Abstract:
This paper discusses the location and function of "desert kites': archaeological hunting constructions located in the south-eastern side of the Sinai Peninsula. It is proposed that the rangeland and forage sources available for seasonal herbivory and the resulting movement of herbivores determine the pattern of spatial distribution of the kites, thus yielding a unique and dense concentration of these hunting devices. Quantitative estimates of vegetation cover, production and biomass, as well as information on Bedouin husbandry were used to calculate potential regional carrying capacity for game and humans. -Authors