63.

A Kebaran Rock Shelter in Wadi Madamagh, Near Petra, Jordan

Author(s): Diana V. W. Kirkbride
Source: Man, Vol. 58 (Apr., 1958), pp. 55-58
Published by: Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2794154
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PLATE E (WITH ARTICLE 63) MAN, APRIL, I958

(a) Th(' shelIter fromi the niorth, showving the abrnipt edge to the d
anid the positionis of 'the twvo trenches (b) Lookinig north-westfromn the shelter

(c) Trenich Bftoiii the opposite side of the torrenit bed (d) Looking across to the open counitry at Marinar el Burqa, fir
shelter. Note the vertical face of the rock on the opposite side of the
torrenit bed.

THE MADAMAGH ROC SETER, NEAR ?PERA JODAN

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 A KEBARAN ROCK SHELTER IN WADI MADAMAGH,
NEAR PETRA, JORDAN*

by

MISS DIANA V. W. KIRKBRIDE

London

6 A few finds of flint artifacts in Petra were
63;) collected and recorded by Murray and these
Ellisbacked pointed blades are extremely small. A normal
(I940) and Kennedy (I925) between 20 and 30 years ago.
While engaged on excavations in the city of Petra on
behalf of the Jordan Department of Antiquities during
I956, apart from official duties, I conducted a survey
over the area for evidence of Stone Age habitation. A
large amount of surface material was collected, and in
addition, and with the help of the B'dul tribe, two habita- and named by Dr. Tewfik Canaan (I929). From the shelter
tion sites were found (fig. i). One was a neolithic village
site, where a Natufian element was also present. This was
situated in Beida. The other site forms the subject of this wadi (Plate Ed). Marmar el Burqa, so named by the
paper, and consisted of an Upper Paloeolithic rock shelter B'dul tribe, the present inhabitants of Petra, is the con-
in Wadi Madamagh.
Me0e __ ooo PETRA
? )L~
FIG. I. SKETCH MAP OF THE PETRA AREA
After Canaan
This rock shelter is particularly interesting in that known
Upper Palaeolithic sites are rare in Transjordan. Dr.
Waechter (I93 8) excavated one Kebaran site in Wadi
Dhobai to the north of the country; the other Upper
Palxeolithic sites are recorded from the south (Zeuner,
I957). It is also important on typological grounds, belong-
ing as it does to the final phase of the Upper Palxolithic,
and consisting of an industry that is at present rather thinly
represented in Palestine, Jordan, the Lebanon and Syria.
The type site is at Mugharet el Kebara in Palestine. The
predominantly characteristic implements of the Petra
shelter and the other four are slniaal backed blades with
* With Plate E and two text figures
obliquely truncated points at each end. At Petra, however,
microlithic Kebaran blade is large by comparison (fig. 2, 8).
The shelter in Wadi Madamagh (grid reference approx.
I94/975 on the I: 250,000 map, Sheet 3) lies on the
west side of a short and very steep seyl (seasonal torrent
bed) which runs into the wadi. Wadi Madamagh lies on
the northern boundary of Petra and was first discovered
one looks across the intervening Petra cliffs to Marmar el
Burqa about a kilometre away across two very steep major
tinuation of Umm Seihun, the open country of white
sandstone which runs up to the foot of Mount Seir. The
shelter is reached from the Petra valley basin by following
Wadi Abu Alleqa to the end, and climbing across the high
ridges to the west, finally descending into Wadi Madamagh
(fig. i). The site is most beautifully situated, and com-
pletely protected both from the weather and from wild
animals. Set on a narrow ledge about 70 feet above the
main wadi bed, the steep seyl by which it is sited falls pre-
cipitously in front of it, forming a vertical drop at the
end of the talus and dividing it from a sheer face of rock
on the opposite side which is the same height as the
shelter, thereby affording complete protection with a clear
view to the open country (Plate Eb). To the north, a
vertical drop of a man's height leads to a steep slope down
to the main wadi bed. To the south a short steep scramble
brings one to a small open plateau entirely enclosed by
vertical sandstone cliffs. The shelter itself is about 30
metres long by about three metres deep. Here, with their
backs to the prevailing winds, but their faces to the early
sun, protected from wild animals and at the same time
being within view and easy reach of the open plains,
palaolithic man might well have felt safer than in the
deeper, wilder ranges which surround the valley of Petra
proper.
The shelter has been partially destroyed or weathered
away, as the deposit only begins about halfway along the
roof overhang. The back wall has a thin deposit of flint
artifacts and bones cemented to it. This cemented deposit
begins about two metres nearer the south end of the
shelter than the occupational deposit, which itself begins
abruptly with the ragged side of a large hearth from
which protruded numerous bones and flints. The impres-
sion gained is that the deposit had been cut away a con-
siderable time ago as the cementation at the back of the
shelter is so hard that it was impossible to remove a single
flint from it, and the ragged edge of the deposit is also
extremely hard. The present inhabitants of Petra would
ss

