Maitland North Mesa Kites (Northern Qasr Usaykhim Plain)
Maitland North Plain Kites · Qasr Usaykhim North Kite Field
Late Neolithic to Chalcolithic·Badia Chalcolithic with Azraq Jawa interaction·🇯🇴 Mafraq Governorate, Maitland's Mesas North Plain, Azraq NE, Jordan
About
About Maitland North Mesa Kites (Northern Qasr Usaykhim Plain)
North-plain kite field 6 km north of Maitland's Mesa (680 m) on gravel plain toward Azraq oasis (28 km SW). Contains 6 small plain kites 75–140 m wing walls, pens 12–20 m with single pit 1.4 m each — smaller than mesa kites, interpreted as individual/family traps vs communal. Kites align NE–SW to intercept Azraq-bound gazelle along historic track to Qa' al-Azraq. Plain walls use chert pavement stones 15–25 cm; recovery of Azraq-area Jawa ware suggests Chalcolithic reuse. Plain is military training area limiting access.
Why it mattersOnly documented small family-size (vs communal) kite field in Maitland corridor.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Family vs communal ownership of plain kites
Theories
- 01Family trap vs communal drive
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.6500 – 4500 BCE
- Period
- Late Neolithic to Chalcolithic
- Culture
- Badia Chalcolithic with Azraq Jawa interaction
- Builders
- Azraq plain hunter families
- Purpose
- Small plain traps for Azraq basin corridor gazelles
- Abandoned
- c.4000 BCE
- Rediscovered
- 1998 Azraq basin survey; 2018 north plain drone extension
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
6500 BCE
Earliest plain kites
2018
Drone discovers 6-kite north field
On the ground
Structures & features
31.9400° N · 36.8800° E · 680 m · 2 mapped features
North Plain Single-Pit Kite MN-3
desert kite20-m pen with single 1.4 m pit, 140-m wings
31.9420° N · 36.8780° EAzraq Corridor Alignment Wall
wall75-m wall NE–SW aligning to Azraq track
31.9380° N · 36.8820° E