Dekwaneh

Description

Dekwaneh is a suburb in the Matn District, north or Beirut. Two prehistoric, flint factory sites were found nearby.

Dekwaneh I is approximately 700 metres northwest of the Mar Roucos monastery. It lies in the gullies of deforested slopes on the west of a ridge. Material was found by Raoul Describes, who mentioned that prehistoric rock-shelters in the area had been destroyed by quarrying. Later collections were made by Auguste Bergy and Peter Wescombe who found Acheulean and Middle Paleolithic materials at what they determined to be a factory site.

Dekwaneh II material was mostly found in the ravine below the monastery. Flint tools were also found here by Bergy and Describes which were determined to have been fashioned in forms typical of the Qaraoun culture's Heavy Neolithic industry; massive axes, picks, rabots and scrapers. Other tools were found dating from the Middle Paleolithic through to the early Neolithic. These included one "Emireh point along with tortoise cores. Both material from Dekwaneh I and II are stored in the Museum of Lebanese Prehistory.