Alluvial cycles and early agricultural settlement phases in the Jordan Valley

Abstract

The parallel development of archaeology and Quaternary geology in several regions of the world is reviewed, and common problems in dating and correlating alluvial sequences are discussed. Buried archaeological remains and radiometric dates provide a chronological framework for the sequence of Late Quaternary alluvial deposits in the central Jordan Rift. While previous studies emphasized a simple, two-stage model of Late Quaternary alluvial deposition, regional comparisons of the geomorphological contexts of archaeological sites of different ages indicate complex, multiple depositional and erosional cycles. These cycles were influenced by tectonism, climatic changes, human land use, and natural geomorphic thresholds, sometimes in combination. The stratigraphy and chronology of early agricultural settlements in the valley are summarized, and investigations at a protohistoric agricultural town are described. Major regional shifts in prehistoric and protohistoric patterns of agriculture and settlement are interpreted in terms of the impacts of changes in alluvial regimes. These correlations have implications for models of agricultural origins, and the stability and resilience of sedentary settlements in dry lands.