In February, Israeli archaeologists uncovered the well-preserved remains of two Copper Age houses in northern Jerusalem, the oldest such discovery in the vicinity. The fascinating flint finds attest to the livelihood of the local population in prehistoric times, said Ronit Lupo, the Israeli excavation chief. Small sickle blades for harvesting cereal crops, chisels and polished axes for building, borers and awls, and even a bead made of carnelian .  .  . indicating that jewelry was either made or imported. The grinding tools, mortars and pestles, like the basalt bowl, attest to technological skills as well as to the kinds of crafts practiced in the local community. It thus appears that, even 7,000 years ago, our ancestors were developing technology, trading goods and services, and devoting time and energy to ensuring sustenance. The Jerusalem dig lay just up the road from Hebrew University, where the historian Yuval Noah Harari continues to absorb well-deserved accolades for Sapiens, his broad survey of how humanity evolved—and didn’t—from prehistoric to contemporary times. All are justified. He covers lots of ground, and his trenchant, if sometimes tendentious, prose renders the journey enjoyable and rewarding.

Source: Onward and Upward | The Weekly Standard