What's new? - 2006

29 December 2005 - 16 January 2006

An ADIAS team carried out fieldwork at Khor Al Manahil and Kharimat Khor Al Manahil in the Umm az-Zamul region of South-East Abu Dhabi. This is a joint project of the Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey (ADIAS), in collaboration with the Department of Antiquities and Tourism in Al Ain. The work is investigating Late Stone Age Neolithic sites discovered in this area. The team included:

Co-directors: Dr Mark Beech (ADIAS Senior Resident Archaeologist), Dr Heiko Kallweit (ADIAS associate and Freiburg, Germany) and Dr Walid Yasin Al-Tikriti (Department of Antiquities and Tourism, Al Ain).

Team members: Richard Cuttler (ADIAS associate and Birmingham Archaeology, University of Birmingham, UK), Suzan Al Mutawa (ADIAS researcher), Phil Glover (ADIAS associate, Abu Dhabi), Roxana Mclennan (ADIAS associate, Abu Dhabi), Hamed Al-Mutairi (Department of Museums and Antiquities, National Council for Culture, Arts & Letters, Kuwait) and Ahmed Abdullah Elhaj (Department of Antiquities and Tourism, Al Ain).

19-24 January 2006

An ADIAS team carried out fieldwork on Sadiyat island. The island is located just to the east of the capital city of Abu Dhabi. A new tourism development project is being developed there under the control of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA).

The ADIAS team included: Dr Mark Beech (ADIAS Senior Resident Archaeologist), Dr Heiko Kallweit (ADIAS associate and Freiburg, Germany), Richard Cuttler (ADIAS associate and Birmingham Archaeology, University of Birmingham, UK), Phil Glover (ADIAS associate, Abu Dhabi) and Roxana Mclennan (ADIAS associate, Abu Dhabi).

Detailed mapping was undertaken of two main areas of archaeological interest on the island. Archaeological features recorded include hearths, shell middens, pottery scatters and occupation mounds. The majority of the pottery appears to date to the Late Islamic period, although analysis is still underway on the assemblage. A report is currently in preparation on the results of this work.

28 January - 2 February 2006

An ADIAS team carried out fieldwork at Umm al-Ishtan in the western region of Abu Dhabi.

The ADIAS team included: Dr Mark Beech (ADIAS Senior Resident Archaeologist), Dr John Stewart (Department of Biology, University College London, U.K.), Dr Heiko Kallweit (ADIAS associate and Freiburg, Germany) and Roxana Mclennan (ADIAS associate, Abu Dhabi).

Mapping and excavation of a newly discovered fossil site near Umm al-Ishtan, presumed to be Late Miocene in date, was undertaken. A number of important fossil specimens were successfully excavated and transported back to Abu Dhabi. These include almost complete specimens of elephant radius and femur, as well as a large pelvis fragment. In addition, a new fossil elephant trackway site was "discovered" close to Bida al-Mutawa.

7 February 2006

ADCHA board holds its first meeting (Source: WAM - Emirates News Agency)

Khalifa names ADCHA's board (Source: WAM - Emirates News Agency)

8 February 2006

ADCHA board of directors named (Source: Khaleej Times)

Khalifa names Abu Dhabi Culture and Heritage Authority board (Source: UAEinteract.com)

3 March 2006

Excavations come up with Stone Age tools [ also download a jpeg version of the story ] (Source: Khaleej Times)

5 March 2006

Excavations come up with Stone Age tools (Source: Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi)

6 March 2006

Added the following new publications:

Beech, M. 2006. Book review of "Reef Fishes: UAE and Gulf of Oman" by Richard Field. Dubai: Motivate publishing, in Tribulus (Journal of the Emirates Natural History Group) 15.2: 30-31.

Beech, M. 2006. Book review of "The Early Dilmun Settlement at Saar", edited by Robert Killick and Jane Moon, London-Bahrain Archaeological Expedition Saar Excavation Report 3. xii+367 pages, 536 colour illustrations, tables. 2005. Ludlow: Archaeology International; 0-9539561-1-3 hardback" in Antiquity 80 (No.307, March 2006): 227-228.
[ click here to visit the Antiquity website and to read the article ] .

