These unique tools, known as “Quina scrapers,” were discovered at the prehistoric sites of Jaljulia and Qesem Cave in central Israel. This discovery sheds light on significant technological and cultural shifts among ancient human populations following the disappearance of elephants from the region.

The Quina scrapers are notable for their sharp, scale-shaped working edges, which made them highly effective for butchering and processing fallow deer, a medium-sized species of deer. This technological innovation emerged as a response to the extinction of elephants, which had previously been the primary source of sustenance for early humans in the Levant.

“When elephants disappeared from the region, ancient hunters were forced to make technological adaptations, enabling them to shift their focus to hunting, butchering, and processing the light-footed fallow deer,” explained TAU’s Vlad Litov, one of the lead researchers.

The study, published in the peer-reviewed Archaeologies journal, highlights that these specialized tools were made from non-local flint, sourced from the Mountains of Samaria, approximately 20 kilometers east of Jaljulia and Qesem Cave. This area is believed to have been the calving ground for fallow deer, suggesting a deep connection between the location of tool production and the habitat of their prey.

Consequently, the researchers hypothesize that Mounts Ebal and Gerizim, situated near present-day Shechem (Nablus), held sacred significance for prehistoric hunters as early as the Paleolithic era.

Starting 1.5 million years ago, early humans primarily used stone scrapers to process the hides and flesh of large game, such as elephants. However, the study indicates that approximately 400,000 years ago, as large game became scarce, hunters turned their attention to smaller and faster prey, such as fallow deer.

Image - Moraz Brom/Flash90/Courtesy of TA University