Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Investigating the Neolithic rubble layers of ‘Ain Ghazal, Jordan, using luminescence dating

  • Research
  • Published:
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A chronological study was conducted on the Neolithic depositional layers widely known as ‘Rubble layers’ at the Neolithic site ‘Ain Ghazal, Jordan. The aim of this study was to provide new knowledge about the layers, and their deposition, using luminescence dating. Luminescence ages suggests that the rubble layers were deposited in two distinct episodes, the first around 8.2–8.5 ka ago during the Yarmoukian period, and the second during Chalcolithic period around 6.6–7.4 ka ago. The earlier episode is contemporaneous with records of episodic torrential rainfall during an arid period between 8.6 and 8.0 ka ago, supporting the hypothesis of deposition by natural causes such as flash floods.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

Data Availability

All data are included in this article.

References

  • Aitken MJ (1985) Thermoluminescence dating. Academic Press

    Google Scholar 

  • al Khasawneh S, Murray A, Thompson W (2022) Dating Neolithic rubble layers from Ba’ja and Basta sites in southern Jordan using luminescence. QuatGeochronol 70:101291

  • al Khasawneh S, Schmidt K, Murray A, Thompson W (2023) Luminescence dating of anthropogenic deposits from Tall Zarʿa in the Jordan Valley. Archaeometry 65(5):972–986. https://doi.org/10.1111/arcm.12871

  • Bar-Matthews M, Ayalon A, Gilmour M, Matthews A, Hawkesworth CJ (2003) Sea–land oxygen isotopic relationships from planktonic foraminifera and speleothems in the Eastern Mediterranean region and their implication for paleorainfall during interglacial intervals. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 67(17):3181–99

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bøtter-Jensen L, Thomsen KJ, Jain M (2010) Review of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) instrumental developments for retrospective dosimetry. Radiat Meas 45(3–6):253–257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buylaert J, Murray A, Thomsen K, Jain M (2009) Testing the potential of an elevated temperature IRSL signal from K-feldspar. Radiat Meas 44(5-6):560–565

  • Buylaert JP, Jain M, Murray A, Thomsen K, Thiel C, Sohbati R (2012) A robust feldspar luminescence dating method for Middle and Late Pleistocene sediments. Boreas 41(3):435–451

  • Duller G (2003) Distinguishing quartz and feldspar in single grain luminescence measurements. Radiat Meas 37(2):161–165

  • Gebel H (2008) Neolithic ‘Ain Jamam near Ras an-Naqb: the pre-1993 field research history. Neo-Lithics 1(08):16–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Gebel H (2009) The intricacy of Neolithic rubble layers. The Ba ‘ja, Basta, and ‘Ain Rahub evidence. Neo-Lithics 1(09):33–48

  • Gebel H, Kinzel M (2007) Ba ‘ja 2007: crawl spaces, rich room dumps, and high energy events. Results of the 7th Season of Excavations. Neo-Lithics 1(07):24–33

  • Guérin G, Christophe C, Philippe A, Murray AS, Thomsen KJ, Tribolo C, ... Lahaye C (2017) Absorbed dose, equivalent dose, measured dose rates, and implications for OSL age estimates: introducing the average dose model. Quat Geochronol 41:163-173

  • Guérin G, Mercier N, Adamiec G (2011) Dose-rate conversion factors: update. Ancient Tl 29(1):5-8

  • Hansen V, Murray A, Buylaert JP, Yeo EY, Thomsen K (2015) A new irradiated quartz for beta source calibration. Radiat Meas 81:123–127

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huntley DJ, Baril MR (1997) The K content of the K-feldspars being measured in optical dating or in thermoluminescence dating. Ancient TL 15(1):11–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Huntley DJ, Hancock RGV (2001) The Rb contents of the K-feldspar grains being measured in optical dating. Ancient TL 19(2):43–46

