Hostname: page-component-5c6d5d7d68-pkt8n Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-08-11T10:17:13.308Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Reconstructing the Chronology of the House XVII-XVIII Complex at Umm el-Jimal, East Jordan: Radiocarbon Dates of Organic Inclusions of Architectural Mortars

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 July 2016

Khaled Al-Bashaireh
Khaled Al-Bashaireh*
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, Yarmouk University, Postal Code 211-63, Irbid, Jordan. Email: khaledsm@email.arizona.edu
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This article presents accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dates of organic inclusions of cement materials from the House XVII-XVIII Complex located in the Umm el-Jimal archaeological site, east Jordan, aiming at refining the unclear chronology of the house. Fine straws and small fragments of charcoal uncovered from preserved architectural lime mortars and plasters were dated without carrying out extensive excavations. The results indicate that the house most probably was initially plastered or built during the middle of the Byzantine period. The results agree with the historical and archaeological data indicating that Umm el-Jimal flourished during this period; therefore, it is probable that the house was established during this time to meet the housing demand for the increased number of its population.

Type
Articles
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 56 , Issue 1 , 2014 , pp. 245 - 256
Copyright
Copyright © 2014 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Adam, JP. 1999. Roman Building: Materials and Techniques. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.Google Scholar
Alawneh, F, Bala'awi, F, Haddad, N, Al-Shawabkeh, Y. 2011. Analytical identification and conservation issues of painted plaster from Qaser Amra in Jordan. International Journal of Conservation Science 2(2):235–50.Google Scholar
Al-Aseer, R. 2000. Chemical analysis of the Nabataean water dam mortar at Petra [unpublished Master's thesis]. Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan.Google Scholar
Al-Bashaireh, K. 2008. Chronology and technological production styles of Nabataean and Roman plasters and mortars at Petra (Jordan) [unpublished PhD dissertation]. Department of Anthropology, University of Arizona.Google Scholar
Al-Bashaireh, K. 2013. Plaster and mortar radiocarbon dating of Nabataean and Islamic structures, south Jordan. Archaeometry 55(2):329–54.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Al-Bashaireh, K, Hodgins, GWL. 2011. AMS 14C dating of organic inclusions of plaster and mortar from different structures at Petra–Jordan. Journal of Archaeological Science 38(3):485–91.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Al-Bashaireh, K, Hodgins, GWL. 2012. Lime mortar and plaster: a radiocarbon dating tool for dating nabataean structures in Petra, Jordan. Radiocarbon 54(3–4):905–14.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Al-Qaisiya, MK. 2002. Conservation and restoration of Nabataean temple from the archaeological site of Dharih [unpublished Master's thesis]. Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan.Google Scholar
Al-Saad, Z, Abdel-Halim, MA. 2001. Laboratory evaluation of various types of mortars for the conservation of Qasr al-Bint monument, Petra–Jordan. Engineering Structures 23(8):926–33.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bany Yaseen, IA, Al-Amoush, H, Al-Farajat, M, Mayyas, A. 2013. Petrography and mineralogy of Roman mortars from buildings of the ancient city of Jerash, Jordan. Construction and Building Materials 38:465–71.Google Scholar
Baronio, G, Binda, L, Tedeschi, C. 1999. Microscopy study of Byzantine mortars: observation of reaction layers between lime and brick dust. In: Pietersen, HS, Larbi, JA, Janssen, HA, editors. Proceedings of the 7th Euroseminar on Microscopy Applied to Building Materials. 29 June–2 July 1999. Delft: Delft University of Technology. p 407–16.Google Scholar
