During the new excavations of the Natufian site of Mallaha six AMS-dates have been analysed.1 The dates for the Late and Final Natufian (Layers: IB1; IB2) are consistent with the stratigraphy with GifA 70013 (10080- 9870 BCcal 68,2%) being slightly younger than the two other dates from the lower layer (sum: 10770-10430 BCcal 68,2%).
The date GifA 70014 (12240-12070 BCcal 68,2%) indicates a more precise range for the Early Natufian, which had been dated before only by conventional radiocarbon dates with very high standard deviations. Because of their high deviations these conventional radiocarbon dates (Ly 1600-1662) have not been calibrated for this analysis.
1) I am very grateful to Dr. Emeric Bannelier for advising us of the publication of the new AMS dates published by Valladas and Kalteneker (2007).
GifA 99091: 460 +/- 60 BP is clearly aberant, and GifA 70012 might indicate a more recent occupation of the site. Both dates are out of the range of the Natufian, and therefore have not been considered.
