Ages and associated data for 78 radiocarbon ¹⁴C AMS dates, which are shown graphically in Figure 3 (bottom to top).

<p>Dates from the same specimen or feature are grouped together (shaded or unshaded). For some sherds recovered in burials with Kiffian decorative motifs, dates based on plant temper are older than 6000 B.C.E. (dates 26–28). Other sherds found in burials and middens with Kiffian decorative motifs and dates based on plant temper are younger than 6000 B.C.E. (dates 29, 32, 34, 45, 46, 52). Although these younger ages may be aberrant (EAAG), they are concordant with dates based on other materials when found in the same midden (dates 44–54; JFS). Likewise, two direct dates on bone harpoon points (dates 64, 65) are concordant with other dated material in refuse area 5 associated with the early Holocene occupational phase 2 (dates 64, 65). An additional pair of direct dates (dates 66, 68) on bone harpoon points found in situ in paleolake sediment, however, are more than 2 kyr younger and date to the middle of the mid-Holocene occupational phase 3. Additional testing of bone harpoon points is warranted to better understand these results.</p

Faunal list at Gobero showing taxa recorded at archaeological sites (G1-3), in early and mid-Holocene middens (middens 1–4, refuse area 5), and in the Gobero area (in paleolake deposits or on deflation surfaces).

<p><i>Abbreviations</i>: +, species present; <b>x</b>, species very common.</p>1<p>As eggshell beads.</p

Craniometric means for human samples.

<p>Craniometric means for early and mid-Holocene skulls from Gobero and comparative samples elsewhere from northern Africa. <i>Measurement acronyms</i> (after <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0002995#pone.0002995-Dutour1" target="_blank">[18]</a>): <i>LGO</i>, glabella-occipital length; <i>BPX</i>, maximum cranial breadth; <i>LBN</i>, basion-nasion; <i>HBB</i>, basion-bregma; <i>AFR</i>, frontal arc; <i>APA</i>, parietal arc; <i>AOC</i>, occipital arc; <i>CFR</i>, frontal chord; <i>COC</i>, occipital chord; <i>HNP</i>, nasion-prosthion; <i>HNZ</i>, nasion-nasospinale; <i>BNZ</i>, nasal breadth; <i>BZY</i>, bizygomtic breadth; <i>BFW</i>, minimum frontal breadth; <i>BFX</i>, maximum frontal breadth; <i>HORC</i>, horizontal circumference above the superciliary arches. <i>Sample acronyms and abbreviations</i>: <i>Ater</i>, Aterian; <i>EMI</i>, eastern Maghreb Iberomaurusian; <i>EMC</i>, eastern Maghreb Capsian; <i>Gob-e</i>, Gobero early Holocene; <i>Gob-m</i>, Gobero mid-Holocene; <i>Maur</i>, Mauritania; <i>Mali</i>, Hassi-el-Abiod, Mali; <i>WMI</i>, western Maghreb Iberomaurusian; <i>WMC</i>, western Maghreb Capsian.</p

Mid-Holocene midden.

<p>Portion of a mid-Holocene midden (midden 4) with matrix removed showing stacking of the valves of the clam Mutela, articulated fish vertebrae, and potsherds (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0002995#pone-0002995-t002" target="_blank">Table 2, dates 42, 43</a>, average midpoint ∼4445 B.C.E.).</p

Location maps and geologic section across principal sites at Gobero.

<p>(A)-Map showing location of the Holocene archaeological site Gobero and the Holocene felsite quarry Alallaka on the border of the Aïr massif. (B)-Geologic map of main paleodune cemetery sites (G1-3) showing transect line connecting 13 geologic sections (see C, E, F) and a portion of a topographic transect (dashed line; see D). (C)-Stratigraphic profile across sites G1-3 based on 13 sections showing the Cretaceous peneplain of the Elrhaz Formation, the Late Pleistocene to early Holocene paleodune deposit, the early to mid-Holocene paleolake deposit, and Recent sand cover (15 times vertical exaggeration). (D)-Topographic transect (dashed line in B) between site G5 and a spillway on the Mazelet fault scarp located 1.3 km to the south (30 times vertical exaggeration). Habitation (3 m) and maximum (8 m) paleolake levels are shown, the latter resulting in inundation of archaeological sites G1-5. (E)-Stratigraphic section of paleolake deposit between sites G1 and G2 with fossiliferous zone limited to the uppermost 5 cm and location of sediment sample for ¹⁴C AMS date 75 (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0002995#pone-0002995-t002" target="_blank">Table 2</a>). (F)-Stratigraphic section of paleodune deposit at site G1 showing human skeletons limited to the uppermost 1 m and the location of three OSL samples (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0002995#pone-0002995-t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a>, dates 2–4). <i>Abbreviations</i>: <i>AMS 75</i>, ¹⁴C AMS date 75; <i>OSL</i>, optically stimulated luminescence.</p