Preference for periphery? Cultural interchange and trade routes along the boundaries of late Iron Age Moab

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis article explores the evidence for diversity in the material culture of Late Iron Age sites situated in the semi-arid margins of west-central Jordan. Least-cost analysis (LCA) is used to model a hypothesized secondary north-south route along the eastern boundary of Moab. Sites found along this route are shown to exhibit a disproportionate level of cultural diversity compared to ‘core’ settlements. These effects are especially pronounced at sites with clear cultic associations. The results of this investigation are in line with the recent literature on the archaeology of boundaries and frontiers, confirming that these zones are characterized by heightened cultural diversity and interchange across a range of domains.