(DailyExpertNews) — A major new archaeological discovery has uncovered a Neolithic complex of 9,000-year-old stone carvings in Jordan’s southeastern desert.
The find was documented by a team of Jordanian and French archaeologists and announced Tuesday at a press conference of the Jordanian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
Considered a unique ritual installation dedicated to hunting gazelles, the site features giant stone traps known as “desert kites,” which the researchers say are the world’s oldest large-scale human-built sculptures.
The anthromorphic carvings are a rare insight into Neolithic spiritual expression.
Jordanian Antiquities Authority/AFP via Getty Images
The latest discovery was made in October 2021 by the South Eastern Badia Archaeological Project (SEBAP), led by Mohammad B. Tarawneh and Wael Abu-Azizeh, who have been exploring the region for the past decade.
The “desert kite” traps consist of long stone walls that led prey to an enclosure in which they could be corralled, and were first discovered by the team in the Jibal al-Khashabiyeh area in 2013.
This then led to the discovery of camping grounds used by the hunters whose lives centered around the desert kites and game capture. The inhabitants lived in semi-subterranean round huts and pottery and animal bones have been excavated here before.
The announcement was made at a press conference by the Jordanian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua via Getty Images
Archaeologists say the new discovery provides insight into the creative and spiritual expressions of these ancient people. It consists of two stone statues, which are named Ghassan and Abu Ghassan. The larger of the two, at 112 centimeters in height, is carved with the image of a desert kite containing a human figure, while the smaller, at 70 centimeters in length, has a finely detailed human face.
Other finds include a ritual altar stone, a hearth, a carefully arranged collection of some 150 marine fossils, as well as animal figurines and finely crafted flint objects.
“This is the only architectural model of its kind known to date worldwide in a Neolithic context,” SEBAP said in a statement.
The desert camp sites were used by Neolithic hunters who lived in round huts.
Jordanian Antiquities Authority/AFP via Getty Images
These rare anthromorphic carvings are some of the oldest artistic expressions in the Middle East, and the team says the altar and accompanying hearth suggest they were likely used for offerings.
“The proven sacred symbolism and ritual performance were most likely devoted to evoking the supernatural powers for successful hunting and abundance of prey to capture,” SEBAP says. “It sheds a whole new light on the symbolism, artistic expression and spiritual culture of these hitherto unknown Neolithic populations. [who] specialized in mass hunting of gazelles using the ‘desert kites’.”
