Kites of AlUla County and the Ḥarrat ʿUwayriḍ, Saudi Arabia

R Repper, M Kennedy, J McMahon…�- Arabian Archaeology�…, 2022 - Wiley Online Library
R Repper, M Kennedy, J McMahon, D Boyer, M Dalton, H Thomas, D Kennedy
Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy, 2022Wiley Online Library
A comprehensive remote sensing survey of AlUla County in north‐west Saudi Arabia has
revealed 32 examples of the ancient, stone‐built animal traps known as 'kites'. Noting that
most (27) are located on the Ḥarrat ʿUwayriḍ, a satellite survey of parts of that lavafield
outside of AlUla County was undertaken, identifying a further 175 kites. These show
commonalities with 'V‐shaped'kites previously identified in mountainous areas along the
western extents of the Arabian Shield in the Sinai Peninsula, Negev Desert and south‐west�…
Abstract
A comprehensive remote sensing survey of AlUla County in north‐west Saudi Arabia has revealed 32 examples of the ancient, stone‐built animal traps known as ‘kites’. Noting that most (27) are located on the Ḥarrat ʿUwayriḍ, a satellite survey of parts of that lavafield outside of AlUla County was undertaken, identifying a further 175 kites. These show commonalities with ‘V‐shaped’ kites previously identified in mountainous areas along the western extents of the Arabian Shield in the Sinai Peninsula, Negev Desert and south‐west Saudi Arabia. A study of the form and placement of these kites in their ecological and geological contexts suggests that they are representative of a distinct complex, exhibiting sophisticated morphological adaptations to target specific games over similar terrain.
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