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 No. 63 MAN APRIL, I958

not have the necessary knowledge to use the deposit as a Level i. They were presumably used as missile points or
fertilizer for their fields, so it is suggested that the Naba- barbs. They were probably also used for working wood
twans, who assiduously cultivated every square inch and and perhaps bone. One dolomite pebble was found that
seyl terrace, were responsible for it. The seyl bed is now had been carved, really a series of deep scratches, in lines
dry, and at the mouth of the little plateau above the running both round and over it, thus forming a pattern of
shelter is a rough wall built not as a dam, but as a terracesmall squares. The entire deposit was full of bones, all
wall to retain the earth behind it. Thus the plateau formed broken, and unfortunately bearing a hard incrustation.
a small field. It seems highly probable that the deposit was When these are made available for study, it is possible that
moved and placed on this field, especially as its missing evidence for working will be found on some. A number
part is that nearest the field. of marine shells were found, some pierced for suspension.
Probably the terrace on which the shelter is situated
originally extended forward for about another metre; at
present the front of the deposit descends vertically on to
the talus along its whole length as if cut off. This may be
accounted for by the small track worn by generations of
goats which runs along the entire front, or it may be | U , t b jg: 3 q4 Q 5s 6 7
caused by weathering due to the fall of some of the rock 8
overhang. The talus must certainly have weathered con-
siderably as it now resembles a very steep glissade down to
a vertical drop. A number of very large sandstone blocks
lying in the steep seyl bed argue for a large fall from the 09 0. 1 W 1.3 c- 39 t4 A 15
10
rock overhang.
Two trenches were put down, each yielding a main
hearth area, some smaller hearths, innumerable animal
bones, all in fragments as if they had been used for food and
broken for the marrow, many flint artifacts and much
waste material. Although there has been no opportunity
to sort all the material the impression gained was that the
deposit was homogeneous, the same microlithic blades
16 1
appearing at the bottom as at the top. It seems possible that C229Z@L30SR~~~~~~~~~~1 20A2 g

the shelter was used by one family unit over a number of

winters. Details of the excavation and of the sections of the
two trenches will not be given here. It is hoped that a full
report can be published at a later date.
2zZa 24 a
The microlithic elements associated with Trench A (i)
were fully sorted and sketches were made in the field.
Although the larger material from some of the levels was
also sorted, it was not studied through lack of time. This
paper, therefore, concentrates on the microlithic material,
but the reader is asked to bear in mind the fact that a larger
element exists. This cannot be too strongly stressed as it is
not wished to give a one-sided impression of the industry. FIG. 2. ARTIFACTS FROM THE SHELTER OF MADAMAGH
Description of the microlithic material. Most of the
Number 8 isfrom Level C at Kebara. Scale I2
artifacts are made of grey or brown flint, but some are of
a very fine chert which occasionally shows silica glaze on There were also a large number of hxmatite lumps, some
the surface, probably due to lying in a hot fire. All the raw carved into sticks of pencil-like shape. Hxmatite is found
material would have to be brought from the limestone in the bed of Wadi Madamagh itself, and elsewhere in and
country outside, as flint is not obtainable in Petra. around Petra.
i. Microlithic Bladelets. These bladelets are character- Ia. Microlithic backed bladelets with points not retouched,
istic of this culture. They are long, very narrow and or only partially so. Some of these are obliquely truncated. 70.
obliquely pointed at both ends. The backs are very steeply (Fig. 2, ia, b, c.)
ib. Microlithic backed bladelets with both points retouched
retouched, and there is not a single example of the Helwan
along backs. 95. (Fig. 2, 2a, b, c.)
retouch so typical of the Lower Natufian. The bladelets ic. Microlithic backed bladelets, broken. 30.
have been divided into ten classes based on very small id. Microlithic backed bladelets with both edges of one
differences, such as whether the backing extends down the point retouched. i6. (Fig. 2, 3a, b.)
points or not. It should, however, be stressed that the ie. Microlithic backed bladelets, obliquely snapped. Waste
made from the manufacture of the bladelets, leaving these small
different shapes of point-backs running through oblique to
backed blades with points on opposing sides. 9. (Fig. 2, 4a, b.)
rounded and near-lunates all shade into each other. if. Microlithic backed bladelets with exceptionally fine
These bladelets outnumber all other artifacts in Trench A, nibbling retouch over whole or part of back. 24. (Fig. 2, 5a, b.)

