texture of the Late Chalcolithic and Middle Bronze Age ceramics with those of the Kura-Araxes material. The analyses suggest that the Kura-Araxes pieces from Tapeh Kelar were local products despite some disparities in their texture, which stemmed from the difference in raw material sources. Therefore, the presumption that the Kura-Araxes-type pottery first entered the site through exchange or trade before the related forms were copied by local potters is refuted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article summarizes the accumulated information from the investigated 11 houses of the last Late Chalcolithic settlement at Tell Yunatsite. The Late Chalcolithic house is discussed both as a functional and a symbolically arranged place where real and mystical (profane and sacred) intertwine. The contextual method that was applied allows for identifying the various functions of the house. The residential function was the primary one. The everyday activities of the inhabitants took place in the house: childbirth, raising the children, preparing food, and several other household and economic activities. On the other hand, inside the house the individual felt in a secure space, protected by the household deities that prevented the penetration of evil forces. The settlement was burnt down and the inhabitants of the houses fell victim to the attackers and the fire. The survivors returned and buried those who died outside the buildings. Those who were buried under the ruins were left as they were. The survivors performed a complex burial ritual: they covered symbolically with soil not only the houses, but also the space between them. In this way, they ‘closed down’ and put an end to the life cycle of the houses and transformed the settlement into a cemetery of those who died in the military clash.

A strainer is an autonomous utensil (sieve or colander) or an integral part (filter) of a utensil designed to separate mixtures based on grain size. In the southern Levant, strainer vessels made of clay are known since the Early Chalcolithic period, albeit few in number. The onset of the Late Chalcolithic period reflects a significant increase in the numbers and distribution of these particular vessels even though their numbers per site remain relatively low. This paper surveys foremost Late Chalcolithic strainer vessels from the southern Levant, discussing their morphology, significance and possible role as straining and sifting devices for liquids (e.g., olive or other oils, herbal or botanical mixtures, and alcoholic beverages) and solid substances (e.g., fats and flour). While results from our ongoing organic residue analysis concerning this and other types of Late Chalcolithic vessels are yet to come, we can already suggest that these vessels entail a variety of tasks and that they were used in a number of different contexts based on the variability of strainer vessel types and the strainer morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recovery of archaeobotanical assemblages from Late Chalcolithic Bakla Tepe and Liman Tepe in western Anatolia has provided the opportunity for in-depth analysis of agricultural strategies and the organisation of farming-related activity at the two sites. We find that Late Chalcolithic farmers utilised five major crop taxa, potentially including two mixed crops. The two sites also provide the first evidence for Spanish vetchling and winged vetchling cultivation in prehistoric Anatolia and the earliest evidence for this practice to date anywhere. We suggest that the settlements were organised into small, co-residential households that processed and stored their own crops, but we also propose that potentially communal extra-household storage and high levels of social monitoring may attest to supra-household cooperation. The later agricultural history of the vetchling species and the prevalence of extra-household storage at sites in coastal western Anatolia and the eastern Aegean islands add to evidence for a cultural koine between these regions in the fourth and third millennia bc. We also suggest that the large size of extra-household storage structures and the narrow range of crops cultivated at some Late Chalcolithic sites are consistent with the emergence of more extensive farming systems than those of earlier periods. Evidence for the use of extensive agricultural production to amass arable wealth by the citadel elites of later Early Bronze Age western Anatolia suggests that the agro-ecological foundations for emergent wealth inequality within the region were laid during the Late Chalcolithic. Testing this hypothesis through direct evidence for the nature of Late Chalcolithic farming systems is a key aim of ongoing research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The longevity of the Kura-Araxes culture is an archaeological phenomenon in the Caucasus and Near East. Over the course of a millennium, this culture spread from its origins in Eastern Anatolia, the Transcaucasia and northwest Iran to Southeastern Anatolia, northern Syria, Palestine and Israel. Named after the settlement mound Karaz near Erzurum, the Karaz culture is a widely established Turkish term for the Kura-Araxes culture. In Palestine and Israel, this culture is called Khirbet-Kerak. Apart from the striking small finds and special architectural features, it has a special pottery with characteristics that remained almost uniform in its area of distribution. Situated in the Altınova plain in Eastern Anatolia, Tepecik was also home for this significant culture. Today, this settlement mound lies under the waters of the Keban Dam in Elazığ. Yet its strategic location on a tributary of the Euphrates enabled the emergence and development of various cultures. At this settlement, archaeologists documented the Karaz culture that occurred in an almost unbroken cultural sequence from the Late Chalcolithic up to the beginnings of the Middle Bronze Age. Thus, Tepecik is one of the most significant prehistoric settlements within the distribution area of the Kura-Araxes/Karaz/Khirbet Kerak culture in the Near East. This paper presents the Karaz pottery from Tepecik as well as the possible development of the Karaz culture in the course of the Early Bronze Age at this settlement. .

