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Khirbet al-Khalde

 Figure 2

The site from the north.

(Photo courtesy of the Khirbet al-Khalde Archaeological Project)

Harvey et al. (2024d)


Names

Transliterated Name Source Name
Khirbet al-Khalde Arabic
Introduction
Introduction

This site, located 26 km to the northwest of Aqaba in the Wadi al-Yutm, had previously been the subject of only limited exploration by travelers and archaeologists.

The most prominent features at the site are two rectangular structures (Figs. 1 and 2), the largest of which is a castellum with four corner towers and a gate along its northeastern long side. Its interior is divided into two courtyards, with rooms built against the perimeter walls and a cistern placed at the center of the larger courtyard. The smaller structure to the southwest of the castellum has often been described as a caravanserai in modern literature, although no hard evidence has yet proven this hypothesis conclusively. This presumed caravanserai was accessible through an opening from the northeast, had a single courtyard, and, like the castellum, included rooms built against its perimeter walls. Other visible remains at the site include an aqueduct, a burial ground, two watchtowers, and two rock-cut cisterns.

... The pottery and glass retrieved from Khirbet al-Khalde are currently being studied but appear to confirm an occupation of the site spanning from the Nabataean to the Late Byzantine period as suggested by S. T. Parker, although tentatively later finds were also collected. This chronology is corroborated by the existence of ashlar blocks dressed in a Nabataean fashion within the castellum, coins, and an inscription. A few potsherds also suggest possible Iron Age and Middle Islamic activity.

The site has been heavily damaged in modern times. The construction of a branch of the Hejaz railway from Ma‘an to Aqaba destroyed the northern tower of the castellum, and a transmission line with a service road damaged a section of the aqueduct (Harvey et al. 2024b). The construction of the service roads increased accessibility to the site and, by extension, looting activities. Concentrations of looting pits are prevalent in and around the castellum, the presumed caravanserai, and the cemetery. Evidence for looting was found as far as the spring at the head of the site’s aqueduct, suggesting this is a widespread phenomenon at Khirbet al-Khalde.

Maps, Aerial Views, Plans, and Photos
Maps, Aerial Views, Plans, and Photos

Maps

  • Fig. 1 Map of region, showing location of site from Harvey et al. (2024a)

Aerial Views

  • Fig. 2 Aerial View of the site from Harvey et al. (2024d)
  • Fig. 2 Composite image of Roman fort and presumed caravanserai from Harvey et al. (2024a)
  • Fig. 2 Drone photo of the supposed caravanserai structure from Harvey et al. (2024b)
  • Fig. 3 Drone photo of the fort structure from Harvey et al. (2024b)
  • Khirbet al-Khalde in Google Earth

Plans

Site Plans

Normal Size

  • Fig. 1 Site Plan from Harvey et al. (2024d)

Magnified

  • Fig. 1 Site Plan from Harvey et al. (2024d)

Photos

  • Fig. 24 Photograph of a section of aqueduct showing undercutting of mortared bedding due to natural erosion from Harvey et al. (2024b)

Chronology
Time Periods

Time periods from Stern et al (1993)

Age Dates Comments
Early Bronze IA-B 3300-3000 BCE
Early Bronze II 3000-2700 BCE
Early Bronze III 2700-2200 BCE
Middle Bronze I 2200-2000 BCE ‎EB IV - Intermediate Bronze
Middle Bronze IIA 2000-1750 BCE
Middle Bronze IIB 1750-1550 BCE
Late Bronze I 1550-1400 BCE
Late Bronze IIA 1400-1300 BCE
Late Bronze IIB 1300-1200 BCE
Iron IA 1200-1150 BCE
Iron IB 1150-1100 BCE
Iron IIA 1000-900 BCE
Iron IIB 900-700 BCE
Iron IIC 700-586 BCE
Babylonian & Persian 586-332 BCE
Early Hellenistic 332-167 BCE
Late Hellenistic 167-37 BCE
Early Roman 37 BCE - 132 CE
Herodian 37 BCE - 70 CE
Late Roman 132-324 CE
Byzantine 324-638 CE
Early Arab 638-1099 CE Umayyad & Abbasid‎
Crusader & Ayyubid 1099-1291 CE
Late Arab 1291-1516 CE Fatimid & Mameluke‎
Ottoman 1516-1917 CE