56

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APRIL, 1958 MAN No. 63
ig. Microlithic lunate-type bladelets. These shade into their As has already been stated the most characteristic im-
points in curves and not at an angle as in the other classes. Theyplements are the tiny backed bladelets with points at both
were probably made by the microburin technique. (Fig. 2,
ends. These are essentially the same as those found at
6a, b.)
ih. 'Anti-microburins.' This term is suggested by Professor Mugharet el Kebara in Palestine (Turville-Petre, 1932),
Zeuner for terminal portions of blades made in the manner of and at Jabrud in Syria (Rust, I950). Dr. Waechter, who
microburins, but snapped off so as to form an acute point. The has seen the unpublished material from Ksar 'Akil in the
snapping scar therefore continues more or less the direction of Lebanon, tells me that these small pointed backed blades
the remaining portion of the notch. This is a normal feature
are also present in the top levels there. In fact, the difference
with geometrics made from the middle of blades, but specimens
on the ends of blades are present at Petra. They thus appear to in the Petra bladelets is their small size and extreme
represent a distinct type. 3. (Fig. 2, 7a, b, c.) narrowness.
Ii. Microlithic backed bladelet retouched for half its length It seems that the ordinary Kebaran blades were made by
on opposing sides and ends. i. (Fig. 2, 9.) striking an ordinary small blade from a core, and then
2. Notched blades. There are four small blades with deep
retouching the back until the blade had been worn away
notches worked in them. They all show signs of wear, and
seem to be the ordinary spokeshaves and not unfinished arti- for half, or slightly more, of its width. With the Petra
facts made by the microburin technique. The fifth is one of the Micro-Kebaran this technique is carried a stage further,
micro-bladelets, blunted along the back, but with a notch on i.e. to beyond the midrib, until only a sliver 2 millimetres
the opposite side. It may have been intended as an artifact
wide is left. The ends are then shaped either by twisting off,
made by the microburin technique. 5. (Fig. 2, IOa, b.)
or by retouching, and even by the microburin technique
3. Hollow scraper. On the side of a small blade, there is a
deep and long hollow, very like an elongated notched blade. i. of notching and then snapping. Waste material bears
(Fig. 2, ii.) evidence for the first and last techniques. The fact that the
4. Asymmetrical lunates. These are much larger than the microburins, the 'anti-microburins' and the obliquely
other microlithic elements in this industry, being closer to the
snapped waste-though doubtless they were used-were
normal size of lunates. Both are asymmetrical, one comes very
close to being triangular. The backing is by means of simple,
all backed as well is evidence for the extreme narrowness
and not Helwan, retouch. 2. (Fig. 2, i2a, b.) of the bladelets having been obtained by careful backing.
5. Microburins. Three of these are waste from the manu- In comparing the Petra mnaterial with that illustrated by
facture of the larger lunates, and the others are from the tiny Turville-Petre (I932, fig. H, p. 275), one finds that the
bladelets. 9. (Fig. 2, i3a, b, c.) small pointed bladelets (nos. 17-25) are paralleled at the
6. 'Hooks.' These are formed by making a notch just under
one point of a bladelet. Three are on waste blades. 5. (Fig. 2,
Petra site. Triangles (no. I6) are also present, in addition
I4a, b.) to round scrapers, end scrapers and core scrapers-although
