The 2022 survey season at Khirbet al-Mudayna al-ʿAliya, Jordan

Abstract

This report is on the 2022 survey season at Khirbet al-Mudayna al- ‘ Aliya (KMA for short), an early Iron Age site, dating to roughly the end of the 11th/early 10th century BCE . The 2.3 ha site located in south-central Jordan was previously excavated by Bruce Routledge (University of Liverpool) over several seasons between 1994 and 2004. These excavations showed it was an Iron Age village which contained around 60 houses, in which people led seemingly regular lives (Farahani et al. 2016; Lev-Tov et al. 2011; Routledge 2000). There was little suggesting social hierarchy, long-distance trade, or other signs indicating anything other than regular Iron Age village life. That is, however, excluding the site ’ s massive forti fi cation structures. KMA is surrounded by a casemate wall, which follows the contours of the promontory the site is situated on (see Fig. 2). The only area of access to the site, from the west, is guarded by a substantial tower overlooking a dry moat. This juxtaposition of a regular village with massive forti fi cations is an enticing