In February of this year, during the course of development work north of Kibbutz Palmahim, a cemetery from the Chalcolithic period was discovered. Some fifty burial structures of various shapes – round, elliptical and rectangular – were exposed. They were built of indigenous kurkar and arranged in rows on an area paved with small pieces of kurkar. Even so, not all of the structures are contemporary.
 
The structures were excellently preserved and some of them are topped with stone corbelling that has survived. Most have a rectangular opening that is sealed with a stone slab. The openings face north, probably in accordance with the topography. In most of the structures one to four matzevot of different sizes were exposed inside niches that face east. Burnt traces near the matzevot suggest a cult practice of some sort. A single matzevah was also found standing in the area outside of the burial structures.
 
Kurkar ossuaries were found in situ, on the stone pavement of the structures. They are oviform and their walls and corners are slightly rounded. In several instances the ossuaries were discovered sealed with a fitted stone slab, but the skeletal finds inside them were extremely meager. Jars that were apparently also used for interments were discovered in the structures too. Other ossuaries were found scattered between the tombs. Other methods of burial that were discovered at the site include burials in clay ossuaries, in pottery jars or in small cells hewn in the kurkar. The ceramic finds were scant and very poorly preserved. They mainly consisted of jars (for burials) and cornets. Flint implements and a pendant were also found.
 
Based on strategraphic considerations we have determined that the cemetery was used over the course of several generations, until it was abandoned and covered over by sand dunes.
 
Until now it was thought that burials in the Chalcolithic period on the coastal plain and in the Shephelah were characterized by ossuaries, mainly made of clay placed inside burial cave (such as at Azor, Hadera and Peqi’in in the Galilee). In the past cemeteries composed of burial caves hewn in the kurkar were also found at Azor and Palmahim. In contrast with these, stone built burial structures have been found in the frontier regions and northern Negev (e.g. at Shiqmim, in Nahal Sakar, in eastern Transjordan; compare with the nawamis in Sinai).
 
Besides its rare state of preservation, the singularity of the cemetery at Palmahim lies in the fact that it is the first cemetery on the coastal plain where stone structures containing kurkar ossuaries were discovered. The presence next to each other in the Palmahim region of two different cemeteries – one with built structures and the other consisting of rock-cut caves – raises questions regarding their function and the burial customs of the period.
 
It should be mentioned that part of the cemetery that was discovered is now preserved in situ and will not be excavated; another part that was already excavated will be moved to an alternate site nearby.