Table Of Content

Wadi Araba in Classical and Late Antiquity: An Historical Geography Andrew M. Sli)ith Il BAR International Series 2173 2010 Wadi Araba in Classical and Late Antiquity: An Historical Geography Andrew M. Smith Il BAR International Series 2173 2010 Published by Archaeopress Publishers of British Archaeological Reports Gordon House 276 Banbury Road Oxford OX2 7ED England BAR S2173 Wadi Araba in C/asica/ and Late Anåquity: An Historical Geography @ Archaeopress and A M Smith Il 2010 ISBN 978 1 4073 4073 0717 6 Printed in England by CMP (UK) Ltd All BAR ätles are available from: Hadrian Books Ltd 122 Banbury Road aoua Oxford OX2 7BP England www.hadrianbooks.co.uk The current BAR catalogue with details of all titles in print, prices and means of payment is available free from Hadrian Books or may be downloaded from www.archaeopress.com zoa?. CONTENTS List of Figures ix Ackowledgements Chapter One: Introduction l. Introduction Il. Thc NaturalE nvironment Geography Topography Climate. Water Resources Vegetation and Soils Fauna Mineralogical Resources . Other Natural Resources.. 111.Sources 12 IV. Previous Explorations and Rcsearch in Wadi Araba 12 Thc Ninctcenth Ccntury Three Pioneers - Alois Musil, Fritz Frank, and Nelson Glueck 15 The Twentieth Century 18 Thc Twenty-First Century 19 NOTES 22 Chapter Two: Cities, Forts, and Caravanserais I. Introduction 22 22 Urban Communities Aqaba (Aila, Ailane) 22 Faynan (Phaino).. 25 28 111.Forts and Caravan Stations 28 Mezad Dafit Rujm Taba 29 Yotvata 30 Gharandal 32 Khirbct cs-Sa'idiyccn 34 Mczad Bc'cr Menuha 36 Qasr ct-Tayyiba. 36 Khirbct as-Faysif. 37 Bir Madhkur 39 BMP-CAS Site 13 42 Khirbct Umm Qhuntera 43 Moyct 'Awad 'Ain Rahcl. 46 Tell cl-Mirad 46 Khirbet Ratiyc. 46 Khirbct al-Hassiya 46 Mczad Hazcva 48 Qasr et-Tlah 50 NOTES 52 Chapter Three: Regional Settlement Activity 56 I. Introduction. 56 i The Southem Wadl Araba Arabah V.xpcdlttonS itc 44<1-7) SAAS 72 SAAS Xl Tell atara il•did SAAS Sitc 9K SAA.S Sitc SAAS s,tc SAA.S 106/107 SAAS SAAS 115. SAAS stic 116. SAAS Site 121 Arabah Expedition Site SAAS 139 Arabnh Expedition Site 28 •Becr Ora Rujm Maqram Hadld. Bir cl-Oa•a SAAS s,te 150. Ill. ne Centrol Wudi Aruba SAAS Sitc 161.. SAAS Site 169 SAAS Site 17t 61 SAAS Site 182 SAAS 184 SAAS Sitc 186 SAAS Site 193 SAAS Sitc 199 64 SAAS Sitc 203. SAA.S Sitc 204 SAAS Sitc 207. 64 SAAS Sitc 219. SAA.S Site 221 SAAS Sitc 222. SAAS Sitc 223. 61 SAAS Sitc 225. 61 SAAS Site 230. SAAS Sitc 231 SAAS Site 238. SAAS Site 240. SAAS Site 262. SAAS Sitc 274 SAAS Site 276. SAAS Site 283. SMS Site 284. SAAS Sitc 290 SAAS Site 291 11 SAAS Site 300 11 SMS Sitc 304 SMS Site 305 SAAS Site 307 SMS Site 308 72 SAAS Site 314. 14 SAAS Site 316 Raikes' Site B29 SMS Site 321 SMS Site 322 SAAS Site 323. 75 SAAS Site 324 75 SAAS Site 325 75 SAAS Site 328.... 75 BMP/CAS Site 19.... 75 BMP/( Site 20/21... 76 BMI'/CAS Site 16 76 BMP/CAS Sitc 12. 78 BMP/CA,S Site 10. 78 BMP/CAS Site 6 .78 BMP/CAS Site 79 BMP/CAS Site I 79 SAAS Site 330. .79 IV. The Northern Wudi Aruba 79 Qnsr Abu l)hibuna 80 WF1282 80 WF1004/WF1009 83 WFIOOI 83 WF1002 83 WF1014 83 WF599 84 WF481 84 WF645 84 WF476. 84 WF1242 84 WF689 84 WF538 84 WF368. 85 WF36 85 Tell el-Mirad 85 WF235 85 WF233 86 Al-MunbatchaJKhirbet Hamr Ifdan 86 SGNAS 215 86 SGNAS216 86 Tell Rabct cd-dschamusc 86 SGNAS 233 - Khirbct al-Hassiya (South) 89 SC,NAS 232 89 Khirbct al-Dahal 89 V. Conclusions 90 NOTES 92 Cbaptcr Four: Routes through Wadi Araba 92 I. Introduction 92 Il. The Problem 94 Ill. The Pta Nova TYaiana 95 IV. Thc Road Network. V. Cross-Routcs through lhc Araba 101 VI. Land Routcs and thc Regional Topography 101 VIJ. Discussion and Conclusions 102 NOTES 104 Chapter Five: Wadl Arabn In Classical and Late Antiquity 106 J. Introduction 106 Il. Thc Background 106 Ill, Nabataca and thc Nabatacans 107 IV. Thc Roman and Byzantinc Periods 110 NOTES 115 iii Appendix .118 Bibliography . 