Raw material characterization and lithic provenance from Shishan Marsh 1, a Middle Pleistocene site in the central Azraq Basin, Jordan

Abstract

Provenance analyses have been utilized to cast light on the nature of lithic procurement and the mobility strategies of prehistoric foragers. Recently, scholars have applied them to chert formations of the Levant with noted success. However, the Azraq Basin in the eastern desert of Jordan is a region of the Levant where characterization of the lithology is on-going. This study evaluates additional chert sources from the central Azraq Basin, Jordan through LA-ICP-MS. These geochemical data contribute to an expanding regional dataset, particularly on the Umm Rijam Chert-Limestone formation. Furthermore, their profiles are used to investigate the provenance of a sample of lithic artifacts from the Middle Pleistocene site of Shishan Marsh 1 located within the Azraq wetlands. The evaluated stone tools are most consistent with certain profiles of the URC formation. The results indicate that raw material was procured from sources on-site and in distant areas to the west and northeast of the wetlands. Foragers remained mobile throughout the region and moved lithics over local and non-local distances into the wetlands before discarding them at Shishan Marsh 1. The utility of geochemistry for provenance in the Azraq Basin is recognized, but a future incorporation of petrography is suggested.