7. Asymmetrical triangles. Ordinary geometric microliths the latter implements from the Petra site can only be
of which one might be called the normal size, and the rest illustrated here by a few that were chosen at random.
are smaller. All are very long. 4. (Fig. 2, I5a, b.)
Rust (I950, Plates CI, CII, pp. I07, 137), excavating
8. 'Spiky' points. On blades of normal size. Three have
steep retouch, backing, up the whole of their lengths. Two are
Cave 3 at Jabrud in Syria, uncovered a culture in Levels 4,
retouched from the point to halfway down the back but on the 6 and 7 which he called Nebekien and placed in the Middle
left side. Two are microlithic. 8. (Fig. 2, i6a, b, c.) Mesolithic. This Nebekien was divided in Level 5 by an
9. Missile points. Although the minute pointed bladelets industry that he called provisionally 'Spatcapsien (?).' The
were undoubtedly used as points and barbs of arrows this name characteristic implements of Nebekien Levels 6 and 7
has been given to a distinctive class resembling the 'spiky'
points. In every case the points have been finely retouched on
(Plates CI, CII) are again the small backed bladelets with
both sides. I3, of which two are broken. (Fig. 2, I7a, b, c.) obliquely truncated or curved points. These show a close
iO. Obliquely truncated points. Some, but not all, are relationship with those from Kebara Level C, and also
backed. 4. (Fig. 2, i8a, b, c.) with Petra. Jabrud, however, produced a number of un-
ii. 'Spiky' missile point. This artifact has been placed in a
mistakable microburins, and these have apparently not
class of its own. It is a point with delicate retouch right round
its perimeter including the base. i. (Fig. 2, I9.) yet been found at Kebara. Petra, which also possesses
I2. Points. Made on small waste blades with one end re- microburins, has a further link with Jabrud here.
touched on the back to form a point. 2. (Fig. 2, 20a, b.) One class of implements strongly represented in Petra,
I3. Elongated backed blades. These are in all essentials the 'spiky' points, is lacking in the illustrations at both
similar to the tiny microlithic bladelets except for size. They Kebara and Jabrud. On the other hand, they seem to be
are bigger and longer, nearer to the true Kebaran. 4. (Fig. 2,
26a, b.) Compare with fig. 2, 8, which is a Kebaran blade from
one of the characteristic implements found in the upper
Level C at Kebara. levels at Ksar 'Akil in the Lebanon. This site has not yet
I4. Crested guide flakes. These vary in size, but none seems been published, but in the preliminary report (Ewing,
more than 3 cm. long. 8. (Fig. 2, 23a, b.) 1947), this culture is called 'Gravettian,' and was found
i5. Broad blades and points partially retouched. 4. (Fig. 2,
above the Aurignacian. However, as the small backed
24a, b.)
i6. Backed blades approaching in size the ordinary Kebaran. pointed blades of the Kebaran are also present in the
13. (Fig. 2, 25a, b.) 'Gravettian' at Ksar 'Akil a further link between Ksar
I7. Irregular blades with backing. I8. (Fig. 2, 22a, b.) 'Akil and Petra seems to have been established. Until the
i8. Larger implements. Some of the larger elements were material from Ksar 'Akil has been published and the
drawn, and are illustrated here to give some idea of their size
material from Petra studied in detail it is impossible to be
and shape. (Fig. 2; 2I, 27-30.) These comprise a thumb-nail
scraper, a backed and pointed blade, a round scraper, an end more definite.
scraper and a core scraper. The fact that the Petra site appears to be homogeneous,
57

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 Nos. 63, 64 MAN APRIL, I958

