Khirbet Abu Hussain Jordan

Deep in the Harra Desert are the peculiar ruins of the ancient settlement of Khirbet Abu Hussain. It's a hill fort on a small peak, and part of a dozen giant stone circles in the area, some of which date back as far as the Neolithic period. Arranged with spokes and other unusual shapes, they can perhaps only be best appreciated from the air, giving rise to the moniker of Jordan's Nasca Lines – though they predate their Peruvian relations by some 6000 years. The stones are reached by passing near the surreal dried mudflat of Qa'a Abu Hussain, which has a dinner-plate surface that creates wild mirages. Be aware that it forms a seasonal lake after spring storms.