Khirbat al-Mudayna
P.M. Michèle Daviau

Khirbat al-Mudayna is located on the south bank of the Wadi ath-Thamad and preserves evidence of two periods of settlement, Iron Age II and Nabataean, with scattered Ottoman-period burials and a small Medieval cemetery to the south of the site. Excavations began in 1996 and concluded in 2012 under the auspices of Wilfrid Laurier University. Initial field work focused on the casemate wall system and six-chambered gate at the north end of the mound.

Subsequent work inside the town uncovered a series of pillared buildings containing textile tools and remnants of fabric and yarn. On the west side of a central street was a storehouse and a series of domestic structures. At the south end a large domestic complex contained high-status cosmetic equipment and imported ceramics. The latest structure to be built was a small

temple that yielded 3 stone altars, one inscribed with a label identifying it as an incense altar.North of the mound excavations uncovered a Nabatean farming settlement dating to the 1 st c.BC ‒1 st c. AD, with evidence for extensive water management features, including a reservoir,channels, and field walls to control runoff water into the surrounding fields. To the north was alarge two-story villa with arched rooms and Thamudic graffiti incised on the wall stones.

Website