Desert kites (Arabic: مصائد صحراوية) are dry stone wall structures found in Southwest Asia, including the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia, and Arabia. These structures were first seen from the air in the 1920s. More than 6,000 desert kites are known, with sizes ranging from less than 100 meters to several kilometers. They usually have a kite shape, with two walls that slope inward toward an enclosed area. These walls are made of dry stone and are less than one meter high, though there are variations in design.

The age of these structures is not fully understood, but some examples have been dated to the entire Holocene period. Most experts believe the kites were used to trap animals like gazelles, which were driven into the enclosed areas. A smaller group of experts suggests they may have been used to manage livestock instead.

Appearance

Desert kites are stone structures shaped like two walls that come together to form an enclosed area. These structures are made of rows of stones and can be as short as less than 100 meters or as long as several kilometers. They are usually less than one meter tall, even after erosion. Gaps in the stone lines may have been intentionally left by the builders or may have formed naturally because the lines were made of groups of cairns (piles of stones) instead of a solid row.

Although desert kites come in different shapes, they all share common features: two walls ("antennae") that meet at an enclosed area ("head") with attached cells. Different regions have different types of desert kites, and some areas consider the presence of these cells important for a structure to be called a desert kite.

Research from 2022 found that deep pits are often found near the enclosed areas of desert kites. These pits are thought to have been used as traps or killing pits. The enclosed areas of desert kites average about 10,000 square meters, but sizes can vary greatly.

Desert kites are usually found in flat or complex terrain that is elevated, but they are rarely found on slopes, in mountainous areas, or within endorheic basins (areas where water does not flow out). They are often found near the edges of mountains. The area inside a kite is usually more open than the surrounding area, with fewer rocks and plants. The poor visibility from the inside of a kite appears to be a deliberate design feature. For example, the ends and entrances of kites often align with changes in slope. In a given region, kites tend to face a specific direction. They are not found in humid climates or certain very dry areas, and their use may have been affected by changes in climate during the Holocene period.

The large size and visibility of desert kites in dry or semi-dry areas make them easy to spot in aerial images. However, their construction in rough terrain makes them hard to see from the ground. Sometimes, natural features like cliffs are used with artificial walls to form a kite. In volcanic areas, people have removed plants near the lines or used rocks of different colors from the background. In Arabia, groups of stones and lines of stones have been found near desert kites.

Dating

Dating kites is challenging because different methods, such as radiocarbon dating and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), have produced ages that range from the early to the late Holocene. There are occasional mentions of kites in travel records. Kites from the early Holocene are the most complex human-made structures of that time. Some kites have been covered by later structures, destroyed, eroded, or submerged. Others were built over time to create more complex shapes. In some areas, kites are found near other structures, such as cairns, tombs, or square walls.

Occurrence

Kites are known from the Middle East and Central Asia, with examples mainly found in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Egypt, and Libya.

Kites have also been found in Mongolia and South Africa. As of 2018, there were more than 6,000 known kites in Asia and the Middle East. In some parts of Syria, there is one kite every 2 square kilometers (0.77 square miles), sometimes overlapping or forming complex structures. Similar large enclosures, likely used as traps, have been found in Europe, dating back to the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods; in North America, where structures called drive lines were used until the 19th century AD; in South America; and in Japan.

Function

Archaeological studies and descriptions from the 19th and 20th centuries show that desert kites in the Middle East and North Africa were used to trap wild animals. Some people believe the kites were used to manage livestock, but most evidence supports their use for hunting. The debate continues because there is not enough clear evidence, disagreements about how to interpret what little evidence exists, and the loss of traditions involving desert kites. There is little information about what happened to animals after they were caught or which animals were targeted. However, descriptions from cultures suggest that kites were used to hunt animals like gazelles, which travel in groups and form protective groups when threatened.

The use of traps for catching animals is mentioned in the ancient story The Epic of Gilgamesh. Building kites would have required teamwork, showing that people worked together in organized groups, even though trapping animals was a simple hunting method. Drawings on rocks in Israel, Mongolia, and Sinai show people using kites to trap animals. These carvings may not match the time when kites were actually used. Some of these carvings were found directly on the kites themselves.

Studies show that even low walls or long lines, like pipelines, can guide animals. Animals often avoid crossing lines even if they could, which makes desert kites effective. The kites are hard to see, making it easier to trap animals. Pits at the end of enclosed areas and small walls around the pits help hide them from animals until they are too close to escape. The entrances of kites are often placed opposite the direction animals move in large areas or in daily patterns on smaller scales. Using desert kites may have greatly affected wild animal populations.

Research history

The use of kite-like structures to trap animals was first recorded in 1831. These structures, called "desert kites" or "kites," were first seen in aerial photos in the 1920s. At first, people thought they were animal traps, enclosures for animals people raised, or fortresses. The name "kites" was given by a Royal Air Force pilot named Group Captain Lionel Rees, because the shapes looked like toy kites. Since these structures are often found in deserts, they later became known as "desert kites," a term now widely used in academic studies.

In the 2010s, satellite images from tools like Google Earth and Google Maps became available to the public. These images show desert kites clearly, leading to new interest in these archaeological sites and the discovery that they are found in many places. However, without fieldwork, it is hard to fully understand their purpose. Very few kites have been studied or tested to find their age, and most of these studies do not represent the majority of kites.

Drawings of desert kites have been found, some showing simple outlines and others resembling scaled models. Researchers still have many questions about these structures, including their purpose, when they were used, and why this technology spread so widely.