250:. The basalt allows very little water to soak into the ground. Any rainfall in the mountains results in violent short lived flash floods. The total annual flow down the wadi at Jawa is estimated to be 2,000,000 m per year arriving in a few dramatic winter floods with flows of 80–110 m/s. Research suggests that the community at Jawa could survive on 3% of that total flow: if they could store it in sufficient quantities to last through the four dry summer months. It would have to support their population of 2,000 to 5,000 as well as their large herds of sheep, goats and some cattle. Estimates based on bone counts indicate there may have been as many as 10,000 sheep and goats as well as 800 cattle. There were also 200
68:
505:
223:
295:
61:
282:
45:
490:
302:
198:, who first visited the site in 1966 and directed excavations there between 1972 and 1976. In contrast to earlier assumptions about the site's lack of significance, Helms concluded that "Jawa is the best preserved fourth-millennium town yet discovered anywhere in the world: paradoxically in a place—the Black Desert—where it could hardly exist today and probably hardly when it was built."
470:
dating putting initial construction between 3500-3400 BC. It was designed to divert water into three depressions to the west of the settlement. The feed canal was also used to fill a natural cave. The dam itself was built at an angle across the curve of the wadi. It may not have reached from bank to
478:
and a rudimentary apron on the up-stream face. An attempt to build a larger wall to expand the capacity of the reservoirs beside the town was not completed. The small amount of rainfall, perhaps 150 mm per year, which fell on local micro-catchments, was also harnessed by a long series of
257:
Based on the size and density of houses in the excavated areas, Helms estimated that the maximum population of the town was between 3,000 to 5,000. He also considered it short-lived: occupied for perhaps as little as a single generation before it was violently destroyed.
455:
meant to channel water into a number of reservoirs. The third was an attempt at a reservoir dam, completely blocking the flow of the flood. It appears not to have survived more than one season. The other two probably ceased to function within a generation.
218:
into a series of reservoirs. This work would have had to be completed by the first winter after the group's arrival; otherwise they would not have survived the following summer. It is estimated the work would have taken a minimum workforce of 700.
261:
There is a fortified building located in the center of the ruins of the original town. It is believed to date from 2000 to 1500 BC, and is not associated with any contemporaneous stone structures.
176:, who flew over and photographed the site in 1931, mistaking it for Roman ruins. Before and after Poidebard's discovery, several archaeological expeditions came close to but missed the site.
254:
and 160 dogs. From seed remains it is apparent that some of the water was also used for irrigation agriculture. The inhabitants ate barley, wheat, chickpeas, lentils and grapes.
109:
471:
bank. It is speculated that even if the structure only withstood the flood for a short time, some water would have been diverted to the reservoirs.
246:: a dry river bed which floods irregularly during the winter months. Wadi Rajil has a catchment area of 300 km reaching 35 km north into
184:
195:
479:
primitive canals leading to the reservoirs. This would have been a significant contribution in maintaining water levels between floods.
782:
474:
The largest reservoir had a double wall, 80 metres long and 4–5 metres high, in-filled with sand and ash. Excavators found traces of
338:
870:
717:
Müller-Neuhof, Bernd; Betts, AVG (2015). "Jawa, Northeastern Jordan: the first 14C dates for the early occupation phase".
214:. It extended over 100,000 m and consisted of a walled town and extensive earthworks to divert winter floods from the
206:
The town was built by a group of perhaps 2,000 migrants coming from the North or East. They had some understanding of
641:
544:
17:
294:
778:
180:
visited it in 1947 but apparently failed to notice its significance, describing Jawa as a "small, filthy spring
60:
603:
451:
system that included other smaller dams, channels, and deflectors across the wadi to support the town. Two are
494:
149:, dating from the late 4th millennium BC (Early Bronze Age). It is located in one of the driest areas of the
833:
New developments in dam engineering: proceedings of the 4th
International Conference on Dam Engineering
740:
188:
880:
183:
probably never more than a small police post." Finally, in 1950, an expedition led by epigrapher
885:
875:
191:, who suggested that the remains were not Roman but in fact dated to the Early Bronze Age.
8:
187:
reached the site and documented some of the inscriptions there. Amongst their number was
575:
322:
97:
760:
637:
540:
173:
745:
Proceedings of the
Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage
752:
150:
805:
504:
447:
There are remains of three dams across Wadi Rajil at Jawa, part of an extensive
864:
764:
756:
452:
353:
340:
177:
124:
111:
448:
510:
247:
207:
161:
157:
579:
160:
and the oldest known dam in the world. It was used as a protection from
281:
243:
44:
463:
475:
467:
211:
31:
156:
Remains of dams have been found, the largest of which is a masonry
460:
830:
489:
383:
326:
251:
239:
231:
222:
146:
87:
235:
215:
803:
242:
and is an attempt to harness the major water resources of
167:
831:
Wieland, Martin; Qingwen Ren; John S. Y. Tan (2004).