Bowman, S. 1990. Radiocarbon Dating. Volume I. Berkeley: University of California Press.Google Scholar
Bronk Ramsey, C, Dee, M, Lee, S, Nakagawa, T, Staff, R. 2010. Developments in the calibration and modelling of radiocarbon dates. Radiocarbon 52(3):953–61.Google Scholar
Brown, RM. 1998a. A large residence (House XVIII). In: de Vries, B, editor. “Umm el-Jimal: A frontier town and its landscape in northern Jordan.” Volume I. Journal of Roman Archaeology, Supplementary Series no. 26. p 195–204.Google Scholar
Brown, RM. 1998b. The Roman Praetorium and its later domestic re-use. In: de Vries, B, editor. “Umm el-Jimal: A frontier town and its landscape in northern Jordan.” Volume I. Journal of Roman Archaeology, Supplementary Series no. 26. p 161–93.Google Scholar
Butler, HC. 1913. Ancient Architecture in Syria, Southern Syria: Umm Idj-Djmâl. Division II. Leiden: Brill.Google Scholar
Callebaut, K, Ottenburgs, R, Van Balen, K. 2003. Petrographical and mineralogical analysis of historical lime mortars in Belgium. In: Degryse, P, Elsen, J, editors. Industrial Minerals: Resources, Characteristics and Applications. Volume XIII. Leuven: Leuven University Press. p 61–5.Google Scholar
Casadio, F, Chiari, G, Simon, S. 2005. Binder/aggregate ratios in archaeological lime mortars. Archaeometry 47(4):671–89.Google Scholar
Davey, N. 1961. A History of Building Materials. London: Phoenix House.Google Scholar
de Vries, B. 1981. The Umm el-Jimal Project, 1972–1977. Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research 244:53–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
de Vries, B. 1982. The Umm el-Jimal Project, 1972–1977. Annual of the Department of Antiquities of Jordan 26:97–116.Google Scholar
de Vries, B. 1985. Urbanization in the basalt region of north Jordan in late antiquity: the case of Umm el-Jimal. Studies in the History and Archaeology of Jordan 2:249–56.Google Scholar
de Vries, B. 1990. Umm el-Jimal: “Gem of the Black Desert”: A Brief Guide to the Antiquities. Amman: Al Kutba Publishers.Google Scholar
de Vries, B. 1993. The Umm el-Jimal Project, 1981–1992. Annual of the Department of Antiquities of Jordan 37:433–60.Google Scholar
de Vries, B. 1994. What's in a name: the anonymity of ancient Umm el-Jimal. Biblical Archaeologist 57(4):215–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
de Vries, B. 1998. Umm el-Jimal: A Frontier Town and its Landscape in Northern Jordan. Volume I. Journal of Roman Archaeology, Supplementary Series no. 26.Google Scholar
de Vries, B. 2010. Umm el-Jimal 2010: archaeologists document ruins and people in January 2010. Annual of the Department of Antiquities of Jordan 54:203–6.Google Scholar
de Vries, B, Hazza, M. 2012. Umm el-Jimal House XVII–XVIII Preservation AFCP Project blog. http://ummeljimal2012.wordpress.com.Google Scholar
de Vries, B, de Vries, S, Koning, L, Oord, S, Roukema, D, Workman, M, Christians, P, DeKock, J, Mulder, C, al-Hunaiti, T, al-Fayez, M, Lücke, B, Hazza, M. 2009. Site presentation in Jordan: concept design and the January documentation season at Umm el-Jimal. Annual of the Department of Antiquities of Jordan 53:364–70.Google Scholar
Dunn, E, Rapp, GR. 2004. Characterization of mortars and pozzolanic materials from Umm al-Jimal. Studies in Conservation 49(3):145–60.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Elert, K, Rodriguez-Navarro, C, Pardo, ES, Hansen, E, Cazalla, O. 2002. Lime mortars for the conservation of historic buildings. Studies in Conservation 47(1):62–75.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Elsen, J. 2006. Microscopy of historic mortars—a review. Cement and Concrete Research 36(8):1416–24.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Folk, RL, Valastro, S Jr. 1976. Successful technique for dating of lime mortar by carbon-14. Journal of Field Archaeology 3(2):203–8.Google Scholar