the bladelets appearing Referetnces from the

deposit, makes Canaan,
place by the section and sequence of cultures. Typological
evidence alone must be relied upon. Comparison of
material shows that the closest links are between Kebara
Level C, the type site, Jabrud Nebekien, Ksar 'Akil
'Gravettian,' and Site K at Dhobai in Transjordan.
There are also connexions with the backed and pointed
blades of el Khiam, from the Upper Palaolithic VI level
(Neuville, i95i, fig. 66), reminiscent of the tiny bladelets Rust, A., Die Hohlenfunde vonJabrud, Neumiinster, I950.
of Petra, though of course much larger. I am, therefore, Turville-Petre, F., 'Excavations in the Mugharet El-Kebarah,'
calling the Petra industry Micro-Kebaran, and placing it
in an intermediate period between the end of the Upper
Paleolithic and the Natufian. When available, the material
obtained for a Carbon-I4 test should help to assign the
Micro-Kebaran to its proper place more securely.
itT., 'Studies
impossible
in the Topography and Folklore of Petra,' to J. as
Palestine Orient. Soc., Jerusalem, Vol. IX, i929, pp. I36-2i8.
Ewing, J. F., 'Preliminary Note on the Excavations at the
Palkolithic site of Ksar 'Akil, Republic of Lebanon,' Antiquity,
London, Vol. XXI, No. 84, I947, pp. I86-96.
Kennedy, A. B. W., Petra. Its History and Monuments, London, 1925.
Murray, M. A. andJ. C. Ellis, A Street in Petra, London, 1940.
Neuville, R., 'Le Paleolithique et le Mesolithique du Desert de
Judee,' Arch. Inst. Pale'ont. Hum., Paris, Mem. XXIV, i95i.
J. R. Anthrop. Inst., London, Vol. LXII, I932, pp. 27i-6.
Waechter, J. d'A., et al., 'The Excavations at Wadi Dhobai
1937-38 and the Dhobaian industry,' J. Palestine Orient. Soc.,
Vol. XVIII, I938, pp. I-23.
Zeuner, F. E., 'Stone Age Exploration in Jordan I,' Palestine Expl.
Quart., January-June, 1957, pp. 17-54.

BRONZE AGE TECHNOLOGY IN WESTERN ASIA AND

NORTHERN EUROPE: PART III*
by

LEON UNDERWOOD

London

THE BRONZE AXEHEAD
64A There is enough similarity in the
64T industries of Asia and Northern
suggest a common origin, and enough difference to con-
firm an early independence of the barbaric European
One might almost say that the conquest of Rome by
barbarians may be seen to have begun with the independent
development of this all-purpose tool and weapon.
FIG. L. SHAF-T-HOLE AXEHEAD FROM UR IN THE BRITISH
MUSEUM
The .etalguard covering the blade edge is clearly visible. Len.gth: 7 in.ches
At first, in Egypt, Asia and Northern Europe, the bronze
or copper axehead shared a common basic flat form
derived from the stone celt. The civilized Asiatics quickly
solved the mechanical union of metal to wood,
fabricating a clay core which, inserted into the mould,
formed a hole through the axehead, as with certain stone
axeheads, or with the modern hammer, to receive
* With eight text figures; reference should also be made to the lower
picture in Plate C in the February issue of MAN. Part I appeared in the
February issue (I958, 13) and Part II in the March issue (I958, 39). Cf.
also Professor Thompson's article in MAN, I958, I.
shaft of the wooden handle. And that was that prob
settled once and for all, in early Sumerian times, as m
seen axehead
in the example
Europe to from Ur (fig. I; this example, it is
interesting to note, bears evidence of its owner's concern
for the safemind.
keeping of his carefully whetted edge in the
provision of a metal shield).
In Northern Europe barbarian smiths were occupied
with this one problem of the mechanical union right up to
the end of the bronze age. The mechanical union passed
through endless development and was still being rigorously
experimented with in the final socketed type. Previous to
this final type, development had been through a succession
of other well-known types: the flat; the flanged; the
stop-and-flange; the (plain) palstave and the winged, before
the final socketed. It is a rare thing to find examples
exactly alike in any of these types.
Of the ultimate solution in the socketed type, it has been
said that it is mechanically inferior to the Sumerian. Let
it be granted, and that the barbaric smiths leamt no more
than the limitations of many alternatives. Such vast
negative experience certainly kept the barbaric mind
supple and receptive to improvement throughout all, for
even at the last their restless desire for improvement
continuedin inpre-
the variety of form which they gave to the
interior of the socket by varying the pre-fabricated core.
The socket interior might be classified in its progressive
variation by its
thesection as: round; oval; square and rect-
angular. Each of these has many minor modifications in
the ceaseless measures taken to restrain the axehead from
working loose on its haft, by twisting as the blow is
delivered.
58

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