466:, and the oldest known dam in the world, with recent
145:
is the site of the oldest proto-urban development in
804:
Gujja, Biksham; Diwata Olalia
Hunzike (April 2000).
500:
716:
779:"Key Developments in the History of Gravity Dams"
611:Annual of the Department of Antiquities of Jordan
230:It is located on the southern edge of an area of
862:
30:For the Iron Age village in central Jordan, see
27:Bronze Age archaeological site in eastern Jordan
441:31,000 m (1,100,000 cu ft) est.
604:"Archaeological Excavations in Jordan: 1975"
767:– via Institution of Civil Engineers.
568:Zeitschrift des Deutschen Palästina-Vereins
531:
529:
527:
172:Jawa was first reported by French explorer
835:. Taylor & Francis Group. p. 899.
280:
43:
738:
734:
732:
524:
221:
601:
561:
14:
863:
806:"The Impact of Dams on Life in Rivers"
729:
264:
168:Discovery and history of investigation
771:
680:Helm. p.247. Analysis by G.H. Willcox
671:Helms. p.189. Analysis by Ilse Kohler
562:Steiner, Margreet (1984). "Review of
785:from the original on August 31, 2011
557:
555:
553:
301:
67:
634:Jawa. Lost City of the Black Desert
564:Jawa: Lost City of the Black Desert
537:Jawa. Lost City of the Black Desert
24:
719:Zeitschrift für Orient-Archäologie
25:
897:
550:
269:Dam in Mafraq Governorate, Jordan
503:
488:
300:
293:
194:Harding recommended the site to
66:
59:
848:
839:
824:
797:
710:
701:
692:
683:
674:
151:Black Desert (Harrat al-Shamah)
871:Archaeological sites in Jordan
665:
656:
647:
626:
617:
595:
586:
309:Location of Jawa Dam in Jordan
13:
1:
517:
739:Fahlbusch, H. (2009-02-01).
420:4.5–5 m (15–16 ft)
7:
482:
49:View of Jawa from the south
10:
902:
602:Ibrahim, Moawiyah (1975).
201:
29:
437:
429:
424:
416:
408:
400:
392:
382:
377:
369:
332:
317:
288:
279:
274:
103:
93:
83:
54:
42:
757:10.1680/ehh2009.162.1.13
412:80 m (260 ft)
404:4.5 m (15 ft)
370:Construction began
227:
810:A WWF Research Report
662:Helms. pp.148,165,151
384:Type of dam
354:32.33500°N 37.00333°E
225:
125:32.33500°N 37.00333°E
632:Helms, Svend (1981)
566:by Svend W. Helms".
535:Helms, Svend (1981)
497:at Wikimedia Commons
812:. WWF International
613:(in Arabic): 18–19.
438:Total capacity
350: /
265:Water supply system
153:of Eastern Jordan.
121: /
75:Shown within Jordan
39:
359:32.33500; 37.00333
323:Mafraq Governorate
234:which runs across
228:
130:32.33500; 37.00333
98:Mafraq Governorate
37:
854:Helms. pp.181,182
845:Helms. pp.174,175
493:Media related to
459:The largest is a
445:
444:
417:Width (base)
378:Dam and spillways
210:life, as well as
189:Lankester Harding
174:Antoine Poidebard
140:
139:
18:Jawa Dam (Jordan)
16:(Redirected from
893:
855:
852:
846:
843:
837:
836:
828:
822:
821:
819:
817:
801:
795:
794:
792:
790:
775:
769:
768:
736:
727:
726:
714:
708:
705:
699:
698:Helms. p.201–205
696:
690:
689:Helms. p.130–131
687:
681:
678:
672:
669:
663:
660:
654:
651:
645:
630:
624:
621:
615:
614:
608:
599:
593:
592:Helms, pp. 15-16
590:
584:
583:
559:
548:
533:
513:
508:
507:
492:
388:Gravity, masonry
365:
364:
362:
361:
360:
355:
351:
348:
347:
346:
343:
304:
303:
297:
284:
272:
271:
136:
135:
133:
132:
131:
126:
122:
119:
118:
117:
114:
70:
69:
63:
47:
40:
36:
21:
901:
900:
896:
895:
894:
892:
891:
890:
861:
860:
859:
858:
853:
849:
844:
840:
829:
825:
815:
813:
802:
798:
788:
786:
777:
776:
772:
737:
730:
715:
711:
706:
702:
697:
693:
688:
684:
679:
675:
670:
666:
661:
657:
652:
648:
631:
627:
622:
618:
606:
600:
596:
591:
587:
560:
551:
534:
525:
520:
509:
502:
485:
453:deflection dams
358:
356:
352:
349:
344:
341:
339:
337:
336:
313:
312:
311:
310:
307:
306:
305:
270:
267:
204:
170:
129:
127:
123:
120:
115:
112:
110:
108:
107:
79:
78:
77:
76:
73:
72:
71:
50:
35:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
899:
889:
888:
883:
881:Dams in Jordan
878:
873:
857:
856:
847:
838:
823:
796:
781:. SimScience.