Beech, M. and E. Glover. 2005. The environment and economy of an Ubaid-related settlement on Dalma island, United Arab Emirates. Paléorient 31/1: 97-107.
[ to read abstract click here ].

Beech, M. and M. Al-Husaini. 2005. Preliminary report on the vertebrate fauna from site H3, Sabiyah: an Arabian Neolithic / 'Ubaid site in Kuwait. In: H. Buitenhuis, A.M. Choyke, L. Martin, L. Bartosiewicz and M. Mashkour (eds.), Archaeozoology of the Near East VI: Proceedings of the sixth international symposium on the archaeozoology of southwestern Asia and adjacent areas. ARC Publicaties 123. Groningen, Netherlands. pp.124-138.
[ to download this article in Acrobat .pdf format click here (3.12 MB) ] .

8-16 March 2006

I was invited by Shehab Shehab, Director of the National Museum in Kuwait, to participate in the joint Kuwaiti-Slovak Archaeological Team working on Failaka Island. The team is currently excavating an important Bronze Age Dilmun period settlement at Al-Khidr, located on the north-west coast of the island.

During this visit I carried out collaborative work on the animal bone assemblage from Al Khidr, together with Zora Miklokova from the Institute of Archaeology, Slovak Academy of Sciences. Discussions were also held with Dr Mohsen Al-Husaini from the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) concerning the progress of our joint marine catfish otolith research project.

28 March 2006

Diplomats' Spouses visits Al Ain (Source: WAM - Emirates News Agency)

Elephant fossils found in Western Abu Dhabi (Source: Al Arab Online)

Elephant fossils found in Western Abu Dhabi (Source: WAM - Emirates News Agency)

Fossils of elephants that lived 8 million years ago found in Western Abu Dhabi (Source: WAM - Emirates News Agency)

29 March 2006

Elephant fossil find (Source: 7 Days)

Fossils of ancient elephants found (Source: Khaleej Times)

Fossils of elephants that lived 8 million years ago found in Western Abu Dhabi (Source: UAEinteract.com)

UAE-Archaeology: Elephant fossils found in Western Abu Dhabi (Source: TMCnet)

When elephants roamed free [jpeg version] (Source: Emirates Today)

30 March 2006

8-million-year old elephant fossils found in Abu Dhabi (Source: Zee News - India)

Elephantine discovery throws light on ancient world [also download jpeg version] (Source: Gulf News)

29-30 March 2006

I attended the Fourth Annual Symposium on Recent Archaeological Discoveries in the Emirates, held at Le Mercure Hotel on Jebel Hafit in Al Ain.

Click here to see details of the programme and to read abstracts of the papers presented.

I co-authored/co-presented three papers at the Symposium:

"Umm al-Ishtan and Bida al-Mutawa: new Late Miocene fossil sites in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi Emirate" by Dr. Mark Beech (ADIAS/ADACH), Dr. John Stewart, (University College, London) and Dr. Heiko Kallweit (ADIAS/ADACH).

"Investigating the Desert Neolithic: a report on the 3rd season of archaeological survey and excavations at Umm az-Zamul, Abu Dhabi Emirate" by Dr. Heiko Kallweit (ADIAS/ADACH), Richard Cuttler (Birmingham University), Dr. Mark Beech (ADIAS/ADACH) and Dr. Walid Yasin al-Tikriti (Department of Antiquities and Tourism, Al Ain / ADACH).

