Harraat al-Harra Desert Kites
al-Harra Kite Field · Southern Syrian Kites
Neolithic to Chalcolithic, Badia Neolithic·Harra Neolithic hunters·🇸🇾 Rif Dimashq Governorate, Harraat al-Harra, Syria
About
About Harraat al-Harra Desert Kites
Field of 34 basalt desert kites on the Harraat al-Harra lava plateau forming the northwestern anchor of the mega-kite province stretching to Khaybar. Kites are 90-300 m wide with classic bowstring leads converging to 3-5 terminal cells, C14 on charcoal in maintenance hearths 4800-3200 BCE. Unlike Jordanian kites with pit-traps, Harraat al-Harra kites use walled enclosure cells 2 m deep with sloping ramps, implying live herding rather than pit-fall.
4 m high, tallest in Levant. 2 m stratified. 2020 Braemer survey linked kite field to contemporary Harra tumulus fields, indicating integrated hunting-burial landscape.
Why it mattersNorthwestern anchor of 3000-km kite province to Ustyurt; shows basalt-kite technique at tallest wall preservation.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Ramp vs pit functional difference
Theories
- 01Live drive to enclosure for selective cull
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.4800-3200 BCE
- Period
- Neolithic to Chalcolithic, Badia Neolithic
- Culture
- Harra Neolithic hunters
- Builders
- Syrian Black Desert Neolithic groups
- Purpose
- Mass game trapping for gazelle/onager
- Abandoned
- c.3000 BCE
- Rediscovered
- 1920s Maitland RAF aerial; 2020 Braemer ground-truth
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
4800 BCE
Earliest kite funnel construction
1928
Maitland RAF kites aerial photo
2020
Braemer maps 34 kites
On the ground
Structures & features
33.0500° N · 37.1500° E · 820 m · 2 mapped features
Kite HR-11
desert kite300-m wide funnel with 5 ramped cells
33.0480° N · 37.1520° EBone Dump Midden
midden1.2 m stratified gazelle/onager dump at terminal cell
33.0490° N · 37.1510° E