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Permanent Places. Nomadic Landscapes and Stone Architecture Mobile Peoples – Permanent Places Nomadic landscapes and stone architecture from the Hellenistic to Early Islamic periods in north-eastern Jordan Harmen O. Huigens Access Archaeology aeopr ch es r s A A y c g c e o l s o s e A a r c Ah Archaeopress Publishing Ltd Summertown Pavilion 18-24 Middle Way Summertown Oxford OX2 7LG www.archaeopress.com ISBN 978-1-78969-313-3 ISBN 978-1-78969-314-0 (e-Pdf) © H O Huigens and Archaeopress 2019 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owners. This book is available direct from Archaeopress or from our website www.archaeopress.com Contents List of Figures �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������viii List of Tables ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������xviii List of Acronyms �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� xix Preface �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������xx Chapter 1 – Introduction ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 1 1.1 The Black Desert: a harsh and inhospitable environment? ........................................................................3 1.1.1 Physical geography ....................................................................................................................................3 1.1.2 Archaeological and epigraphic remains �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������3 1.1.3 The Black Desert as a zone of nomadism ................................................................................................4 1.2 Landscapes of survival ......................................................................................................................................8 1.3 Towards an archaeological perspective .........................................................................................................8 1.4 Research aims and questions �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������11 1.5 Investigating a nomadic landscape ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������11 1.5.1 Revealing the ‘invisible nomad’ .............................................................................................................11 1.5.2 Understanding the constitution of the nomadic landscape ..............................................................14 1.5.3 Investigating nomadic landscapes of the Jebel Qurma region..........................................................16 1.6 Brief structure of this book ............................................................................................................................16 Chapter 2 – The Natural Environment of the Jebel Qurma Region �����������������������������������������������18 2.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................18 2.2 Regional setting................................................................................................................................................19 2.3 Modelling the physical geography of the Jebel Qurma region .................................................................23 2.3.1 Data acquisition and processing ............................................................................................................24 2.3.1.1 Hardcopy maps .................................................................................................................................24 2.3.1.2 Satellite imagery ...............................................................................................................................24 2.3.2. Geology......................................................................................................................................................27 2.3.3 Geomorphology ........................................................................................................................................32 2.3.3.1 Topography........................................................................................................................................32 2.3.3.2 Surface cover .....................................................................................................................................34 2.3.3.3 Natural boundaries and corridors ..................................................................................................39 2.3.4 Drainage systems ......................................................................................................................................41 i 2.3.5 Vegetation .................................................................................................................................................41 2.3.6 Visibility .....................................................................................................................................................43 2.4 Concluding remarks ........................................................................................................................................45 Chapter 3 – Surface Surveys in the Jebel Qurma Region: Methods and Results ���������������������������46 3.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................46 3.2 Pedestrian surveys: objectives and methods...............................................................................................46 3.2.1 Survey objectives......................................................................................................................................46 3.2.2 Survey methods ........................................................................................................................................47 3.2.2.1 Sampling strategy .............................................................................................................................47 3.2.2.2 Field walking methods .....................................................................................................................48 3.2.2.3 Site definition ....................................................................................................................................49 3.2.2.4 Documentation structure and methods ........................................................................................50 3.2.2.5 Survey challenges .............................................................................................................................51 3.3 Remote sensing: objectives and methods ....................................................................................................53 3.3.1 Remote sensing objectives ......................................................................................................................53 3.3.2 Remote sensing methods ........................................................................................................................53 3.3.2.1 Imagery selection, acquisition, and processing ..........................................................................53 3.3.2.2 Feature detection and documentation ..........................................................................................55 3.4 The Hellenistic to Early Islamic-period landscape: datable surface remains and associated features ......56 3.4.1 Ceramics .....................................................................................................................................................56 3.4.1.1 Challenges ..........................................................................................................................................56 3.4.1.2 Documentation method ...................................................................................................................58 3.4.1.3 Comparative analysis �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������58 3.4.1.4 A note on periodization ...................................................................................................................58 3.4.1.5 Results.................................................................................................................................................59 3.4.2 Other artefacts ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������60 3.4.3 Inscriptions and petroglyphs .................................................................................................................61 3.4.4 Stone-built features .................................................................................................................................62 3.4.4.1 Enclosures ..........................................................................................................................................62
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