"Archaeological survey and excavations on Sadiyat island, Abu Dhabi Emirate: 2005 and 2006 seasons" by Dr. Heiko Kallweit, (ADIAS/ADACH), Richard Cuttler (Birmngham University) and Dr. Mark Beech (ADIAS/ADACH)

4 April 2006

Elephant Fossils Found in Western Abu Dhabi (Source: Cultural Heritage News Agency - Iran)

9 April 2006

Abu Dhabi culture and heritage panel launches excavation drive in Al Ain (Source: Khaleej Times)

15 April 2006

Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage unveils plan to conduct archaeological and palaeontological surveys (Source: WAM - Emirates News Agency)

Archaeological survey planned (Source: Gulf News)


in arabic [download also pdf version] (Source: Al Ittihad)

24 April 2006

Marine experts to discuss dugong conservation (Source: Gulf News)

Marine experts to discuss dugong conservation (Source: UAEinteract.com)

29 April 2006

Added new stories to the ADIAS press page:


in arabic [download also pdf version] (Source: Al Ittihad)

Elephant fossil bones found in excavation site in UAE (Source: Kuwait News Agency, KUNA)

Ancient elephant fossils found (Source: Gulf News)

7-9 May 2006

I participated in the International Symposium "Archaeology of the Arabian Peninsula Through the Ages", held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. To download further details about the symposium click here (pdf - 994Kb).

I presented the following paper at the symposium:

RETHINKING THE NEOLITHIC OF SOUTH-EASTERN ARABIA: NEW RESULTS FROM EXCAVATIONS ON MARAWAH ISLAND AND UMM AZ-ZAMUL, ABU DHABI EMIRATE, UAE

ABSTRACT:This paper will discuss two ongoing projects of the Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey (ADIAS) which shed new light on the Neolithic period in south-eastern Arabia. Firstly, recent excavations on Marawah Island located some 100km west of the city of Abu Dhabi have revealed traces of a very important early neolithic settlement dating back to the mid 6th millennium BC. The site, known as MR11, consists of a series of large impressive stone buildings. Interesting finds include imported Ubaid pottery from Mesopotamia, locally made plaster vessels and pearl oyster buttons. Secondly, recent survey work and excavations in the Umm az-Zamul region located in the south-east of Abu Dhabi emirate, not far from the borders of the Sultanate of Oman and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, have uncovered new evidence for neolithic settlement within the Rub Al-Khali. The results of recent survey and excavation work will be presented. These and other findings will be discussed in comparison with material found at early prehistoric sites located in the Sultanate of Oman. The new evidence provides an intriguing insight into life in south-east Arabia at this time.

8 May 2006

Qatabi opens symposium on Arab peninsula (Source: Times of Oman)

9 May 2006

Sayyid Haitham hosts dinner for participants of seminar on Arab peninsula (Source: Times of Oman)

Seminar reflects Oman keenness to preserve its cultural resources (Source: Khaleej Times)

10 May 2006

Seminar participants thank HM (Source: Times of Oman)

Seminar ends with focus on Oman’s rich history (Source: Oman Observer)

13 May 2006

ADACH unveils plan for collection of cultural heritage of Abu Dhabi (Source: Dubai Cityguide.com)

15 May 2006

ADCHA reviews priority plan (Source: WAM - Emirates News Agency)

Emirates' experience used to manage Sudan heritage sites (Source: Khaleej Times)
[ download also a jpeg version of the article by clicking here ]

21 May 2006

TDIC backs Saadiyat Island archaeological studies (Source: AME Info)

TDIC backs Saadiyat Island archaeological studies (Source: Strategiy.com)

22 May 2006

New article published::

Beech, M., H. Kallweit, R. Cuttler and W.Y. Al-Tikriti. 2006. Neolithic sites in Umm az-Zamul. Bulletin of the Society for Arabian Studies 11: 17-26.
[ to download this article in Acrobat .pdf format click here (1.67 MB) ] .

28 May 2006

Strategies to save dugong population (Source: Gulf News)

29-31 May 2006

Dr Mark Beech participated in the Symposium on the "Status and Conservation of Dugongs of the Arabian Gulf, Red Sea and Western Indian Ocean", organised by the Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi, and sponsored by Total. The event was held at the Beach Rotana Hotel in Abu Dhabi. He presented a paper entitled: "An archaeological perspective on the exploitation of dugongs in the Arabian Gulf".