Late Chalcolithic metallurgy developed in the southern Levant simultaneously with other crafts and new social institutions, reflecting advances in social organization, cults and technology. Until recently, copper items were mostly found in the Negev and Judean Desert, while other areas, specifically the Jordan Valley, were considered poor, with limited copper finds. Recent excavations at Late Chalcolithic Fazael in the Jordan Valley yielded dozens of copper items that allow for the first time a comprehensive study of copper items from this area. The assemblage is one of the largest of any site in the Late Chalcolithic period and includes most of the known components of the Late Chalcolithic copper industry. The current paper presents the new metallurgical discoveries from the Fazael Basin and discusses their significance to our understanding of the Late Chalcolithic copper industry.

The paper presents the results of the last two field campaigns (autumn seasons of 2016 and 2017) of the “Newcomers and autochthons” project, conducted since 2013 within the framework of the UGZAR (Upper Greater Zab Archaeological Reconnaissance) project in the upper Greater Zab area of the Kurdistan Autonomous Region of Iraq. A short preliminary account on the sites found during this period is followed by an overview of the Ninevite 5 settlement pattern based on data gathered over the course of six seasons of prospection within the research area.

This paper presents the macrobotanical record, supported by stable isotope data, from the Halaf (5850–5500 BC) and Late Chalcolithic (c. 4000 BC) occupation of the village Tell Tawila, northern Syria. Drawing on this new data and prior studies of the site, we show that subsistence at Tell Tawila combined agriculture, pastoralism, and foraging, adding it to a growing list of Halaf sites which do not conform to previous established subsistence norms. Furthermore, we argue for an aridification event taking place in the Late Chalcolithic and show how the population at Tell Tawila adapted to this changing climate through increasing exploitations of wild resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence of fishing is rare at most Late Chalcolithic sites in the southern Levant, reflecting the region's economy and preferences. The minimal incorporation of fish into the diet is striking especially as some sites are near the Mediterranean Sea, the Jordan River, the Sea of Galilee, the Hula swamps, and perennial streams. This article discusses the appearance of copper fishhooks, suggesting that these endorsed special significances beyond mere fishing gear and were not exclusively utilitarian items. These suggest that despite changing economic strategies and the limited representation in the archaeological record, fish and fishing still played a dietary role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Stratum Plus Journal is the property of P.P. Stratum plus and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectrometry was used to obtain source determinations for 11 obsidian artefacts from five archaeological sites in Bulgaria. The results show that all the archaeological specimens can be linked to obsidian sources in the Carpathian Mountains in the border region between Hungary and Slovakia. Obsidian from the C2E source in Hungary occurred in very early Neolithic contexts at Dzhulyunitsa, while the majority of samples from later contexts at Ohoden, Dzherman and Varna came mainly from the Slovakian (C1) source. The data hint at a shift from the use of C2 obsidian in the Neolithic before 5900 cal BC, to a preference for C1 obsidian in later periods – however, more finds and better contextual and chronological data are required to verify this trend.

The paper presents the results of the “Newcomers and autochthons” project conducted within the framework of the UGZAR field project in the Upper Greater Zab region in 2014– 2015 (continued from 2012 and 2013). A preliminary recapitulation of the Late Chalcolithic 3–5 settlement pattern focuses on the so-called Uruk expansion, manifested in the presence of artifacts belonging to the southern Mesopotamian Uruk culture on some of the surveyed sites.

