MADABA — New archaeological findings at two sites southeast of Madaba may reshape current understanding of Late Neolithic cultures in the southern Levant, according to New Zealand archaeologist Drawn Cropper.

 

Located roughly 20 kilometres southeast of Madaba, the site known as Umm Meshrat I has been identified as the southernmost location where Yarmoukian pottery has been discovered — a significant marker of the Yarmoukian tradition. Just upslope lies Umm Meshrat II, where researchers found a distinct lithic collection with an unusually high frequency of burins — stone tools often used in carving or engraving.

 

“Initially, Umm Meshrat II was classified solely as a burin site,” Cropper said. “But the discovery of pottery during test probe excavations was a breakthrough. Pottery has never been identified at a burin site in Jordan before.”

 

The excavation forms part of Cropper’s thesis, which sets out three main objectives. The first aims to determine whether the surface-collected artifacts are related to those uncovered through excavation.

 

“At this stage, most artifacts have been found through surface survey rather than excavation,” he explained. “If the materials from both contexts are homogeneous, we can analyze them as part of the same occupation, vastly expanding our understanding.”

 

The second goal is to investigate the relationship between Umm Meshrat I and II, given their close proximity. While it's tempting to assume they were part of a single settlement, the long and complex occupational history of the Wadiath-Thamad survey area suggests they may have been inhabited by different groups at different times.

 

“Comparing the lithic and pottery collections from both sites will help clarify their connection, or lack thereof,” Cropper noted.

 

The third and perhaps most ambitious goal is to identify whether the material remains align with any known archaeological tradition.

 

 

“This is vital for placing Umm Meshrat I and II within a broader regional context,” he stressed. “Many Late Neolithic sites in Jordan and the West Bank have undergone extensive excavation and analysis, and drawing comparisons could reveal how these sites fit into larger cultural patterns.”

 

Due to the absence of absolute dating, researchers are relying on relative dating techniques, including the typological seriation of lithics and pottery. Cropper believes this approach may indicate whether the sites were occupied simultaneously or during distinct periods.

 

“Typological comparisons with established traditions could determine whether these sites belong to the Jericho IX tradition or are indeed Yarmoukian,” he said. “Either outcome would be significant.”

 

To date, fewer than 10 Jericho IX sites and approximately 20 Yarmoukian sites have been identified. If Umm Meshrat I and II are confirmed to belong to either group, they would mark an important addition to the archaeological record — and, in the case of the Yarmoukian tradition, its most southerly extent yet discovered.

 

“Regardless of their final classification, both sites have the potential to contribute significantly to Late Neolithic research in the region,” Cropper concluded.