Hunting Traps on the Ustiurt Plateau, Uzbekistan

Desert kites in the Libyan Sahara: new evidence from remotely sensed images

“…Examples at the western edge of the Hamada consist of a pair of converging V-shaped walls, where the natural limit of the escarpment forms an integral part of the trap (Figure 2). These types of desert kites have similarities with the ‘headland kites’ on the Ustyurt Plateau of Kazakhstan (Betts & Yagodin 2000; Barge et al 2016). We also note a frequency of structures with a ‘V’ shape that seem either to have blocked or circumscribed an area to facilitate the movement, control or capture of prey animals.…”

Addressing the Desert Kites Phenomenon and Its Global Range Through a Multi-proxy Approach

“…The criterion most frequently mentioned for the choice of kite construction is the search for food, and less importantly for water as these were guided by daily and seasonal cycles. Many authors posit the view that kites were constructed and oriented at the regional scale in relation to faunal migration routes (Helms and Betts 1987;Perevolotsky and Baharav 1991;Betts 1998;Betts and Yagodin 2000;Deom and Sala 2009;Morandi Bonacossi and Iamoni 2012;Kempe and Al-Malabeh 2013;Brochier et al 2014). While at the local level, their construction is connected to daily itineraries as well as to the availability of pasture zones and water holes (Helms and Betts 1987;Perevolotsky and Baharav 1991;Betts and Yagodin 2000;Holzer et al 2010;Nadel et al 2013).…”

“…Many authors posit the view that kites were constructed and oriented at the regional scale in relation to faunal migration routes (Helms and Betts 1987;Perevolotsky and Baharav 1991;Betts 1998;Betts and Yagodin 2000;Deom and Sala 2009;Morandi Bonacossi and Iamoni 2012;Kempe and Al-Malabeh 2013;Brochier et al 2014). While at the local level, their construction is connected to daily itineraries as well as to the availability of pasture zones and water holes (Helms and Betts 1987;Perevolotsky and Baharav 1991;Betts and Yagodin 2000;Holzer et al 2010;Nadel et al 2013). Topography is the second criterion most commonly suggested (Helms and Betts 1987;Betts and Yagodin 2000;Holzer et al 2010;Morandi Bonacossi and Iamoni 2012;Nadel et al 2013;Quenet and Chambrade 2013;Brochier et al 2014), i.e.…”

“…While at the local level, their construction is connected to daily itineraries as well as to the availability of pasture zones and water holes (Helms and Betts 1987;Perevolotsky and Baharav 1991;Betts and Yagodin 2000;Holzer et al 2010;Nadel et al 2013). Topography is the second criterion most commonly suggested (Helms and Betts 1987;Betts and Yagodin 2000;Holzer et al 2010;Morandi Bonacossi and Iamoni 2012;Nadel et al 2013;Quenet and Chambrade 2013;Brochier et al 2014), i.e. essentially the taking advantage of a change of slope hiding the enclosure until the animals either approach or enter it and therefore either preventing or substantially curtailing any likelihood of flight.…”

“…In addition, a wide range of discovered rock art engravings depict 'kite' trapping scenes with animal and human figures (Jordan: Harding 1953;Betts and Helms 1986;Hershkovitz et al 1987;MacDonald 2005; Syria: Picalause et al 2004 and Uzbekistan: see Betts and Yagodin 2000). It is nevertheless impossible to identify whether the scenes reflect either the hunting of wild games or the management of livestock (Fig.…”