Editing Byblos (section)

===Neolithic and Chalcolithic levels===
[[Neolithic]] remains of some buildings can be observed at the site. [[Jacques Cauvin]] published studies of [[flint tools]] from the stratified Neolithic and [[Chalcolithic]] sites in 1962.<ref>Cauvin, Jacques., Les industries lithiques du tell de Byblos (Liban), L'Anthropologie, vol. 66, 5–6, 1962.</ref> Remains of humans found in Chalcolithic burials have been published by [[Henri Victor Vallois]] in 1937.<ref>Vallois, H.V., Note sur les ossements humains de la nécropole énéolithique de Byblos (avec 2 planches). ''Bulletin du musée de Beyrouth''. Tome I, 1937. Beyrouth.</ref> Tombs from this era were discussed by Emir [[Maurice Chehab]] in 1950.<ref>Chehab, Emir M., Tombes des chefs d'époque énéolithique trouvés à Byblos, ''Bulletin du Musée de Beyrouth''. Tome IX, 1949–1950, Beyrouth.</ref> Early pottery found at the tell was published by E.S. Boynton in 1960 with further studies by R. Erich in 1954 and Van Liere and [[Henri de Contenson]] in 1964.<ref name="boynton">Boynton, E.S., The Ceramic Industry of Ancient Lebanon. (Available in MS in [[American University of Beirut]] and in microfilm in [[Harvard]] Library) 1960.</ref><ref>Erich, R., Relative chronologies in Old World Archaeology, Chicago, 1954.</ref><ref>Van Liere, W. and Contenson, Henri de, "Holocene Environment and Early Settlement in the Levant", ''Annales archéologiques de Syrie'', volume 14, pp. 125–128, 1964.</ref>

====Dunand's five-level stratigraphy====
Prehistoric settlements at Byblos were divided up by Dunand into the following five periods, which were recently expanded and re-calibrated by [[Yosef Garfinkel]] to correlate with [[Tell es-Sultan]] (Jericho):

* Early Neolithic (early phase) corresponding to the [[Pre-Pottery Neolithic B]] (PPNB) of Jericho, represented by plastered floors and [[naviforme]] technology, dated between 8800 and 7000 BC;
* Early Neolithic (late phase) corresponding to the [[Neolithic#Neolithic 3 – Pottery Neolithic (PN)|PNA]] of [[Tell es-Sultan]] (Jericho) IX (also [[Yarmukian]]) between 6400 and 5800 BC, represented by [[pottery]], [[sickle]] blades, [[figurine]]s and small points;
* Middle Neolithic corresponding to the [[Neolithic#Neolithic 3 – Pottery Neolithic (PN)|PNB]] of [[Tell es-Sultan]] (Jericho) VIII and represented by pottery, dated between 5800 and 5300 BC;
* Late Neolithic corresponding to the Middle [[Chalcolithic]] of [[Beth Shean]] and represented by pottery, [[Stone vessels in ancient Judaea|stone vessels]], [[silo]]s, [[chamber tomb]]s and seals, dated between 5300 and 4500 BC;
* Early Chalcolithic corresponding to the Late Chalcolithic of [[Ghassulian]], represented by [[jar burial]]s, pierced flint, churn and a violin figurine, dated to between 4500 and 3600 BC and,
* Late Chalcolithic corresponding to the Early [[Bronze Age]], represented by [[architecture]] and [[cylinder seal]] impressions, dated to between 3600 and 3100 BC.<ref name="PeltenburgWasse2004a"/>

The site first appears to have been settled during the [[Pre-Pottery Neolithic B]] period, approximately 8800 to 7000 BC<ref name="PeltenburgWasse2004a"/><ref>Vogel, J.C. [[Tjalling Waterbolk|Waterbolk, H.T.]], Groningen Radiocarbon Dates X, Radiocarbon, 14, 6–110 / 105, 1972.</ref> (Durand's Early Neolithic).

Early Neolithic Byblos was a later settlement than others in the [[Beqaa Valley]] such as [[Labweh]] and [[Ard Tlaili]]. It was located on the seaward slope of the larger of the two hills that used to compose ancient Byblos, with a watered valley in between.<ref name="CopelandWescombe1965">{{cite book |author1=Lorraine Copeland |author2=P. Wescombe |title=Inventory of Stone-Age sites in Lebanon, p. 78-79 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6YsRRwAACAAJ |access-date=21 July 2011 |year=1965 |publisher=Imprimerie Catholique}}{{Dead link|date=April 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

[[File:Shir Gefaess der DFBW.jpg|thumb|Dark faced burnished ware pottery from [[Shir (Neolithic site)|Shir]], in [[Syria]]]]

The original site spread down into the valley and covered an area of {{convert|1.2|ha|acre|abbr=on|sp=us}} providing fertile soils and a protected landing place for boats. Dunand discovered around twenty houses although some of the settlement was suggested to have been lost to the sea, robbed or destroyed.<ref name="Moore"/><ref>Dunand, Maurice., Rapport préliminaire sure les fouilles de Byblos en 1948, 1949, ''Bulletin du musée de Beyrouth''. Tome IX, 1949–1950, Beyrouth.</ref><ref>Dunand, Maurice., Fouilles de Byblos, vol II, Atlas, Paris, 1950d (also part I, 1954 – part II, 1958).</ref><ref>Dunand, Maurice., Chronologie des plus anciennes installations de Byblos, Revue Biblique, vol. 57, 1950b.</ref><ref>Dunand, Maurice., Rapport préliminaire sure les fouilles de Byblos en 1950, 1951 & 1952, ''Bulletin du musée de Beyrouth''. Tome XII, 1955, Beyrouth.</ref><ref>Dunand, Maurice., Rapport préliminaire sure les fouilles de Byblos en 1954, 1955, ''Bulletin du musée de Beyrouth''. Tome XIII, 1956, Beyrouth.</ref><ref>Fleisch, Henri., Préhistoire au Liban en 1950, Bulletin de la Société Préhistorique Français, vol. 48, 1–2, p. 26. (Contains report on Byblos presented by Maurice Dunand to the 3rd C.I.S.E.A., Brussels, 1948), 1951.</ref> Dwellings were rectangular with plastered floors, [[pottery]] was usually [[Dark faced burnished ware]] with some shell impressions.<ref>Dunand, Maurice., Rapport préliminaire sure les fouilles de Byblos en 1960, 1961 & 1962, ''Bulletin du musée de Beyrouth''. Tome XVII, 1964, Beyrouth.</ref>

The Middle Neolithic was a smaller settlement of no more than {{convert|0.15|ha|acre|abbr=on|sp=us}} adjacent to the older site. The pottery was more developed with red washes and more varied forms and elaborate decorations, buildings were poorer with unplastered floors.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}

The Late Neolithic period showed development from the middle in building design, a wider range of more developed flint tools and a far larger variety of pottery with fabrication including silica. The Late Chalcolithic featured developments of "[[Canaanean blade|Canaanite blade]]s" and fan scrapers. Adult burials in jars started to appear along with metal in the form of one [[copper]] hook, found in a jar. Some jars were lined with white plaster that was applied and self-hardened after firing.<ref>Dunand, Maurice., Rapport préliminaire sure les fouilles de Byblos en 1957, 1958 & 1959, ''Bulletin du musée de Beyrouth''. Tome XVI, 1961, Beyrouth.</ref> Copper appeared more frequently in the Late Chalcolithic period along with multiple burials in tombs and jar handles with impressed signs.<ref name="boynton"/>
[[File:Byblos 5.jpg|thumb|upright|right|Byblos]]