Jawa 1973: A Preliminary Report

Abstract

J awa is a fortified desert town in eastern Transjordan (Fig. I). It lies in area known as Harrat er-Rajil, in wadi Rajil which originates in Jebel Druse to north. This region of Transjordan was virtually unexplored until recently. During nineteenth century a number of expeditions, notably of Charles Huber and Julius Euding in 18841passed through region, without, however, recording site. In early years of the· t\ventieth century Butler2 surveyed Roman and Byzantine sites nearby but did not note anything earlier. This state of affairs continued up until 1950 when J awa was first discovered. The general region, Basalt Barrier3 was, however, explored to some degree by RAF pilots and others following World War I and a series of papers was published describing strange structures, kites, south ofJ awa near present frontier between Jordan and Saudi Arabia. No dates were established, although one of commentators, Rees4 did suggest that it is possible (this region) supported a large permanent population at a very early date-meaning pre-Roman. The kites have been variously identified as fortresses and animal traps or corrals. The fact they vary in size from a few metres across to over 40 m., suggests a combination of latter: evidence for both hunting and pastoralism. That the kites were fortresses cannot be supported any longer. One site, however, must be mentioned here. Maidands has published an aerial photograph of a large walled settlement somewhere in Arabia which is so similar to J awa it must be interpreted as a fortress. The significance of this will be discussed below. Further exploration of region near Jawa took place in late 1940's with Nelson Glueck's survey of North-Eastern Transjordan,6 butJawa was not actually seen and recognized until G. W. L. Harding and F. V. Winnett7 reached site a few years later. Although this expedition was primarily concerned with inscriptions, it nevertheless shed first light on pre-Roman occupation in region. Some years later Harding informed Director of British School of Archaeology in Jerusalem, J. B. Hennessy who made it possible for writer to conduct a survey of site.8 Harding's interest in Safaitic inscriptions led to discovery of an important rock drawing9 of a kite. This, however, by no means set an absolute date for these structures: it merely showed, as has been pointed out10 the kites were in use during period of Safaitic inscriptions.ll The writer's survey of 1966 was followed by test excavation during summer of 1972 under auspices of British School of Archaeology and this led to first season of excavations in Septem-