November - December 2003 Season I; Survey season

Summary

In November - December 2003 the University of Sydney conducted the first of three planned seasons of work in the Wadi Rayyan. The project is based around the key sites of el Khawarij (ca 2 km north east of Halawa) and Jelmet esh Shariyeh (on a saddle a 1 km south of Kufr Abil). Both sites are within the Wadi Rayyan catchment area and as such were located by Palumbo et al. (1990) in their original survey of the wadi Yabbis (as it was then known).

El Khawarij appears to be the larger of the two sites, and is relatively free of current agriculture and horticulture (although regular ploughing of some areas is still occurring). Jelmet esh-Shariyeh, by contrast, is today within a working olive grove.

Aims and Objectives

The aim was to intensively survey the area surrounding and including the previously identified sites in order to map the frequency of artefact scatters and to produce a detailed map of the visible surface features. A number of surface features had already been noted during previous visits to the site and it was felt that it would be important to measure the extent and frequency of these features in order to help define the boundaries of the site(s). In addition a map of these features would allow later excavated material to be more easily contextualised.

A subsequent aim was to isolate any evidence of Roman/Byzantine, or other occupation, from that of the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Ages. In previous visits to the site a very few Byzantine sherds were noted but these were never large in number. It was considered important to be able to reduce the risk of excavating in areas where there may be later material. Thus the objective of this season was to isolate good scatters of Chalco - EBA material where there were significant surface features for excavation in 2004.

For further information please see Lovell et al 2005