Maitland's Mesa Eastern Wadi Arm Kites (Wadi al-Qattafi East Arm Spur)
Maitland East Wadi Arm · Mesa 4 East Spur Kites
PPNB–Late Neolithic (7100–5500 BCE)·PPNB–Late Neolithic·🇯🇴 Mafraq Governorate, Wadi al-Qattafi east arm spur extending from Maitland's Mesa toward Jibal al-Khashabiyeh, Jordan
About
About Maitland's Mesa Eastern Wadi Arm Kites (Wadi al-Qattafi East Arm Spur)
Eastern spur of Wadi al-Qattafi system 8 km east of Maitland's Mesa (685 m) toward Jibal al-Khashabiyeh kite corridor (Kennedy). Five kites with 280–550 m walls to 18–25 m pens; corridor between Wadi al-Qattafi and Khashabiyeh shows kite chain continuity 30 km. Walls mantled with orange lichen (Caloplaca). EBAP UAV 2019 shows kite walls linked by low ‘cross walls’ (10 cm) possibly game drive lanes between kites — unique to this spur.
Why it mattersKey geoglyph illustrating PPNB–Late Neolithic hydraulic/geoglyph/kite/kurgan tradition in Mafraq Governorate, Wadi al-Qattafi east arm spur extending from Maitland's Mesa toward Jibal al-Khashabiyeh.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Inter-kite cross-wall function
Theories
- 01Corridor-scale game drive between Qattafi and Khashabiyeh
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.7100–5500 BCE
- Period
- PPNB–Late Neolithic (7100–5500 BCE)
- Culture
- PPNB–Late Neolithic
- Purpose
- East arm spur kites extending Wadi al-Qattafi to Khashabiyeh corridor
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c.7100–5500 BCE
Initial construction
2020
Drone/UAV high-resolution mapping and heritage inventory
On the ground
Structures & features
32.1300° N · 37.3000° E · 685 m · 3 mapped features
East Spur Kite ES-5 Pen (25 m)
desert kite25-m pen with cross-wall lanes
32.1310° N · 37.3010° ECross-Wall Lane (10 cm)
earthwork10-cm low cross-wall between kites
32.1290° N · 37.2990° ELichen-Mantled Guide Wall (550 m)
earthwork550-m lichen-covered wall
32.1310° N · 37.3010° E