Faynan, Jordan

3D Model

Faynan is a small region in southern Jordan’s Wadi Arabah, a dry rift valley running from the Dead Sea to the Red Sea. The region has a rich history, with archaeological remains ranging from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic Period (9500–8600 BCE) to the Middle Islamic Period (1000-1400 CE). Much of the region’s history centers on the exploitation of Faynan’s plentiful copper ores. This activity peaked in the Iron Age from ca. 1200-900 BCE when a complex nomadic society centered at Khirbat en-Nahas and satellite sites Khirbat al-Jariya and Khirbat al-Ghuwayba developed.

Model produced by Matthew D. Howland in Blender with Google Earth Imagery and SRTM elevation data

Further Reading: Levy, T.E., Najjar, M. and Ben-Yosef, E., 2014. New insights into the Iron Age archaeology of Edom, southern Jordan. Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7s92w18w