Archaeologists uncover 5,500-year-old ritual site in Jordan
Discovery at Murayghat reveals ancient shift toward communal worship and complex funerary practices
AMMAN, Jordan (MNTV) — Archaeologists from the University of Copenhagen have uncovered a vast 5,500-year-old ritual landscape in Murayghat, southern Jordan, revealing how early societies transitioned from agricultural life to elaborate communal and funerary traditions.
The site, located roughly 190 kilometers from Aqaba, features megalithic architecture, stone enclosures, and more than 95 burial tombs known as dolmens. The structures—many lacking roofs or hearths—suggest ceremonial rather than residential use, indicating a significant societal shift toward ritual activity and collective gatherings.
Researchers describe the discovery as evidence of how ancient communities restructured social life during a period of environmental and cultural upheaval following the Chalcolithic era, which lasted from 4500 to 3500 BCE.
This period saw the decline of small domestic shrines and symbolic household rituals, likely due to drought and the collapse of copper trade networks.
“People had to find mechanisms to deal with a situation in which traditional values no longer worked,” the research team wrote in their paper published in Levant. “Thus, new ways to organize life and death had to be found.”
Findings also reveal a transition from personalized ritual objects and small vessels to larger communal pottery, suggesting an emerging culture of shared feasting and ceremony. Standing stones, such as the prominent Hadjar al-Mansub, further emphasize Murayghat’s role as a gathering site for dispersed groups.
Lead archaeologist Susanne Kerner said the project offers “fascinating insights into how early societies coped with disruption by building monuments, redefining social roles, and creating new forms of community.”
The Murayghat discoveries shed new light on how prehistoric peoples in the southern Levant redefined spirituality, community, and identity amid sweeping social change.
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