Dolinka (2006a) reports that surface survey and ceramic collection at Rujm Taba indicate a flourishing village and caravanserai in the late 1st century CE, with a high proportion of Nabataean painted fine ware dated to c. 70–100 CE. The ceramic repertoire suggests a decline in activity during the early to mid-2nd century CE, as the proportion of later material drops sharply. This decrease in occupation may relate either to the Roman annexation of Nabataea in 106 CE or to an earthquake that devastated parts of the Rift Valley in the early 2nd century, though the issue remains unresolved without stratified excavations.