120 Index . 136 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.General map showing location of Wadi Araba bctwccn Aqaba and the Dead Sea... Figure 2. View of the southem WadiA raba from space (image courtesy of NASA). Figure 3. View of the southern and central Wadi Araba showing major landforms (image courtesy of NASA). Figure 4. Vicw of the Taba sabkha from the southeast (photograph by the author). , Figure S. Open well along the eastern fringe of the Taba sabhka (photograph by the author). Figure 6. Agricultural fields in the Qaa• es-Sa'idiyccn (photograph by the author). Figure 7. Hart's Illustration of vegetation in Wadi Araba (from Hart 1891: plate 9)......... Figure 8. Hart's Illustration of insects in Wadi Araba (from Hart 1891: 174). Figure 9. Map detailing the physical geography of Wadi Araba and important mineralizations (after Hauptmann et al. 2009: 58,fig. 4.2). 10 Figure 10. Mosaic map from Madaba, Jordan showing ships loaded with salt on the Dead Sea. Il Figure ll. Section of Burckhardt's map showing Wadi Araba (from Burckhardt 1822).. . .13 Figure 12. Illustration ofcaravan from Mccca entering the fortress at Aqaba (from Laborde 18 36: 114). 14 Figure 13. Mew of Aqaba oasis in 1909 (from Hoskins 1912: 296, plate 64.).. 15 Figure 14. Mew of Aqaba from the top of Jcbcl Nuseila. taken in 1994 (photograph by the author) 18 Figure 15. Major settlements, forts, and caravan stations in Wadi Araba (image courtesy of NASA) 23 Figure 16. Detail of Arabia showing the village of Elana from the Cosmographia of Ptolemy (1482). 24 Figure 17. Satclitc vicw of Faynan showing the central tell (image 0 2010 Google; O GeoEye 2009; 0 2010 DigitalGlobc). 25 Figure 18. Plan of the Faynan region (from Frank 1934: plan 19). 26 Figure 19. Plan of the church/monastic complex at Faynan (from Frank 1934: plan 21). 26 Figure 20. Dctail of Faynan region by Lucas Crannch, 1508 or 1515 (courtesy of the Jewish National & University Library. David and Fcla Shapell Family Digitization Project. Eran Laor Cartographic Collection, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem." 27 Figure 21. Plan of Mczad Dafit (from Dolinka 2006a: fig. 4.4). 28 Figure 22. Rujm Taba: view of thc fort (photograph by the author). 29 Figure 23. Roman fort at Yotvata (photograph by the author). 30 Figure 24. Plan of the late Roman fort at Yotvata (after Mcshel 1989: 230, fig. l). 31 Figure 25. Latin imperial inscription discovreed at Yotvata (from Roll 1989: 240, fig. l) 31 Figure 26. Section of the Pcutingcr Map showing Ad Dianam north of Haila or Aqaba. 32 Figure 27. Plan of Gharandul (from Musil 1907-08, fig. 142)..... . Figure 28. Ro•nnn Fort at Gharandal (inmge frotn series IGN-78-J()R 12/100. courtesy Royal Jordanian Geographic Center).- Figure 29. Plan of Khitbct es-Sa'idiyeen (from Smith. Stevens. und Nicmi 1997:6 1, tip. 1.1). Figure 30. Khirbet cs-Sa'idiyccn (image from series IGN-78-JOR 12/100. courtcsy of Royal Jordunutn Gcogrnph,c Ccntcr) . .13 Figure 31. Khirbet cs-Sa'idiyeen (photograph by the author) .35 Figure 32. Plan ofQasr et-Tayyibu( from Frank 1934:p lan 22). Figure 33. Plan of Qasr ct-Tayyiba (drawing by the author).. . .17 Figure 34. Qasr ct-Tayyiba (photograph by the author). ... Figure 35. Khirbct as-Faysif (photograph by the uuthor). Figure 36. Overview of Bir Madhkur (imuge from series IGN-78-JOR 12/10 (), courtesy of Royal Jordanian Geographic Center). 