Franzini, M, Leoni, L, Sartori, F. 2000. The mortar of the “Leaning Tower” of Pisa: the product of a medieval technique for preparing high-strength mortars. European Journal of Mineralogy 12(6):1151–63.Google Scholar
Jull, AJT, Burr, GS, McHargue, LR, Lange, TE, Lifton, NA, Beck, JW, Donahue, DJ. 2004. New frontiers in dating of geological, paleoclimatic and anthropological applications using accelerator mass spectrometric measurements of 14C and 10Be in diverse samples. Global and Planetary Change 41(3–4):309–23.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heinemeier, J, Ringbom, Å, Lindroos, A, Sveinbjörnsdóttir, ÁE. 2010. Successful AMS 14C dating of non-hydraulic lime mortars from the Medieval churches of the Åland Islands. Radiocarbon 52(1):171–204.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lindroos, A, Heinemeier, J, Ringbom, Å, Braskén, M, Sveinbjörnsdóttir, ÁE. 2007. Mortar dating using AMS 14C and sequential dissolution: examples from Medieval, non-hydraulic lime mortars from the Åland Islands, SW Finland. Radiocarbon 49(1):47–67.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Middendorf, B, Knöfel, D. 1998. Characterization of historic mortars from buildings in Germany and the Netherlands. In: Baer, NS, Fitz, S, Livingston, R, editors. Conservation of Historic Brick Structures. London: Donhead Publishing. p 178–96.Google Scholar
Moropoulou, A, Bakolas, A, Bisbikou, K. 2000. Investigation of the technology of historic mortars. Journal of Cultural Heritage 1(1):45–58.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Murakami, T, Hodgins, G, Simon, AW. 2013. Characterization of lime carbonates in plasters from Teotihuacan, Mexico: preliminary results of cathodoluminescence and carbon isotope analyses. Journal of Archaeological Science 40(2):960–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Negev, A. 1977. Nabataeans and the Provincia Arabia. In: Temporini, H, Haase, W, editors. Aufstieg und Niedergang der Römischen Welt. Volume II. Berlin: de Gruyter. p 520–686.Google Scholar
Parker, ST. 2006. The Roman Frontier in Central Jordan: Final Report of the Limes Arabicus Project, 1980–1989. Volume II. Washington, DC: Dumbarton Oaks Studies, 40.Google Scholar
Pesce, G, Quarta, G, Calcagnile, L, D'Elia, M, Cavaciocchi, P, Lastrico, C, Guastella, R. 2011. Radiocarbon dating of lumps from aerial lime mortars and plasters: methodological issues and results from San Nicolo of Capodimonte Church (Camogli, Genoa, Italy). Radiocarbon 51(2):867–72.Google Scholar
Reimer, PJ, Baillie, MGL, Bard, E, Bayliss, A, Beck, JW, Blackwell, PG, Bronk Ramsey, C, Buck, CE, Burr, GS, Edwards, RL, Friedrich, M, Grootes, PM, Guilderson, TP, Hajdas, I, Heaton, TJ, Hogg, AG, Hughen, KA, Kaiser, KF, Kromer, B, McCormac, FG, Manning, SW, Reimer, RW, Richards, DA, Southon, JR, Talamo, S, Turney, CSM, van der Plicht, J, Weyhenmeyer, CE. 2009. IntCal09 and Marine09 radiocarbon age calibration curves, 0–50,000 years cal BP. Radiocarbon 51(4):1111–50.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rezkallah, YA. 2006. Study of mortars and mortar-like materials from Kirbet Edh-Dharih site (Jordan) [unpublished Master's thesis], Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan.Google Scholar
Shaer, M. 1997. The Nabataean mortars in Petra area: investigation of types and applications [unpublished Master's thesis]. Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan.Google Scholar
Shaer, M. 2002. The ancient Nabataean mortars of Petra, Jordan. In: Huertos, E, Galan, E, Zezza, F, editors. Protection and Conservation of the Cultural Heritage of the Mediterranean Cities: Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium on the Conservation of Monuments in the Mediterranean Basin. 5–8 April 2000, Seville. Lisse: Balkema Publishers. p 249–55.Google Scholar
Stefanidou, M, Papayianni, I. 2005. The role of aggregates on the structure and properties of lime mortar. Cement and Concrete Composites 27(9–10):914–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wright, GRH. 2005. Ancient Building Technology. Volume II. Leiden: Brill.Google Scholar