Description : WF16 was discovered in 1996 as a scatter of flint tools and massive stone mortars on the surface of a knoll, just before the steep climb to the Jordanian plateau. This important site shows some of the earliest developments of the Neolithic, including evidence for the first steps away from hunting and gathering towards the production of food, and the development of a communal way of organising society – with shared stores and workshops, and a public space for communal activities. Excavation showed WF16 to be a dense cluster of semi-subterranean oval structures used between 12,000 and 10,200 years ago, with a peak of activity around 11,200 years ago. The structures were lined with pisé, a mud and plant mixture, which was also used for walls that supported timber frames for flat roofs. The structures were of various sizes, containing objects that suggested different uses, including domestic activities, storage, and workshops for making beads. One of the structures was especially large, seeming to have been built for social gatherings and perhaps performances, as people found new ways to live together. In the final phase of occupation, buildings began to be built above ground, reflecting technical and social developments in the Neolithic.
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