Bronze Age hillforts discovered in a desert in Jordan

Several Bronze Age fortified settlements, dating to 4th millennium BC, were found during the course of the research project in Jordan. They are said to be among the earliest fortifications in Southwest Asia.

Hillfort at Khirbet Abu al-Husayn (by Past Horizons)
Hillfort at Khirbet Abu al-Husayn (by Past Horizons)

The project conducted by German Archaeological Institute (Deutsches Archäologisches Institut – DAI) has been carried out since 2010 and involved several expeditions to remote regions of the Jordanian basalt desert. Field surveys and excavations revealed remains of fortification walls, simple dwelling structures, and also terraced gardens.

Hillfort at Khirbet al-Jabariya (by Past Horizons)
Hillfort at Khirbet al-Jabariya (by Past Horizons)

The discoveries put a new focus on the exploration of Near Eastern civilizations of the 4th millennium BC. It was a period characterized by the beginning of a cultural evolutionary processes that enabled the development of subsequent cultures, in Mesopotamia and the Southern Levant.

Hillfort at Tulul al-Ghusayn (by Past Horizons)
Hillfort at Tulul al-Ghusayn (by Past Horizons)

(after Past Horizons)

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