Nahal Ein Gev II

Nahal Ein Gev II (NEG II) is a prehistoric archaeological site in northern Israel, where a village of the late Natufian culture was discovered. The site is located on the northern terrace of Ein Gev Stream (Hebrew: "Nahal Ein Gev"), about two kilometers east of the Sea of Galilee, on the southern slopes of the Golan Heights. The excavations at the site revealed a Natufian village, which includes a large and complex cemetery, a large number of stone buildings, and unique facilities.

According to three carbon-14 dates, the site dates to a period between 12,550 and 12,000 years before our time (calibrated dates). This dating indicates the association of the site with the late Natufian culture of the Epipaleolithic period, as also appears from the study of the flint tools and other characteristics of the material culture at the site.

The site is important because of its archaeological findings and geographical location. The findings uncovered at the site have distinctly Natufian characteristics, but also have elements reminiscent of the later cultures of the early Neolithic period of the Levant. In the Jordan Valley, along the river's upper and lower course, there are other Natufian sites from the same period, which may reflect a local population in the valley towards the end of the Natufian and the beginning of the Neolithic period. Because of this, Nahal Ein Gev II is a key site for studying the transition from a lifestyle of hunting and gathering that characterizes the Epipaleolithic period, to a life of agriculture and animal husbandry that represents the Neolithic period.

As of 2024, the excavation and research project at the site is continued by an expedition from the Institute of Archaeology of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI).