Tall Zira'a
The Tall Zira'a in Spring 2008
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 Shown within Jordan
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| Location | Irbid Governorate, Jordan |
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| Region | Levant |
| Coordinates | 32°37′15″N 35°39′22″E / 32.62083°N 35.65611°ECoordinates: 32°37′15″N 35°39′22″E / 32.62083°N 35.65611°E |
| Type | Settlement |
| Site notes | |
| Condition | In ruins |
The Tall Zira'a (or: Tell Zera'a) is an archaeological tell in Jordan. Surveys and geophysical investigations showed the site's great potential for excavations.
Tall Zira´a contains evidence of over 5000 years of settlement – almost without cultural gaps, at the point at which the Syrian cultural sphere meets the Palestinian. Its almost continuous stratigraphy from Early Bronze Age to the Islamic periods can possibly demonstrate the history of northeast Jordan.
Tall Zira'a is a large hill some 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) south-west of the ancient Decapolis city of Gadara in northern Jordan. It is situated at the confluence of the Wadi el-'Arab and its tributary, the Wadi az-Zahar. The tall (-17 m NN) rises about 25 metres (82 ft) above the surrounding area. The settlements were built on top of a natural limestone hill, which has a dimension of about 240 metres (790 ft) in diameter at its base. The plateau measures 160 metres (520 ft) in diameter. The cultural layers are between 12 metres (39 ft) and 15 metres (49 ft) thick.
An artesian well is located in the centre of the hill, which used to provide water in abundance, but dried up rapidly in the last years due to excessive pumping by the owners of the surrounding olive tree plantations. The hill is protected by sheer rock faces on its east and north sides. The south flank of the tall offers the best opportunity to overcome the 22–25 m difference in altitude comfortably via a 150 metres (490 ft) long, ascending track from west to east.
One terrace is located on the western, the other on the northern base of the tall. Both areas were protected by deep truncations into the Wadi el-'Arab. They served as lower cities near the wadi. However, the north terrace was recently bulldozed for a new olive orchard, and the archaeological remains have thus been seriously disturbed.
In the Wadi el-'Arab, one can find traces of human activities and settlement places from all periods, dating back to the Paleolithic. Tall Zira'a – the most important site in this area – was used for settlement from the Early Bronze Age up to 1900 CE. It contains evidence of over 5000 years of continuous settlement – almost without large cultural gaps. It means it is possible to observe not only all the different cultural periods in one place, but also the transitions between them.
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Wikipedia