Archaeological and Faunal Evidence from Natufian and Timnian Sites in Southern Jordan, with Notes on Pollen Evidence

Archaeological excavations in the vicinity of Ras en-Naqb, southern Jordan, produced artifacts and faunal remains of two distinct cultural stages. The early Natufian site of WddT Judayid is carbon-dated ca. 12,000 B.P. This site predates the earliest dated coastal site in the Levant. The large number and variety of tools, combined with the large amount of debitage and the faunal remains indicate that the Wadd Judayid site was a large base camp occupied over considerable periods of time. The second site described is Jebel el-Jill, a Timnian site containing ground stone items, potterfy sherds, and worked bone in addition to a large inventory of flint artifacts. Evidence is presented in favor of the argument that southern Jordan enjoyed a more humid climate at the end of the Pleistocene period, before the present arid conditions set in. The earliest known wild sheep bones are reported from the Natufian site.