Stone Structures of the Black Desert: A study of long-term landscape development in the Jebel Qurma region, northeast Jordan

The research presented in this RMA thesis investigated long-term landscape development in the Jebel Qurma region, situated in the Black Desert of northeast Jordan. This region is home to an extraordinary rich archaeological record, typical for the Black Desert. It comprises hundreds of stone structures, artefact scatters, rock art and other features. The region is characterised as a landscape of preservation, and it is investigated how this landscape developed over the long-term. This research is relevant for a number of reasons. First, a long-term landscape approach to landscapes of eastern Jordan has not yet been carried out before, and little is therefore known about how these landscapes developed through time. Also, the methodology of this research combines remote sensing data with detailed survey data, something that is often neglected in archaeological research in this part of Jordan. Also, the landscape is studied through the conceptual approach of landscape biography, by...Show moreThe research presented in this RMA thesis investigated long-term landscape development in the Jebel Qurma region, situated in the Black Desert of northeast Jordan. This region is home to an extraordinary rich archaeological record, typical for the Black Desert. It comprises hundreds of stone structures, artefact scatters, rock art and other features. The region is characterised as a landscape of preservation, and it is investigated how this landscape developed over the long-term. This research is relevant for a number of reasons. First, a long-term landscape approach to landscapes of eastern Jordan has not yet been carried out before, and little is therefore known about how these landscapes developed through time. Also, the methodology of this research combines remote sensing data with detailed survey data, something that is often neglected in archaeological research in this part of Jordan. Also, the landscape is studied through the conceptual approach of landscape biography, by which the influence of material remains of the past to later occupants of the landscape is emphasised in the research. This research shows that the profound historicity of the landscape, i.e. that many remains of the past have endured on the surface to a considerable extent, has profoundly influenced the way later occupants of the region interacted with the landscape.Show less

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Stone Structures of the Black Desert: A study of long-term landscape development in the Jebel Qurma region, northeast Jordan