UCL Institute of Archaeology

Epipalaeolithic Hunter-Gatherers in the Jordanian Steppe

Kharaneh IV is one of the largest Epipalaeolithic sites in western Asia, located in the eastern Jordanian steppe. Originally excavated in the 1980’s, re-excavation of the site by the EFAP project (Epipalaeolithic Foragers in Azraq) has uncovered large-scale occupation and activity surfaces, and has refined the chronology of the site.

Large samples of carefully retrieved, well preserved animal remains, primarily from gazelles, attest to intensive animal hunting and processing at this location. Previous research (Martin, Edwards and Garrard 2010) aimed at exploring animal hunting and trapping practices including seasonality.

Current research by Institute of Archaeology research student Anna Spyrou, supervised by Louise Martin, focuses on a detailed analysis of carcass preparation as a means to exploring questions of butchery, food consumption and possible storage of animal nutrients, and how this relates to hunter-gatherer aggregation, dispersal and mobility.

Related outputs

• Martin, L., Edwards, Y. and Garrard, A.N. (2010) Hunting Practices at an Eastern Jordanian Epipalaeolithic Aggregation Site: the case of Kharaneh IV, Levant 42/2, 107-135.

Funding

• AHRC
• Council for British Research in the Levant (CBRL)