Distribution and characterization of desert kites

Scientists have discovered the oldest scale plans of a human-made megastructure. These engravings, estimated to be between 7,000 and 8,000 years old, illustrate nearby desert kites, which were vast structures used to trap animals. This milestone in intelligent behavior demonstrates the ability to depict large spaces on a small, two-dimensional surface, and provides insight into the conception and construction of kites.

In the 1920s, airplanes first discovered the existence of desert kites. These remarkable archaeological structures consist of walls that can stretch up to 5 kilometers, converging into an enclosure with pits designed to trap animals. Only from an aerial view can the entirety of these structures be seen, revealing a unique representation of space not seen before.

Researchers from CNRS, Université Lyon, and their team have discovered two engravings showcasing kites in Jordan and Saudi Arabia. In the Jibal al-Khasabiyeh area of Jordan, eight kites were found, along with a stone carving measuring 80 cm long and 32 cm wide, made using stone tools, dating back to roughly 7,000 years ago. Meanwhile, in Zebel az-Zilliyat, Saudi Arabia, two pairs of kites located 3.5km apart were discovered. The team also excavated a large-scale engraving, measuring 382 cm long and 235 cm wide, which was reportedly pecked instead of carved, potentially with hand picks. This particular depiction is believed to be around 8,000 years old.

The constructors would have required plans like these to understand the whole layout, which is impossible to visualize without an aerial view. Previous evidence of plans for large structures has only been in rough representations, but these designs are exceptionally precise.

For thousands of years, humans have been altering natural environments through construction projects. However, there are very few records or maps that exist from before the time of the literate societies in Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. These ancient plans are the earliest known examples of scaled maps in human history.

The authors add: “The oldest known plans to scale in human history are reported in our study. The engravings, dated to between 8,000 and 9,000 years old, were discovered in Jordan and Saudi Arabia. They depict nearby desert kites that were humanmade mega structures used to trap wild animals. Although human constructions have modified natural spaces for millennia, few plans or maps predate the period of the literate civilizations of Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. The ability to transpose large space onto a small, two dimensional surface represents a milestone in intelligent behavior. Such structures are visible as a whole only from the air, yet this calls for the representation of space in a way not seen at this time.”

You can read the entire journal article here. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0277927

(A) Desert kite plan from Kazakhstan (Ustyurt Plateau). (B) Desert kite plan from Armenia (Mount Aragats). (C) Desert kite plan from Jordan (Harrat al-Shaam). (D) Desert kite plan from Saudi Arabia (Khaybar). (E) Distribution area of desert kites from western Arabia to Uzbekistan. (F) Oblique aerial picture of a desert kite in Jordan (Harrat al-Shaam, photo OB, Globalkites Project). (G) Oblique aerial picture of a desert kite in Saudi Arabia (Khaybar, photo Khaybar Longue Durée Archaeological Project, RCU-AFALULA-CNRS). (H), (I), (J) Desert kite pit-traps during and after excavation (of half the pit) in the Harrat al-Shaam region of Jordan (photos RC, OB, WAA, Globalkites Project).
(A) Orthomosaic view of JKSH F15 site where the kite’s engraving was found on a monolith (in red is the location of the rescue excavation in the looter’s spoil). (B) Photograph of the engraved stone at the time of discovery at the JKSH F15 site (the monolith was found lying down and was set vertically for the photograph). (C) Photogrammetric 3D model of the engraved monolith showing the different faces, including the engraved upper face (top), while the hill-shaded model (bottom) shows the interpretative drawing of the engraved plan on the stone. (D) Drawing of a projected view of the kite representation engraved on the monolith from the JKSH F15 site.
The detailed views emphasize the various techniques used for the kite engraving found at the JKSH F15 site. The detailed photographs on the left are lettered, indicating their position on the engraved monolith, as shown on the right.
(A) General view of Wadi az-Zilliyat, from the northeast, the location of the engraved boulder is shown by the white circle. (B) General view of the collapsed boulders from the southeast, the white circle indicates the position of the engraving. (C) General view of the engraved rock (white circle) location among the collapsed boulders, from the east. (D) The engraved boulder as discovered during rock art survey, view from the north.