Physical, geochemical and chronostratigraphic data for sediments from the Jordan River Dureijat archeological site (Hula Valley, Israel)

The excavation of the open-air Epipaleolithic site Jordan River Dureijat revealed a stratigraphic sequence 2.2 meters in length along the east wall of the excavation area, which we have sampled continuously at an interval of 1-cm. These sediments have been analyzed with respect to sediment-grain size, total organic carbon content and calcium carbonate content. The proxy datasets are presented along with the chronostratigraphic model for sediment accumulation at the site, produced using ten radiocarbon-dated charcoal samples and the Bayesian modeling program OxCal (version 4.4). Through these investigations we have been able to reconstruct environmental conditions in the Hula Valley during the time period c. 21.1 – 11.3 cal ka BP, an era of unprecedented social and cultural change in the Levant.