Two Glass Beads from Wisad Pools in the Jordanian Black Desert

Two glass beads were discovered in an architectural structure (W-80) at a site called Wisad Pools, located in the so-called Black Desert of eastern Jordan. Structure W-80 refers to a tomb built on a collapsed Late Neolithic (6600-5000 B.C.) dwelling. The tomb was approximately five meters in diameter, with walls still standing about 80 centimeters high at the time of the excavation. The skeleton within the burial was poorly preserved and accompanied by a number of small finds, some of which were tentatively dated to the Late Bronze Age IIA period (about 14th century B.C.). These included the two dark blue glass beads discussed in this note, 15 carnelian beads, two melon beads made of Dabba marble, a copper bead, a copper finger ring, a silver (?) earring, and a bronze arrowhead. A detailed study of the small finds, including origin and date, will be published later.