Object description

Basta is a pre-historic archaeological site in Ma'an Governorate, Jordan, 36 kilometres southeast of Petra. It is named for the nearby contemporary village of Basta, which hosted a major Ottoman garrison during WWI and the Great Arab Revolt. Like the nearby site of Ba'ja, Basta was built in c. 7000 BC and belongs to the PPNB period. Basta is one of the earliest known places to have a settled population who grew crops and domesticated livestock. The houses in Basta were circular single family homes built from limestone, with wooden floors. Because Basta's settlement predates pottery, all tools found there were made from stone and bone. Tools discovered at the site include millstones and granite arrowheads, the latter of which were noted for the quality of their craftsmanship.