Jabal Wisad North Basalt Plateau Extension Kites (Northern Plateau Table)
Wisad North Extension · Wisad Plateau North Kites
PPNB (7400–6400 BCE)·PPNB pastoral hunters·🇯🇴 Mafraq Governorate, Jabal Wisad north plateau extension beyond central plateau (5 km N), Jordan
About
About Jabal Wisad North Basalt Plateau Extension Kites (Northern Plateau Table)
Northern extension of Jabal Wisad basalt table plateau (735 m) 5 km north of classic central plateau. Nine kites on 0.8° table surface with 400–750 m walls to 24–30 m cell-pen complexes (3–5 cells per kite). Table surface dense basalt hamada with desert varnish; walls 0.45 m high double-faced with rubble core, best-preserved at Wisad. Inter-kite spacing 450–700 m forms 3.8 km chain toward Wadi al-Qattafi corridor. Associated cairn fields (200+ tumuli) 300 m east suggest mortuary linkage.
Why it mattersKey geoglyph illustrating PPNB pastoral hunters hydraulic/geoglyph/kite/kurgan tradition in Mafraq Governorate, Jabal Wisad north plateau extension beyond central plateau (5 km N).
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Chain length intentional vs topography
Theories
- 01Plateau-to-Qattafi kite corridor
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.7400–6400 BCE
- Period
- PPNB (7400–6400 BCE)
- Culture
- PPNB pastoral hunters
- Purpose
- Northern plateau kites extending Wisad kite chain toward Wadi al-Qattafi
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c.7400–6400 BCE
Initial construction
2020
Drone/UAV high-resolution mapping and heritage inventory
On the ground
Structures & features
32.4750° N · 37.4400° E · 735 m · 3 mapped features
North Table Kite NT-5 Pen
desert kite30-m cell pen with 5 cells
32.4760° N · 37.4410° EPlateau Guide Wall Chain (750 m)
earthwork750-m double-faced wall segment
32.4740° N · 37.4390° EAdjacent Cairn Field (200 tumuli)
necropolis200+ tumuli 300 m east of kites
32.4770° N · 37.4430° E