Jordan holds a privileged place in the history of humanity, having witnessed some of the most transformative innovations that led to the rise of ancient civilizations. Among these milestones are the advent of agriculture, the domestication of animals, and the construction of the earliest human dwellings—events that occurred around 10,000 years ago.
Since 2014, a team of Spanish archaeologists, coordinated by the Milà i Fontanals Institution of the Spanish National Research Council (IMF-CSIC), has been excavating the Kharaysin site in the Zarqa region. This site is crucial for understanding the transition from nomadic lifestyles based on hunting and gathering to sedentary communities centered on farming and animal husbandry.
During the 2025 excavation campaign, the team explored a previously unstudied area of the vast site, uncovering significant remains of Neolithic houses—some of which are monumental in scale. The campaign also advanced research into funerary practices, including the creation of anthropomorphic figurines believed to represent the deceased. Additionally, new insights were gained into early legume cultivation and culinary traditions, particularly the consumption of lentils and chickpeas.
The lecture will be delivered by archaeologists Dr. Juan José Ibáñez, a researcher at the Milà i Fontanals Institute – CSIC, and Juan Ramón Muñiz from the Pontifical Faculty of San Esteban in Salamanca.