  • Kafafi Z (1993) The Yarmoukians in Jordan. Paléorient 101–114

  • Kafafi Z (2001) Jebel Abu Thawwab (Er-Rumman), Central Jordan: the late neolithic and early bronze age I occupations. exoriente

  • Kafafi Z (2006) Domestic activities at the Neolithic site, ‘Ain Ghazal. Domesticating space. exoriente, Berlin, pp 81–90

  • Kafafi Z, Lucke B, Bäumler R (2009) Environment and architectural change at the Neolithic site of ‘Ain Ghazal. Neo-Lithics 01/09

  • Kafafi Z, Duglus K, Khresat B, Lash A, Rollefson G (2011) Preliminary report on rescue excavations at 'Ayn Ghazal. Annual of the Department of Antiquities of Jordan/Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan 55:7–26

  • Kafafi K, Rollefson G, Douglas K, Lash A (2012) Ain Ghazal revisited: rescue excavations October and December-January, 2011-2012. Neo-Lithics 02/12

  • Mayewski PA, Rohling EE, Stager JC, Karlén W, Maasch KA, Meeker LD, Meyerson EA, Gasse F, van Kreveld S, Holmgren K, Lee-Thorp J (2004) Holocene climate variability. Quat Res 62(3):243-255

  • Mejdahl V (1979) Thermoluminescence dating: beta-dose attenuation in quartz grains. Archaeometry 21(pt. 1):61–72

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Migowski C, Agnon A, Bookman R, Negendank JF, Stein M (2004) Recurrence pattern of Holocene earthquakes along the Dead Sea transform revealed by varve-counting and radiocarbon dating of lacustrine sediments. Earth Planet Sci Lett 222(1):301–314

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Migowski C, Stein M, Prasad S, Negendank JF, Agnon A (2006) Holocene climate variability and cultural evolution in the Near East from the Dead Sea sedimentary record. Quat Res 66(3):421–431

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Möller P, Murray AS (2015) Drumlinised glaciofluvial and glaciolacustrine sediments on the Småland peneplain, South Sweden—new information on the growth and decay history of the Fennoscandian Ice Sheets during MIS 3. Quat Sci Rev 122:1–29

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Murray AS, Wintle AG (2000) Luminescence dating of quartz using an improved single-aliquot regenerative-dose protocol. Radiat Meas 32(1):57–73

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Murray AS, Wintle AG (2003) The single aliquot regenerative dose protocol: potential for improvements in reliability. Radiat Meas 37(4–5):377–381

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Murray AS, Helsted LM, Autzen M, Jain M, Buylaert JP (2018) Measurement of natural radioactivity: calibration and performance of a high-resolution gamma spectrometry facility. Radiat Meas 120:215–220

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Murray AS, Thomsen KJ, Masuda N, Buylaert JP, Jain M (2012) Identifying well-bleached quartz using the different bleaching rates of quartz and feldspar luminescence signals. Radiat Meas 47(9):688–695

  • Murray A, Arnold LJ, Buylaert JP, Guérin G, Qin J, Singhvi AK ... Thomsen KJ (2021) Optically stimulated luminescence dating using quartz. Nat Rev Methods Primers 1(1):72

  • Prescott JR, Hutton JT (1994) Cosmic ray contributions to dose rates for luminescence and ESR dating: large depths and long-term time variations. Radiat Meas 23(2–3):497–500

  • Rashidi Z, Sohbati R, Karimi A, Farpoor MH, Khormali F, Thompson W, Murray A (2019) Constraining the timing of palaeosol development in Iranian arid environments using OSL dating. Quat Geochronol 49:92–100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rollefson G (1983) Ritual and ceremony at Neolithic ‘Ain Ghazal (Jordan). Paléorient, pp 29–38

  • Rollefson G (2000) Ritual and social structure at Neolithic ’Ain Ghazal. In Life in Neolithic farming communities: social organization, identity, and differentiation. Springer US, Boston, MA, pp 165–190

