Prehistoric Environment and Settlement in the Azraq Basin: An Interim Report on the 1989 Excavation Season

Abstract

The Azraq project conducted excavations at the Neolithic sites of Azraq 31 and Wadi el-Jilat 32 in 1989. At Azraq 31 we wished to establish whether distinct late PPNB and Late Neolithic occupations existed and whether caprines (= sheep/goat) were herded as early as the late PPNB. Very low numbers of caprines in the late PPNB were documented at Azraq 31. Substantially higher proportions of caprines were found in the Late Neolithic phase. This raises questions about the appearance of pastoralism in the Azraq Basin. Similarities between Late Neolithic structures at Azraq 31 and those at coeval sites in Wadi el-Jilat and the Basalt Desert hint at interactions between populations using Azraq and the steppes to the west, north and east.