Preliminary Report on the 2011 Season
by Stephan G. Schmid, Zbigniew T. Fiema and Bernhard Kolb
IV. Chronology
It is, of course, far too early to make any relevant statement about the chronology of the manifold structures identified within the NEPP area. However, a few basic observations can be made at this stage of the project. Although there is a certain variety within the collected pottery, the vast majority of it belongs to the Nabataean period. There are certainly a few later potsherds, but they seem to be a relative small number only and nothing that would indicate an intense use of the site after the 4th century AD. Also within the Nabataean pottery some distinctions can be made. Most of it belongs to the later 1st century BC and to the 1st century AD. A clear exception was the N part of structure 2 and the area to the N of it, where pottery belonging to phase 1 After Schmid 2000. and, therefore, to the late 2nd or early 1st century BC was found in substantial quantities. Although it is too early to draw any further conclusions from this observation, it indicates that a quite early occupation of that part of the survey area is likely.