New Light on Final Pleistocene Settlement Diversity in the Azraq Basin (Jordan): Recent Excavations at ‘Ayn Qasiyya

Abstract

Les fouilles du site daté de l’Épipaléolithique ancien de ‘ Ayn Qasiyya dans l’oasis d’Azraq (Est de la Jordanie) fournissent des données nouvelles et importantes pour notre compréhension des causes de la sédentarisation, des effets écologiques sur l’évolution culturelle, des pratiques funéraires et des relations sociales en Asie du Sud-Ouest à la fi n du Pléistocène. Cet article présente un résumé du travail sur ce site et il fournit les résultats préliminaires de l’analyse de la faune, des artefacts et des restes humains. En outre, il discute de l’importance de ces résultats dans le contexte de la séquence culturelle locale et régionale à la fi n du Pléistocène. Nos données offrent un aperçu de la relation entre les industries lithiques du Nébékien et du Kébarien. Elles suggèrent que l’environnement local de l’oasis d’Azraq a facilité le début de la pédogénèse vers 21 000-20 000 cal. BP. Enfin, elles confirment la nature éphémère des pratiques funéraires de l’Épipaléolithique ancien.

Epipalaeolithic settlement dynamics in southwest Asia: new radiocarbon evidence from the Azraq Basin

“…One Ayn Qasiyya Area A sample processed in Poznan produced an older date than all other samples from this sequence. However, this sample derives from the lowermost deposit in this trench, just above the sterile lacustrine sediments (see Jones and Richter, ; Richter et al ., ), and is not inconsistent with our OxCal calibration model. Thus, given all currently available data and a priori knowledge of intra‐ and inter‐laboratory processing standards, we are confident that the series of presented dates are consistent, sequential and reliable (Table ).…”

“…These changes have long been thought of as critical in precipitating the emergence of agriculture and sedentism during the early Neolithic. Here we present a series of high-resolution accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dates from two Epipalaeolithic sites excavated by the Epipalaeolithic Foragers in Azraq Project: Kharaneh IV (Maher et al, 2012(Maher et al, , 2007Muheisen, 1983Muheisen, , 1988b and Ayn Qasiyya (Richter et al, , 2010a(Richter et al, , 2010b.…”

The Geometric Kebaran occupation and lithic assemblage of Wadi Mataha, Southern Jordan

“…Corpse binding is documented at 'Ain Qasiyya, an Early Epipalaeolithic site in the Azraq wetland (Richter et al, 2010a(Richter et al, , 2010b, and now at Wadi Mataha. At 'Ain Qasiyya the burial was found on its back, with the legs flexed but splayed outwards, and the skull situated above the left ribs (Richter et al, 2010b).…”

Occupying wide open spaces? Late Pleistocene hunter–gatherer activities in the Eastern Levant

“…Notably, geomorphological analysis of the sediments from these trenches also indicates the presence of a body of water prior to and during occupation of the site. Although on a smaller scale, substantial and repeatedly occupied EP sites are known from the Uwaynid area to the southwest of the oasis (Garrard and Byrd, 2013), and excavations at the Early and Late EP site of Ayn Qasiyya in the oasis itself indicate repeated and persistent use of this marsh environment, including for interring human remains (Richter et al, 2010a, b). Previous and current work at Late EP and early Neolithic sites in the Shubayqa area to the north document intensive use of these open spaces as well (Betts, 1998;Richter et al, 2012Richter et al, , 2014.…”