Ayn Ghazal (archaeological site)

Ayn Ghazal is a prehistoric Neolithic settlement in the Amman region of Jordan notable for early monumental sculpture and complex early village architecture. The site is important for understanding the transition to settled farming and ritual practices in the Levant.

Archaeological investigations at Ayn Ghazal recovered well-preserved remains of houses, communal features and plastered human statues dating to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic and early Neolithic periods. These finds include some of the earliest known large-scale human figures in the region.

The site was occupied in the 8th and 7th millennia BCE during phases that span Pre-Pottery Neolithic communities and later Neolithic settlement. Excavations by international teams in the late 20th century documented the architecture, burials and distinctive painted and plastered objects.

The site is located on the outskirts of Amman in Jordan’s Amman Governorate, within the broader Levantine plateau. It sits inland from the Jordan Valley and is part of the region where early sedentary farming communities emerged.

• Notable finds: Excavations at the site produced plastered human figures and busts dated to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic period, among the earliest large-scale human representations known in the Near East.