Kharaysin: A PPNA and PPNB Site by the Zarqa River. 2014 and 2015 Field Seasons

Abstract

Kharaysin is a Pre-Pottery Neolithic site located in the village of Quneya, in the Zarqa River valley, over 25 ha in size and dating from the 9th millennium cal BC. Two occupation levels have been documented. In excavation area IJ100, two oval semi-sunken houses with plaster floors were excavated; these dated from the beginning of the 9th millennium cal BC, the late phase of the PPNA. Over this architectural level, a straight stone wall and a burial correspond to the beginning of the Middle PPNB, at the end of the 9th millennium cal BC. Further south, down the slope of the site, in trenches CDEFG-55 and TUVX-60, a Middle PPNB occupation has also been documented, with rectangular buildings built on the surface, stone walls and plastered floors. In Area U60, paintings were discovered on the plastered floor of one building. Bipolar technology, Jericho and Amuq points and bent sickle blades are observed in the Middle PPNB occupation phase. The PPNA material culture, which is still poorly documented, seems to be characterized by unipolar knapping, blades with double pairs of notches and decorated grooved stones.