Plain of Zgharta

Plain of Zgharta
	Shown within Lebanon
Location	East and southeast of Tripoli, Lebanon
Coordinates	34.4°N 35.9°E
History
Periods	Heavy Neolithic (originally confused with Mousterian)
Cultures	Qaraoun culture
Site notes
Archaeologists	R. Wetzel, J. Haller
Condition	terraced and under cultivation
Public access	Yes

The Plain of Zgharta (or Plain of Zghorta) is a Heavy Neolithic archaeological site approximately 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) east and southeast of Tripoli in Lebanon. It has historically been a region known for growing sumptuous olives owing to early Quaternary, cemented fluvatile deposits that cover the land beneath the topsoil (known as the Conglomerates of Zgharta or the Conglomerates of Zghorta).[1] The site was documented by R. Wetzel and J. Haller in 1945 who discuss surface finds of several large flakes and atypical bifaces from this area and ended up giving them a very improbable label of Mousterian.[2] Lorraine Copeland deduced the likelihood that these pieces were Gigantolithic tools, once used by the Qaraoun culture to chop down Cedars of Lebanon to start the Neolithic Revolution.[1]

References

L. Copeland; P. Wescombe (1966). Inventory of Stone-Age Sites in Lebanon: North, South and East-Central Lebanon, p. 89. Impr. Catholique. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
Wetzel, R. & Haller, J., Le Quarternaire de la région de Tripoli. Notes et Mémoires de la Délégation Génerale de France au Liban. Section Géologique, No. 4., Beirut, 1945.

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[CopelandWescombe1966-1] L. Copeland; P. Wescombe (1966). Inventory of Stone-Age Sites in Lebanon: North, South and East-Central Lebanon, p. 89. Impr. Catholique. Retrieved 3 March 2011.

[2] Wetzel, R. & Haller, J., Le Quarternaire de la région de Tripoli. Notes et Mémoires de la Délégation Génerale de France au Liban. Section Géologique, No. 4., Beirut, 1945.