Al-Kawayer in Alnamteh Village: An Ethnoarchaeological Study Wael Alhajaj and Mahmoud Na'amneh*

Abstract

This study seeks to investigate the socio-cultural and economic aspects of the grain storage units known commonly as al-Kuwarah (pl. al-kawayer) which was used in Jordanian villages during the period of the last quarter of the 20th century. This storage units were made by women in a variety of shapes and sizes by using clay mixed with hey and very small gravels, and were used primarily for storing different kinds of grain. The study employs an ethnoarchaeological perspective which relies on studying the material remains and non-material traditions of a society to aid archaeologists and anthropologists in reconstructing traditional life ways. In light of this, the main objective of this study is to examine the processes and knowledge involved in making al-kuwarah and to uncover its various socio-cultural and economic aspects in Alnamteh village in southern Jordan.