770:
728:
709:
700:
691:
682:
673:
664:
655:
646:
625:
616:
594:
585:
549:
522:
521:
519:
516:
515:
514:
499:
498:
484:
481:
443:
442:
439:
435:
434:
433:Jawa Reservoir
431:
427:
426:
422:
421:
418:
414:
413:
410:
406:
405:
402:
398:
397:
394:
390:
389:
386:
380:
379:
375:
374:
371:
367:
366:
334:
330:
329:
319:
315:
314:
308:
299:
298:
292:
291:
290:
289:
286:
285:
277:
276:
268:
266:
263:
240:eastern Jordan
203:
200:
169:
166:
138:
137:
105:
101:
100:
95:
91:
90:
85:
81:
80:
74:
65:
64:
58:
57:
56:
55:
52:
51:
48:
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
898:
887:
884:
882:
879:
877:
874:
872:
869:
868:
866:
851:
842:
834:
827:
811:
807:
800:
784:
780:
774:
766:
762:
758:
754:
750:
746:
742:
735:
733:
724:
720:
713:
704:
695:
686:
677:
668:
659:
650:
643:
642:0-416-74080-4
639:
635:
629:
620:
612:
605:
598:
589:
581:
577:
573:
569:
565:
558:
556:
554:
546:
545:0-416-74080-4
542:
538:
532:
530:
528:
523:
512:
506:
501:
496:
491:
487:
486:
480:
477:
472:
469:
465:
462:
457:
454:
450:
440:
436:
432:
428:
423:
419:
415:
411:
407:
403:
399:
395:
391:
387:
385:
381:
376:
372:
368:
363:
335:
331:
328:
324:
320:
316:
296:
287:
283:
278:
273:
262:
259:
255:
253:
249:
245:
241:
237:
233:
224:
220:
217:
213:
209:
199:
197:
192:
190:
186:
185:F. V. Winnett
182:
179:
178:Nelson Glueck
175:
165:
163:
159:
154:
152:
148:
144:
134:
106:
102:
99:
96:
92:
89:
86:
82:
62:
53:
46:
41:
33:
19:
886:Masonry dams
876:Gravity dams
850:
841:
832:
826:
814:. Retrieved
809:
799:
789:20 September
787:. Retrieved
773:
751:(1): 13–18.
748:
744:
741:"Early dams"
722:
718:
712:
703:
694:
685:
676:
667:
658:
653:Helms. p.147
649:
633:
628:
619:
610:
597:
588:
571:
567:
563:
536:
495:Jawa, Jordan
473:
458:
449:water supply
446:
260:
256:
229:
205:
193:
181:
171:
162:flash floods
155:
142:
141:
636:. Methuen.
574:: 179–181.
539:. Methuen.
511:Asia portal
464:gravity dam
357: /
333:Coordinates
248:Jebel Druze
226:Jawa (2013)
196:Svend Helms
158:gravity dam
128: /
104:Coordinates
865:Categories
725:: 124–131.
707:Helms. p.6
644:. pp.17-35
623:Helms p.77
518:References
476:revetments
396:Wadi Rajil
345:37°00′12″E
342:32°20′06″N
244:Wadi Rajil
116:37°00′12″E
113:32°20′06″N
765:1757-9430
468:carbon-14
425:Reservoir
212:hydrology
32:Tall Jawa
783:Archived
580:27931230
483:See also
393:Impounds
373:~3500 BC
318:Location
275:Jawa Dam
84:Location
816:20 July
461:masonry
430:Creates
202:History
763:
640:
578:
543:
409:Length
401:Height
327:Jordan
321:Jawa,
252:equids
232:basalt
147:Jordan
94:Region
88:Jordan
607:(PDF)
576:JSTOR
547:. p.4
236:Syria
208:urban
818:2010
791:2018
761:ISSN
638:ISBN
541:ISBN
238:and
216:wadi
143:Jawa
38:Jawa
753:doi
749:162
572:100
867::
808:.
759:.
747:.
743:.
731:^
721:.
609:.
570:.
552:^
526:^
325:,
164:.
820:.
793:.
755::
723:8
582:.
34:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
.jpg)
