My last bit of fieldwork for this spring was out in the eastern Badia. I joined the Eastern Badia Archaeological Project (EBAP- https://oi.uchicago.edu/research/projects/eastern-badia) when they returned to their site Wisad Pools to continue excavating two of the late Neolithic structures (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265140965_Neolithic_Settlement_at_Wisad_Pools_Black_Desert_Jordan).
Unlike my recent fieldwork in Sharara where water was freely available from the continuously flowing Wadi Hasa, the eastern Badia has no available drinkable water. We headed out to the desert during a heat wave- it was 41 degrees Celsius on the day we travelled out! Over the first two days the project fills up on water from the nearest town Ruweished, which is a two and a half hour drive through the desert to the campsite. The project starts the season with approximately two gallons of water which they hope will last them the four weeks living and working at Wisad Pools.
I joined the team for the first four days. Unfortunately I was unable to join them for their whole season, but it was great to be there for the beginning. While I was there I was establishing a sampling protocol for samples which will be included in my British Academy project. Previously the EBAP had provided me with samples from their other Neolithic site Maitlands Mesa (https://www.academia.edu/5314926/Eastern_Badia_Archaeological_Project_Maitlands_Mesa_Jordan). While I was there I was also taking samples from their huge grinding stones. The aim is to see if there is any phytoliths or starch preserved to establish what the stones were used for.
The team remains in the field for another few weeks, and I look forward to hearing about their discoveries when they return form the desert!