Harrat Al-Sham West Edge Kites (Western Harra Scarp Line)
West Harra Scarp Kites · Harrat al-Sham Western Limestone Edge
PPNB Late–PN (7500–6000 BCE)·Harra west scarp Harra limestone–basalt contact trappers·🇯🇴 Mafraq Governorate–Syria border, Harrat al-Sham Western Scarp (limestone–basalt contact 12 km east of Ruwayshed road), Jordan
About
About Harrat Al-Sham West Edge Kites (Western Harra Scarp Line)
Western basalt-to-limestone scarp (820 m) 12 km east of Ruwayshed–Azraq road where Harrat al-Sham basalt flow toes onto Cretaceous limestone plain, 62 km north-east of Azraq. 8 km limestone–basalt contact scarp: walls 250–720 m with one wall on basalt (high) and one on limestone (low) converging to pens 22–28 m perched on scarp brink where basalt cliff 8–12 m provides natural drop. Pens incorporate cliff-edge chute 3 m deep — gazelle driven off scarp brink.
Technique hybrid: limestone wall built from tabular limestone flags, basalt wall from vesicular basalt rubble — material split visible. OSL limestone flags 7900 BP, basalt rubble OSL 8200 BP contemporaneous but material-source parallel teams. Scarp line visible 5 km due to color contrast. Safaitic inscriptions at 4 kite tails.
Why it mattersOnly limestone–basalt hybrid material kites with natural scarp cliff chute 8–12 m — dual team construction.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Why split material teams — clan division vs supply
Theories
- 01Dual team parallel build as social division of labour
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.7500 – 6000 BCE (OSL basalt 8200, limestone 7900 BP)
- Period
- PPNB Late–PN (7500–6000 BCE)
- Culture
- Harra west scarp Harra limestone–basalt contact trappers
- Builders
- West scarp contact trappers — dual material teams
- Purpose
- Scarp-brink chute trap using 8–12 m natural basalt drop as killing chute — material-split construction teams
- Abandoned
- c.5500 BCE
- Rediscovered
- 2021 Harra west scarp contact survey
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
2021
West scarp 12 kites 6.8 km contact line mapped
2022
OSL split dates basalt 8200 limestone 7900
1927
Maitland notes harra edge
On the ground
Structures & features
32.5500° N · 37.8500° E · 820 m · 2 mapped features
Scarp Brink Chute Pen (22 m)
desert kite22–28 m brink pen with 3 m chute and 8–12 m natural drop off scarp
32.5510° N · 37.8510° ESplit-Material Wall Pair
earthworkBasalt rubble vs limestone flags converging 720 m to brink
32.5490° N · 37.8480° E
Gallery