Wadi al-Qattafi West Mesa Escarpment Kites (Western Escarpment M-2 Chain)
Qattafi West Escarpment · Mesa M-2 Kites
PPNB (7300–6500 BCE)·PPNB·🇯🇴 Mafraq Governorate, Wadi al-Qattafi west mesa escarpment overlooking wadi headwaters, Jordan
About
About Wadi al-Qattafi West Mesa Escarpment Kites (Western Escarpment M-2 Chain)
Western escarpment of Wadi al-Qattafi headwaters (695 m) where wadi initiates in southcentral basalt fields (Toms 2021). Five kites with 350–580 m walls running perpendicular to escarpment drop (25 m), pens 20–24 m on wadi floor below. Escarpment provides 25-m natural fall, walls guide ungulates over lip. EBAP 2022 kite K2-1 excavated: charcoal 7100 BCE in pen pit; adjacent Late Neolithic hut with naviform cache.
Why it mattersKey geoglyph illustrating PPNB hydraulic/geoglyph/kite/kurgan tradition in Mafraq Governorate, Wadi al-Qattafi west mesa escarpment overlooking wadi headwaters.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Escarpment fall hunting vs funnel
Theories
- 01Headwaters bottleneck ambush
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.7300–6500 BCE
- Period
- PPNB (7300–6500 BCE)
- Culture
- PPNB
- Purpose
- Escarpment kites at wadi headwaters bottleneck
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c.7300–6500 BCE
Initial construction
2020
Drone/UAV high-resolution mapping and heritage inventory
On the ground
Structures & features
32.2000° N · 37.2000° E · 695 m · 3 mapped features
Escarpment Kite EW-3 Pen (24 m)
desert kite24-m pen on wadi floor below lip
32.2010° N · 37.2010° EEscarpment Wall (580 m)
earthwork580-m wall perpendicular to escarpment
32.1990° N · 37.1990° EHut Cache LC-7
structureNeolithic hut with naviform cache
32.2020° N · 37.2020° E