Time periods from Meyers et al (1997)

Phase Dates Variants
Early Bronze IA-B 3400-3100 BCE
Early Bronze II 3100-2650 BCE
Early Bronze III 2650-2300 BCE
Early Bronze IVA-C 2300-2000 BCE Intermediate Early-Middle Bronze, Middle Bronze I‎
Middle Bronze I 2000-1800 BCE ‎Middle Bronze IIA
Middle Bronze II 1800-1650 BCE ‎Middle Bronze IIB‎
Middle Bronze III 1650-1500 BCE ‎‎Middle Bronze IIC
Late Bronze IA 1500-1450 BCE
Late Bronze IIB 1450-1400 BCE
Late Bronze IIA 1400-1300 BCE
Late Bronze IIB 1300-1200 BCE
Iron IA 1200-1125 BCE
Iron IB 1125-1000 BCE
Iron IC 1000-925 BCE Iron IIA‎
Iron IIA 925-722 BCE Iron IIB‎
Iron IIB 722-586 BCE ‎Iron IIC
Iron III 586-520 BCE Neo-Babylonian‎
Early Persian 520-450 BCE
Late Persian 450-332 BCE
Early Hellenistic 332-200 BCE
Late Hellenistic 200-63 BCE
Early Roman 63 BCE - 135 CE
Middle Roman 135-250 CE
Late Roman 250-363 CE
Early Byzantine 363-460 CE
Late Byzantine 460-638 CE
Early Arab 638-1099 CE
Crusader & Ayyubid 1099-1291 CE
Late Arab 1291-1516 CE
Ottoman 1516-1917 CE

Notes and Further Reading
References

Articles and Books

Harvey, C. A., Intagliata, E. E., and Raja, R. (2024a) Implementation of a multi-scalar approach to the survey of military and trade architecture in Jordan: the case of Khirbet al-Khalde. Antiquity 2024, 1–7.

Harvey, C. A., Intagliata, E. E., Mokránová, K., Raja, R., and Zoppi, M. (2024b) ‘Cultural heritage damage assessment at Khirbet al-Khalde in a longue durée perspective: the impact of legacy data and multi-scalar methodologies on survey results’. Journal of Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology and Heritage Studies 12 (2), 172–195.

Harvey, C.A., Intagliata, E.E., and Raja, R. (2024c) ‘Global trade and mobility in the Desert. New investigations at the fort and presumed caravanserai of Khirbet al-Khalde in the southern Jordanian Desert’. Current World Archaeology 123, 28–35.

Harvey, C.A., Intagliata, E. E., and Raja, R. (2024d) Khirbet al-Khalde — A Road Station in the Wadi al-Yutm. Archaeology in Jordan 4, 173–175.

Surveying Khirbet al-Khalde: Global trade and ancient mobility in southern Jordan World Archaeology website January 24, 2024 - open access - lots of photos

Craig A. Harvey, Emanuele E. Intagliata, R. Raja, (2024e) ‘Éclairages nouveaux sur le site archéologique de Khirbet al-Khalde (l’ancien Praesidium): un castellum et caravansérail situé le long de la frontière de l’Empire romain en Arabie’. In Classical Association of Canada 2024 Annual Conference (Quebec City, Canada – 14–16/05/2024).

Craig A. Harvey, Emanuele E. Intagliata, Rubina Raja, Mara Zoppi, ‘Khirbet al-Khalde e Archeobenessere. Un’occasione mancata?’. (2024f) In Archeobenessere – spunti di riflessione dagli scavi e ricerche condotte dall’Università degli Studi di Milano (Milano, Fondazione Luigi Rovati – 10/04/2024).

Craig A. Harvey, Emanuele E. Intagliata, Rubina Raja, (2023) ‘Introducing the Khirbet al-Khalde Archaeological Project: Initial Results from the Inaugural 2023 Survey Season’.In Annual meeting of the American Society of Oriental Research, session # 5B. Archaeology of Jordan I – Excavation Reports (Chicago, Hilton Chicago – 17/11/2023).