  • Rollefson G (2009) Slippery slope: the Late Neolithic rubble layer in the Southern Levant. Neo-Lithics 01/09

  • Rollefson G, Kafafi Z (1994) The 1993 season at ʻAin Ghazal. Preliminary report. Annual of the Department of Antiquities of Jordan/Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, vol 38, pp 11–32

  • Rollefson G, Kafafi Z, Simmons A (1991) The Neolithic village of'Ain Ghazal, Jordan: preliminary report on the 1988 season. Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research. Supplementary Studies, pp 95–116

  • Rollefson G, Simmons A, Kafafi Z (1992) Neolithic cultures at ‘Ain Ghazal, Jordan. J Field Archaeol, pp 443–470

  • Simmons A, Rollefson G, Kafafi Z, Mandel R, al-Nahar M, Cooper J, Köhler-Rollefson I, Durand K (2001) Wadi Shuʿeib, a large Neolithic community in central Jordan: final report of test investigations. Bull Am Schools 321:1–39

  • Vandenberghe D. De, Corte F, Buylaert JP, Kučera J (2008) On the internal radioactivity in quartz. Radiat Meas 43(2–6):771–775

  • Weninger B (2009) Yarmoukian rubble slides. Evidence for Early Holocene rapid climate change in Southern Jordan. Neo-Lithics 1(09):33-48

  • Weninger B, Jöris O (2008) A 14C age calibration curve for the last 60 ka: the Greenland-Hulu U/Th timescale and its impact on understanding the Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition in Western Eurasia. J Hum Evol 55(5):772–781

  • Weninger B, Alram-Stern E, Bauer E, Clare L, Danzeglocke U, Jöris O, Kubatzki C, Rollefson G, Todorova H, van Andel T (2006) Climate forcing due to the 8200 cal yr BP event observed at Early Neolithic sites in the eastern Mediterranean. Quat Res 66(3):401–420

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weninger B, Clare L, Rohling E, Bar-Yosef O, Böhner U, Budja M … Zielhofer C (2009) The impact of rapid climate change on prehistoric societies during the Holocene in the Eastern Mediterranean. Doc Praehist 36:7-59

  • Wintle AG, Murray AS (2006) A review of quartz optically stimulated luminescence characteristics and their relevance in single-aliquot regeneration dating protocols. Radiat Meas 41(4):369–391

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao H, Li SH (2005) Internal dose rate to K-feldspar grains from radioactive elements other than potassium. Radiat Meas 40(1):84–93

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zielhofer C, Clare L, Rollefson G, Wächter S, Hoffmeister D, Bareth G ... Weninger B (2012) The decline of the early Neolithic population center of ‘Ain Ghazal and corresponding earth-surface processes, Jordan Rift Valley. Quat Res 78(3):427-44

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Conservation and Management of Cultural Resources, Faculty of Archaeology and Anthropology, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan

    Sahar al Khasawneh

  2. Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan

    Mohammad Alqudah

  3. Nordic Laboratory for Luminescence Dating, Institute for Geoscience, Aarhus University, and DTU Physics, Technical University of Denmark, DTU Risø Campus, Roskilde, Denmark

    Andrew Murray

  4. Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Archaeology and Anthropology, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan

    Ziedan Kafafi

Authors
  1. Sahar al Khasawneh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mohammad Alqudah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Andrew Murray
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ziedan Kafafi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Conception and design of this study by S.K. Sample collection and analysis were performed by S.K and M.Q. The first draft of the was written by S.K and all authors participated, commented and reviewed the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sahar al Khasawneh.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (PDF 239 KB)

Supplementary file3 (DOCX 22.7 KB)

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

al Khasawneh, S., Alqudah, M., Murray, A. et al. Investigating the Neolithic rubble layers of ‘Ain Ghazal, Jordan, using luminescence dating. Archaeol Anthropol Sci 16, 41 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-024-01947-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-024-01947-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation