In 1946, the archaeologist and priest
Henri Fleisch from
Saint Joseph University made an unstratified, open-air survey of the marine terraces of Ras Beirut, and recovered various artifacts. Flints have also been recovered by walkers on the nearby beaches. The area is separated from the
Sands of Beirut sites by the Wadi Abu Chahine or "South Creek" which begins south of the Continental Hotel area. It is an important site for
Quaternary studies and has been published in various works by Fleisch,
Auguste Bergy in 1932, L. Dubertret in 1940 and 1948, Wright in 1960 and 1962,
Raoul Describes in 1921,
Dorothy Garrod in 1960 and R. Neuville in 1933. Stratified sites are numbered in chronological order with unstratified sites at the end. The first four sites contain stratified
Lower Paleolithic industries from the beach level, the next five are stratified
Middle Paleolithic with a gap in stratified sites to the
Chalcolithic found at site XI. Intervening periods including the
Levalloiso-
Mousterian were well represented in surface finds along with a substantial amount of
Neolithic material on a terrace. Collections are held in the
American University of Beirut and the
Museum of Lebanese Prehistory. Many of the sites have been built on and completely destroyed by urbanisation.
Ras Beirut I or
The Slope Breccia is on a steep
limestone cliff, above Rue Zenzir, west of Rue Jinnah at around above sea level. It was found by Henri Fleisch and published in 1946, 1956 and 1960 along with Howell in 1959 and Dorothy Garrod in 1960. Numerous pieces with no bifaces were found and considered to be
Tayacian with some
Levallois influence. The site possibly still exists under the road. Howell in 1959 and 1956. The site is notable for a type tool called the
Minet ed Dhalia point (pictured); a stylet ranging from to in length and may have been fleshing tools, but their exact use is uncertain. These were first observed by Dawson in 1884 and later by
Godefroy Zumoffen in 1910, The industry includes
javelins, borers, picks and assorted other tools. It has been described by
Lorraine Copeland and
Peter Wescombe as
"probably the richest factory site in Lebanon" with hundreds of pieces recovered and held in the
National Museum of Beirut.
Ras Beirut XII is thought to be in the area below the lighthouse and was found by Describes. It is recorded as a surface
Acheulean site but appears to be a group of
Neolithic pick along with factory waste. Construction of a playing field has covered the site with a false layer.
Ras Beirut XIII or
Field south of Pigeon Rock is a cultivated field on the headland south of Pigeon rock where a surface site was found by Auguste Bergy and published in 1932. The Levallois industry is nicknamed
Golden Mousterian due to it having a yellow or gold colour and sheen. Forms include large, broad flakes along with medium-sized points and blades with many pieces having traces of concretion.
Ras Beirut XIV or
AUB Campus is part of the Ras Beirut station within the grounds of the
American University of Beirut discussed by Zumoffen where thick, white Middle Paleolithic flakes were found on the slopes above the terrace that have now been turned into a playing field next to International College Steps. Some Golden Mousterian pieces were found further down the slope. ==Demographics==