40 Figure 37. Overview of Bir Madhkur from ridgc to the north showing the fort in the center (photograph by the author).. .40 Figure 38. Plan of Bir Madhkur (from Frank 1934: plan 24). .41 Figure 39. Plan of Bir Madhkur (from Glucck 1935: 168, plate 6).. .41 Figure 40. BMP-CAS Site 13 (photograph by the author)...... Figure 41. Khirbet Umm Qhuntcru (photograph by the author).. 43 Figure 42. Cistcm partially excavated in 2008 at Khirbct Umm Qhuntcra (photograph by the author).. 44 Figure 43. Plan of Moyet %Awada nd its region(from Frank 1934: plan 31 45 Figure 44. Plan of Moyct •Awad (from Frank 1934:p lan 30) 45 Figure 45. Plan ofKhirbet Ratiyc (after Mattingly et al. 2007c: 711 ) 47 Figure 46. Plan of Khirbct al-Hassiya (from Frank 1934: plan 14) 47 Figure 47. Plan of Khirbct al-Hassiya (ancr MacDonald 1992:90. fig. 48 Figure 48. Plan of Mezad Hazcva (from Musil 1907-08:208, fig. 145). .48 Figure 49. Plan of Mezad Haseva (aner Cohen 1993b) 49 Figure 50. Plan ofQasr ct-Tlah (after Niemi 2007) .50 Figure 51. Plan ofQasr et-Tlah (from Frank 1934:p lan 13) .51 Figurc 52. Site plan of SAAS Site 72 (from Smith 1995: 78, fig. 19). 56 Figure 53. Sitc plan ofSAAS Site 103 (from Smith 1995:8 0, fig. 20) .51 vi Figure 54. Site plan of SAAS Sitc 104 (from Smith 1995: 81. fig. 21). .. 59 Figure 55. Large structure at SAAS Site 1 13 (photoyaph by the author). .. Figure 56. Plan of supposcd shrine. built from slag. from Be•crO ra (after Rothenbcrg 1972:221. fig. 71 61 Figure 51. Plan of SAAS Site 167 (from Smith 1995:90. fig. 24).. Figure 58. Stone-paved road (SAAS Site 169) in Wadi Araba south of Gharandal (photograph by the author). Figure 59. Plan of SAAS Sitc 171 (from smith 1995:88. fig. 23).- 63 Figure 60. Large enclosure at SAAS Sitc 182 (photograph by the author). Figure 61. Cross-mark cut on boulder at SAAS Site 193 (drawing by the author). Figure 62. Probable grave at SAAS Sitc 199. with an encampment in thc background (photograph by thc author). 64 65 Figure 63. Small house structure at SAAS Site 207 (photograph by the author). „...... Figure 64. Plan of SAAS Site 221. remains of an unspecified structure and a large stone enclosure (drawing by K- .66 Kumeiga & A. M. Smith Il).. .67 Figure 65. Plan of SAAS Sitc 221 (drawn by K. Kumeiga & A. M. Smith Figure 66. Large boulder at SAAS Site 225 depicting hunting scene (photographb y E. C . Lapp). 67 Figure 67. Stone-paved road (SAAS Site 231) northo f Gharandal. This is a continuation of SAAS Site 169 .68 (photographb y E. A. Friedland).. Figure 68. Quarry (SAAS Site 274) along the east face of Jebel el-Khureij (photograph by thc author). ... 69 Figure 69. Plan of SAAS Site 283, large oval enclosure (drawing by C. Frey & A. M. Smith Il). .70 Figure 70. Ancient road (SAAS Site 284) leading up the alluvial fan to SAAS Site 283 (photograph by the author)... 71 Figure 71. Semi-circular feature at SAAS Site 291 (photograph by the author). .72 Figure 72. Cave at SAAS Site 304 with an enclosure in front of the entrance (photograph by the author) .73 Figure 73. Isolated structure on top of ridge (SAAS Site 305), perhaps a tower/watchpost (photograph by the .. 73 author). Figure 74. Isolated structure/possible threshing floor at SAAS Site 316 (photograph by the author)... 74 Figure 75. Overview of BMP/CAS Site 19 with the wash of Wadi Musa in the background (photograph by the 75 author). Figure 76. Overview of BMP/CAS Site 20/21 with a threshing floor in the foreground and an apparent fort in the backgound (photograph by the author). 76 Figure 77. Watchtower At BMP/CAS Site 20/21 (photograph by the author). Figure 18. Farmhouse and reservoir (BMP/CAS Site 16) south Of Bir Madhkur (photograph by the author). 77 Figure 79. Farmhouse west of Bir Madhkur (photograph by the author). 78 Figure 80. Stone-clearedn orth-southr oad (BMP/CAS Site 6) west of Bir Madhkur (photographb y the author). 79 vii