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Copyright of Documenta Praehistorica is the property of Documenta Praehistorica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Scaling methods have been applied to study modern urban areas and how they create accelerated, feedback growth in some systems while efficient use in others. For ancient cities, results have shown that cities act as social reactors that lead to positive feedback growth in socioeconomic measures. In this paper, we assess the relationship between settlement area expressed through mound area from Late Chalcolithic and Bronze Age sites and mean hollow way widths, which are remains of roadways, from the Khabur Triangle in northern Mesopotamia. The intent is to demonstrate the type of scaling and relationship present between sites and hollow ways, where both feature types are relatively well preserved. For modern roadway systems, efficiency in growth relative to population growth suggests roads should show sublinear scaling in relation to site size. In fact, similar to modern systems, such sublinear scaling results are demonstrated for the Khabur Triangle using available data, suggesting ancient efficiency in intensive transport growth relative to population levels. Comparable results are also achieved in other ancient Near East regions. Furthermore, results suggest that there could be a general pattern relevant for some small sites (0–2 ha) and those that have fewer hollow ways, where β, a measure of scaling, is on average low (≈ < 0.2). On the other hand, a second type of result for sites with many hollow ways (11 or more) and that are often larger suggests that β is greater (0.23–0.72), but still sublinear. This result could reflect the scale in which larger settlements acted as greater social attractors or had more intensive economic activity relative to smaller sites. The provided models also allow estimations of past roadway widths in regions where hollow ways are missing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Late Chalcolithic period in the southern Levant shows a marked increase in symbolic expression. While most Late Chalcolithic basalt bowls are undecorated, notable amounts of these were adorned, and their decorations typically conform to a few canonized conventions. A small amount of the decorated Late Chalcolithic basalt bowls are further incised with unconventional, unique designs on their exteriors. These elaborately decorated basalt bowls stand in sharp contrast to the conventionally decorated ones, thus signifying their different roles. This article discusses their geographic distributions, frequencies, and characteristics, and offers further suggestions as to their position within the Late Chalcolithic symbolic and prestige item systems. The analysis reveals regional patterns—the elaborately decorated basalt bowls are constrained to south of the Yarkon River—suggesting that the function and symbolic value of these bowls were probably geographically restricted. Their limited distribution underlines the exclusivity of these elaborately decorated bowls during the Late Chalcolithic period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the fifth millennium BC the population of the region of Thrace and the Lower Danube developed the earliest known metallurgy based on mining. This led to significant socio-economic changes: development of trade, specialization in some types of production, and the earliest signs of socio-economic differentiation. The level of development of that culture is the highest at the time. During the fourth millennium the continuous development of the local cultures gradually stopped and new cultures appeared in their place, which were considerably simpler from a technological point of view. The system of cultures related to mining and metal production and called by E. N. Chernykh the Balkan-Carpathian Metallurgical Province ceased to exist. A new system of mutually related cultures occupying a larger territory was formed: the Circum-Pontic Metallurgical Province (Черных 1978). This was a long process that took place during the fourth millennium. The centres of metallurgy of the fifth millennium were abandoned and a development of metallurgy based on mining began in Anatolia. The paper discusses the opportunities for tracing influences of the Balkans on Anatolia during the fifth and fourth millennia BC. It presents arguments in support of the hypothesis about a migration of population from the Balkans and in particular from the region of the Varna and Kodzhadermen-Gumelniţa-Karanovo VI cultures south and southeast towards Anatolia.

Vessels with tubes found whole in the settlement at Pietroasa Mică-Gruiu Dării are extremely rare discoveries (Pl. 1-2). Very few complete vessels of this type were discovered on Romania's territory in Râmnicelu - La pochina (Brăila county), Bîrgăoani-Ghelăieşti - Nedeia (Neamţ county), Vermeşti-Comăneşti - Cetăţuia (Bacău county) and Ciumeşti (Satu Mare county). Two other vessels with partially broken tubes were unearthed in Drăguşeni-Fălticeni (Suceava county) and Seciu (Prahova county). The vessel (Pl. 2) found in 2013 at Gruiu Dării is the only one with two tubes discovered so far in Romania. These two vessels with tubes were discovered outside well determined complexes, in Chalcolithic layers characterized by the mixture of archaeological materials of type Cernavoda I - Cucuteni B (both with an important "C" type component). The reduced size of the vessels seem to exclude the possibility of using them in the artificial feeding of infants. Chemical analyzes could be a solid reference to their possible functionality only if those vessels were not used for multiple purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The very Late Chalcolithic sites of the Fazael Valley exhibit changes in settlement patterns and material culture. This paper presents the analysis of the ground stone tool assemblages of these sites, and includes the combination of attribute analysis, functional typology, and spatial and contextual analyses, allowing comparisons both between the different sites and between different phases within the sites. The assemblages of the late sites of Fazael 2 and Fazael 7 show similar use of raw materials and tool design, which is clearly different from the assemblage of the earlier typical Ghassulian Chalcolithic site of Fazael 1. In Fazael 2, two phases revealed a shift from the use of large grinding tools to mortars and small grinding tools. In both the earlier and the later phases, the separation of activity areas within the site is clear. Grinding activity in both phases is restricted to the western side of the site, while mortars and spindle whorls were found only in the south-eastern part. Finally, a comparison with Fazael 1, as well as with other Late Chalcolithic sites, such as Gilat, 'Ein Hilu and 'En Esur, show that the large number of mortars found in Fazael 2 and Fazael 7 is unique, and may hint at a shift to different subsistence strategies appearing in this region in the latest phases of the Chalcolithic period.