At the end of the Late Chalcolithic Period, a climate change occurred in Southern Levant and people moved to geographical areas where water was available all year long. In this regard, the site of Jebel al-Mutawwaq is an emblematic example of a community effort to control water resources. The site is located in the Transjordanian Highlands, and was settled in the second half of the 4th millennium BC, at the confluence between the larger Wadi az-Zarqa and the smaller Wadi Qmeid, in a peculiar geographical position, on the top of a mountain looking directly toward the river valley. On the western and eastern sides of the mountain, there were two main springs, furnishing freshwater all year long. The main one is still the main water resource of the villages in the area. The location of the site, its architectural features and the settlement plan clearly lead us to understand the importance of the water control during the Early Bronze I.
Polcaro, A., Muniz, J., Jebel al Mutawwaq, the Mountain Surrounded by Water. The Importance of Water Resources During the 4th Millennium BC in the Transjordanian Highlands, in L. Nigro, M. Nucciotti, E. Gallo (eds.), Precious Water. Paths of Jordanian civilizations as seen in the Italian archaeological excavations. Proceedings of the International Conference held in Amman, October 18th 2016 (ROSAPAT 12), Rome 2017: 15-27.
Andrea Polcaro;
2017
Abstract
At the end of the Late Chalcolithic Period, a climate change occurred in Southern Levant and people moved to geographical areas where water was available all year long. In this regard, the site of Jebel al-Mutawwaq is an emblematic example of a community effort to control water resources. The site is located in the Transjordanian Highlands, and was settled in the second half of the 4th millennium BC, at the confluence between the larger Wadi az-Zarqa and the smaller Wadi Qmeid, in a peculiar geographical position, on the top of a mountain looking directly toward the river valley. On the western and eastern sides of the mountain, there were two main springs, furnishing freshwater all year long. The main one is still the main water resource of the villages in the area. The location of the site, its architectural features and the settlement plan clearly lead us to understand the importance of the water control during the Early Bronze I.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
