RABUD: A PRE-POTTERY NEOLITHIC B SITE SOUTH OF HEBRON 63 Rabud: A Pre-Pottery Neolithic B Site South of Hebron NATALIA GUBENKO 1 OMRY BARZILAI 1 HAMOUDI KHALAILY 1 1 Israel Antiquities Authority, POB 586, Jerusalem 91004, Israel INRODUCTION The existence of Neolithic occupations in the Judean Hills has been known from the beginning of the 20 th century following surveys and collections at Wadi Tahuneh near Bethlehem (Buzy 1928) and at Motza west of Jerusalem (Shalem 1937; Khalaily and Marder 2003:2). This region is broadly divided into three geographic zones: the Judean Desert characterized by arid conditions resulting from a rain shadow effect in the east, the hills in the center, and the foothills at the west, both characterized by a Mediterranean climate with an annual rainfall of 600 mm (Orni and Efrat 1971). Most of the Neolithic investigations in the Judean Hills region have been focused on limited areas in the north and the south forming two artificial settlement clusters (Fig. 1). One extends from the northern Dead Sea Basin – northern Judean desert to the upper tributary of Nahal Soreq area. It includes six sites varying in size and functions corresponding to their environments. The settlement in the Judean Desert is typified by short occupations in small caves (Qumran 24 and Cave XII/2) and rock-shelters (El-Khiam) dated from the PPNA to the Chalcolithic Periods (Neuville 1951; Tal et al. 2002), while the Nahal Soreq region (Motza and Abu Gosh) and the northern Dead Sea Basin (Jericho) are characterized by large villages mainly dated to the PPNB and early PN periods (Kenyon 1957; Khalaily and Marder 2003; Khalaily et al. 2007). The southern cluster corresponding to the southern Judean Desert – eastern Negev area has been less explored. Still, four sites are known from this region: the ritual cave site of Journal of The Israel Prehistoric Society 39 (2009), 63-80 63