Dominating the river: Khirbet Al-Batrawy, An EB II-IH City in North-Central Jordan

Essay on Khirbet al-Batrawy and on the phenomenon of urbanization in the southern Levant before

Excavations by Rome 'La Sapienza' University at Khirbet al-Batraey brought to light an Early Bronze Age urbam centre in Upper Wadi az-Zarqa (north-central Jorden) with an imposing defensive system, growing from EB II to IIIB (2900-2300BC).As a cantonal survey demonstrated, at the begining of EB II, the Zarq district witnessed a synecistic process which led Batraway to become a strongly forfited city and a caravans center, which controlled the ford through the wadi. as well as the tracks crossing the Syro-Arabian Desrt and leading into the Jordan valley. Its material culture points buildings, such as the Boark-Rom Temole and especially the Palace of the EB IIIB city, found in an ectraordinary preservation state, provide intresting insights into early urbanism of 3rd millenium BC South Syria and Jordan.