Site E-75-8: Additional Excavation of The Seventh Millennium Site at Nabta Playa

Abstract

Site E-75-8 is a very large Neolithic site in the northwestern part of Nabta playa. In situ cultural deposits extend over an area of about 75 × 200 - 250 m (Banks 1984:131), while the full extent of the area of occupation is at least 500 × 300 m (Wendorf and Schild 1980:92). Test-excavations were made in 1975, followed by a more extensive excavation in 1977. These revealed a deep (in places, some 2 m deep), stratified sequence of El Ghanam Middle and El Baqar Late Neolithic deposits within dune sand grading into the silt and clay of the playa (Banks 1984; Wendorf and Schild 1980). El Ghanam Middle Neolithic was dated to ca. 7100 - 6500 bp (Banks 1984:Table V.8) and El Baquar Late Neolithic, less securely, from about 6500 to perhaps 5800 bp.