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The Khatt Shebib is an ancient wall in Southern Jordan and is one of the greatest mysteries facing archaeologists today. The remains of the wall are 150km long, making it the longest linear archaeological site in Jordan. The archaeological ruins were first identified by British diplomat Sir Alec Kirkbride in 1948 and since a range of disciplines, including archaeologists and anthropologists, have studied the wall. The date of the Khatt Shebib's construction has been debated with some placing it in the Iron Age. However, the other side of the debate argues it was built in the Nabataean and Umayyad periods. The Khatt Shebib was used by the Bedouin people and primarily served as a border to separate and enclose land.



Geography
The Khatt Shebib is located in southern Jordan. Spanning a large geographical area, the wall is 150km long with extending sidewalls at various locations. The wall has been documented to begin in the north close to Wadi al-Hasa and continues southeast to Ma'an.

Etymology
The Khatt Shebib was named after its builder Arab prince Amir Shebib, who was the ruler of Transjordan before Islam. The wall was by the Bedouin people in name of the prince as he attempted to settle the characteristically nomadic population.

The name stems from the Arabic language and the term 'Khatt' directly translates to 'line' in English. Thus, in the first modern day documentation of the Khatt Shebib, Sir Alec Kirkbridge referred to the structure simply as Shebib's wall.

Today the wall is also less commonly referred to as the Khatt Shabib.

Construction
Extensive scientific research and archaeological discoveries have attempted to date the construction of the Khatt Shebib.

One scientific study examined rocks found at various locations along the wall and used luminescence dating of the rock's surfaces to create a chronology of wall's construction. The results determined that the rocks studied had been buried in approximately 400-100BCE, which rooted the building of a part of the Khatt Shebib firmly in the Iron Age, also referred to as the Persian period, between 539BCE to 332BCE. This scientific research has provided the first reliable dates of construction and highlights the positives of using nontraditional dating methods.

Alongside this scientific research, archaeologists have discovered ceramic artefacts, such as pottery shards, at sites along or close by the Khatt Shebib. The number of these findings isn't large enough to reliably indicate a period of construction or use of the wall; however, this archaeological evidence is believed by archaeologists to be dated from the Iron Age or the Nabatean period.

Although there is scientific and archaeological evidence that dates the building of the Khatt Shebib in the Iron Age, the timeframe of wall's construction is still unknown. It is most likely that the Khatt Shebib was not built in a short period; rather construction took place over a prolonged period of time as sections were added and joined together.



Purpose
Historically the Bedouin people used the Khatt Shebib, and its purpose is still a mystery. There is no concrete evidence to determine this purpose, however, archaeologists have created various hypotheses from the wall's structure and layout.

Archaeologists during the 1940s and 1950s, when Sir Alec Kirkbridge first identified the wall, argue that the Khatt Shebib was used for military and defence purposes. However, as more is discovered about the building and structure of the Khatt Shebib, many contemporary archaeologists dismiss this theory, suggesting that the wall as too low to be a successful defense mechanism. Instead it is believed that the Khatt Shebib served as a border, indicating separate areas and divisions of land.

The Khatt Shebib is also one of the earliest records of the building of a border wall and has influenced modern border structures today.

Structure
The Khatt Shebib is predominately constructed from rocks and other natural materials, however, due to the significant length of the wall, these materials slightly differ along the span of the wall as the availability of resources varied in each location. Although the Khatt Shebib today is in ruins, archaeologists have suggested that the original wall was approximately a meter to a meter and a half high.

Key Features
The Khatt Shebib consists of multiple parallel and perpendicular walls that diverge from the original 150km wall approximately 100 towers scattered along its length. Since these towers are now ruins, archaeologists have only been able to hypothesize the ways in which they may have been used. It has been concluded that these structures could have been watchtowers, shelters for protection from desert sandstorms or storage means for food. Many archaeologists agree that the towers would never have been used for military purposes since they are relatively small, measuring about two to four meters in diameter.

Aerial Archaeology
Aerial archaeology is the predominant form of research being undertaken in order to discover more about the Khatt Shebib. These archaeological projects are led by multiple organisations, including the 'Aerial Archaeology in Jordan Project' and the 'Aerial Photographic Archive for Archaeology in the Middle East'. These projects have produced substantial documentation on the Khatt Shebib, contributing to the understanding of the wall’s geographical landscape, structure and features.

Significant Archaeologists
Multiple archaeologists have conducted research and studied the Khatt Shebib, contributing to the understanding of the wall today.

David Kennedy
David is a British Australian archaeologist and historian. He is the founder and director of the 'Aerial Photographic Archive for Archaeology in the Middle East' and a researcher for the 'Aerial Archaeology in Jordan Project'. David also co-wrote the notable article, “The Khatt Shebib in Jordan: from the Air and Space”, which has greatly contributed to what is known about the wall today.

Rebecca Banks
Rebecca is an Australian archaeologist. She is a research assistant for the 'Aerial Photographic Archive for Archaeology in the Middle East' and co-wrote the article “The Khatt Shebib in Jordan: from the Air and Space” alongside David Kennedy.

Robert Bewley
Robert is a British archaeologist. He is the co-founder and director of the 'Endangered Archaeology in the Middle East & North Africa' (EAMENA) project, which is a project that diverged from the 'Aerial Photographic Archive for Archaeology in the Middle East' organisation. Robert's numerous publications have contributed to mapping the Khatt Shebib and conducting aerial imagery and research to greater understand the wall's history.

Threats
Similar to many archaeological sites in the Middle East, the Khatt Shebib faces multiple threats to the archaeology site's sustainability. These threats include re-purposing the site for agricultural means and the destruction of the ancient ruins from conflict, mining or construction as populations grow and cities expand. Natural erosion and looting are also major threats to the structural integrity of the wall, which is already evident along various parts of the wall where only a few original rocks remain.