Variability within consistency: Cairns and funerary practices of the Late Neolithic/Early Chalcolithic in the Al-Thulaythuwat area, southern Jordan

Exploration undertaken in Al-Thulaythuwat/Jabal Kabd area, in the framework of the south-eastern Badia Archaeological Project, identified an extensive funerary phenomenon dating back to either, the Late Neolithic, or a transitional Late Neolithic/Early Chalcolithic phase. Excavation of a small but representative sample of burial structures, along with an analysis of the cairns and associated structures, highlighted different levels of variability. However, when viewed as a whole, this necropolis on the south-eastern arid margins of Jordan demonstrates a marked level of consistency. While our interpretations remain tentative, we have tried here to offer working hypotheses for this variability.