Figure 1.
Map of the Neolithic Near East with the different geo-cultural zones of the core area (or Fertile Crescent), in green; after Aurenche and Kozlowski [82].
The JQ-101 site is located in the southern part of the Nefud Desert in Saudi Arabia.
Figure 2.
Neolithic sites of northern Arabia and palaeohydrology.
Potential Holocene drainage is displayed in blue, with currently severed drainage connections that may have been active during Holocene humid periods interpreted and displayed in grey. Numbered Wadis: (1) Wadi as Sirhan, (2) Wadi al Hamd, (3) Euphrates, (4) Wadi al Batin, (5) Wadi Sabha. Potential palaeolake or swamp deposits detected through remote sensing which may relate to Holocene humidity are displayed for the region surrounding Jubbah. All data is overlain upon SRTMv4 elevation data [124] and Natural Earth 2 offshore data. Archaeological site locations calculated from survey data of the ‘Comprehensive Archaeological Survey Programme’, more information is provided in Groucutt and Petraglia [111].
Figure 3.
General setting of JQ-101 and JQ-200 at Jebel Qattar.
A: 3D view of the sites, from the northern slope of Jebel Qattar; B: topographic map of Jebel Qattar area with mentioned sites, framed zone is expanded in Figure 7.
Figure 4.
Sedimentological analyses from the palaeolake sequence at JQ-201.
Showing mean particle size, magnetic susceptibility, LOI 550°C (organics) and LOI 950°C (carbonates). Radiocarbon ages are shown in cal. BC.
Figure 5.
Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating.
Radial plot of the equivalent dose (De) values obtained from 49 individual grains of quartz from sample JQ200-OSL1. Filled circles denote the 46 values used to calculate the weighted mean De for OSL age determination, and open triangles are the three values identified as outliers (Table 1). Each point represents the De value for a single grain. It can be read off the radial axis by extending a line from zero on the ‘standardised estimate’ axis through the point of interest, and the ‘relative error’ on this De can be read by projecting a vertical line to intersect the horizontal axis. The ‘precision’ is the reciprocal of the relative error, so the most precise De estimates lie furthest to the right. The grey band is centred on the weighted mean De estimated using the Central Age Model. Individual De values that are consistent at 2σ with this weighted mean fall within the grey band. This De distribution is overdispersed by 23±4%, which is typical for well-bleached samples of quartz that have not been disturbed since burial. See Galbraith and Roberts [71] for further explanation of statistical aspects of De estimation and display in OSL dating.
Table 1.
Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) age and supporting data for sample JQ200-OSL1.
Table 2.
Conventional and calibrated radiocarbon ages for site JQ-200.
Figure 6.
General views of JQ-101 site while excavated and surveyed.
Figure 7.
Map of artefacts distribution on surface at JQ-101, with trenches localisation.
Table 3.
Total number of lithics from the general surface collection and from the six trenches (systematic collection).
Table 4.
Artefact types (tools, cores and technical pieces).
Table 5.
Raw material types (counts) from the six trenches (systematic collection).
Figure 8.
Map of the Levantine sites with El Khiam points.
It is based on maps in Kozlowski and Aurenche [73]. JQ-101 lays more than 500 km from the “core area”.
Figure 9.
Three El-Khiam points from JQ-101.
The enlarged views represent the basal ventrally retouched parts (x3). Top one (broken) is in crystal quartz.
Figure 10.
Map of the Levantine sites with Helwan points.
It shows the Abu Salem points sub-type, based on maps in Kozlowski and Aurenche [73]. JQ-101 lays more than 500 km from the “core area”.
Figure 11.
JQ-101 Helwan points (Abu Salem points sub-type).
1,2 are complete; 3 is fragmentary; and a possible Gilgal truncation (4).
Figure 12.
Others types of projectile points from JQ-101.
Examples of different types of tanged with no barbs or barbed and tanged arrowheads.
Figure 13.
One long burin spall is shown bottom right.
Figure 14.
The upper one (drawing and photography) is complete, while the three others are fragmentary.