Abstract
The Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) period in South-west Asia is essential for our understanding of the transition to sedentary, agricultural communities. Developments in architecture are key to understanding this transition, but many aspects of PPNA architecture remain elusive, such as construction techniques, the selection of building materials and the functional use of space. The primary aim of the research described within this contribution was to build a PPNA-like structure in order to answer questions about PPNA architecture in general, while specifically addressing issues raised by the excavation of structures at the site of WF16, southern Jordan. The second aim was to display a ‘PPNA’ building to visitors in Wadi Faynan to enhance their understanding of the period. The experimental construction based on one of the WF16 structures showed that (1) required materials can be acquired locally; (2) a construction technique using mud layers as described in this paper was most probably used; (3) flat, or very slightly dome-shaped, roofs are functional and can also be used as a solid working platform; (4) the WF16 small semi-subterranean buildings appear inappropriate for housing a nuclear family unit.
Highlights
Excavations (2008–10) at the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) site WF16 in southern Jordan (Figs 1, 2), currently dated to c. 11,600–10,200 cal BP (Mithen and Finlayson 2007), uncovered a range of structures (Figs 2, 3)
What kinds of materials were required and in what quantities? What construction techniques were used? How much time/labour was required? While the evidence available suggests flat roofs made of mud supported by reeds and wooden beams were used, clearly by the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (PPNB) (Kinzel 2004; Purschwitz and Kinzel 2007), and as we argue below, probably in the PPNA at WF16, it is necessary to explore whether
It has recently been argued that the term ‘household’ should not automatically be applied to the Neolithic and that instead the use of such terms should be based on evidence (Düring and Marciniak 2006; Finlayson et al 2011a). Such evidence is mainly provided by the archaeological record (e.g. Hemsley 2008), but it is hoped that this paper has shown that experimental archaeology can be very informative
Summary
Building WF16: construction of a Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) pisé structure in Southern Jordan. Developments in architecture are key to understanding this transition, but many aspects of PPNA architecture remain elusive, such as construction techniques, the selection of building materials and the functional use of space. The experimental construction based on one of the WF16 structures showed that (1) required materials can be acquired locally; (2) a construction technique using mud layers as described in this paper was most probably used; (3) flat, or very slightly dome-shaped, roofs are functional and can be used as a solid working platform; (4) the WF16 small semisubterranean buildings appear inappropriate for housing a nuclear family unit. Keywords Pre-Pottery Neolithic A, Wadi Faynan, Jordan, experimental archaeology, architecture
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