A lot of research has been undertaken to understand the Epipaleolithic period. Especially its last phase, called the Natufian (12 800/12 500 - 10 500 years ago), is believed to be crucial in understanding the transition to food production and permanent village life in the early Neolithic period. The way of life changed and became less mobile when the populations started to collect and intensively utilize different local ecozones . During this period there are also evidence of structures built on the sites. These changes are supposed by many to be connected to the end of the Pleistocene and changes in the global climate. In the Epipalaeolithic period several different tool industries have been distinguished and there have been discussions among scholars if all groups are independent or just regional variations of larger groups.

The best-known site of the earlier Epipalaeolithic period in the Petra area is probably M´damagh rockshelter, located close to Petra and the bedouin village of Umm-Sayhun.

The late Epipalaeolithic Natufian period around Petra has been studied more than any of the previous periods. The best known is possibly the Natufian layers at the famous Neolithic site in Beidha, located about 4,5 km north of Petra. Brian Byrd, who excavated one season at the site in 1983, concluded that the site probably was occupied several times but for shorter periods throughout the Natufian period.

Another site called Sunakh 1, was found at the foot of the al-Barra massif only about 2 km from Petra due southwest. It is a surface scatter, without any in situ sediments , which was systematically collected in 1984 by the German expedition to Petra. The artefacts have been eroded and moved down slope, but the researchers still thinks that the material analysed is quite representative. No structures were found during the survey of the site. Pedersen, who analysed the artefacts, thinks that the site was occupied in longer periods but that it was not a base camp.

Sites from this period have also been found in Wadi Sabra and in Wadi al-Mataha. In recent excavations structures like bedrock mortars and a burial with a human skeleton have been found from the rockshelter in Wadi al-Mataha.

Further reading

 Early History of the Petra Area - The Early Neolithic

 Early History of the Petra Area - Introduction