ABSTRACT:
Although the dugong is today a protected species they have been exploited by humans as long as 7500 years ago in the Arabian Gulf. This paper discusses the archaeological evidence for their exploitation. It highlights the sites and locations where dugong remains have been discovered and provides a historical synthesis of the relationship between human populations and dugongs in the region.

29 May 2006

Experts to discuss 'save dugong' plan (Source: Khaleej Times)

30 May 2006

Experts to shape a strategy for conservation of dugongs (Source: Khaleej Times)

Specialist stresses need to protect sea cow population (Source: Gulf News)

1 June 2006

From the 1st June 2006 I joined the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) as Head of Division - Cultural Landscapes.

The Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey (ADIAS) website will continue to be maintained as an archive of the work carried out by ADIAS between 1992-2006. It will occasionally be updated in the future as further ADIAS publications are released.

2 June 2006

Govt's moves help dugongs survive, breed (Source: Khaleej Times)

Saving the endangered sirens of the sea (Source: Emirates Today)

27-29 July 2006

Participated in the Seminar for Arabian Studies held at the British Museum in London. I co-authored a paper entitled:

NEOLITHIC TOMBS, BURNT MOUNDS AND FLINTS IN THE DESERT: RECENT WORK IN THE UMM AZ-ZAMUL REGION OF ABU DHABI EMIRATE, UAE

by Richard Cuttler (University of Birmingham, U.K), Mark Beech (ADACH, UAE), Heiko Kallweit (Freiburg, Germany), Anja Zander (ASA Laboratory for Archaeometry, Germany) & Walid Yasin AL-TIKRITI (ADACH, U.A.E.).

ABSTRACT
The recent investigation of two sites located in the Umm az-Zamul region in the south eastern desert of Abu Dhabi emirate, UAE, provides important new information concerning the Neolithic period in south-eastern Arabia.
The fieldwork was again carried out in a joint project by the Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey (ADIAS) and the Department of Antiquities and Tourism in Abu Dhabi's Eastern Region, both now part of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage.
The controlled pick-up of lithics and mapping was completed for the Khor al-Manahil area. New features identified included a series of enigmatic burnt mounds. An initial phase of analysis on the composition of the lithic assemblage has now been completed. Projectile points, other tools, cores and production waste (debitage) will be discussed.
Work also continued on the series of sites previously identified in the Kharimat Khor al-Manahil area. Excavations on the 'building structure' at site KHM0046 revealed a subterranean construction with a stone cist at the bottom. A detailed record of the spread of the collapsed stone slabs around the preserved super-structure displays an almost squared space. This is altogether an unusual result, representing a unique type of construction so far not recorded in the UAE. Two shell beads, found on the surface close to the structure resemble types well known from the Neolithic cemetery of Jebel al-Buhais 18, located in Sharjah emirate in the UAE.

21 September 2006

Empty Quarter but still full of history (click on pages 18 and 19)
Source: Emirates Today

New archaeological studies show that uninhabitable parts of Arabia were once home to tribespeople, writes James Reinl

Weekend dune bashers would not expect to splash their four-wheel drive vehicles through great expanses of water while chugging through the barren deserts of Abu Dhabi’s interior. But the latest archaeological surveys from the Empty Quarter sand dunes are uncovering an alternative history of the emirate, exposing ancient civilisations amid apparently inhospitable terrain.

While the new discoveries are opening a window into Arabia’s past, they also serve as a potent reminder of the influence climate change can have upon humanity, according to the UAE’s relic hunters.

“It’s one of the most exciting things about archaeological work; searching in the desert for a lost civilisation,” says Dr Mark Beech, head of the cultural landscapes division for the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage.

“It’s the stuff of myth and legend. And, although it looks inhospitable and as though there is not going to be much there, this shows that there are still important sites waiting to be discovered.” The new sites were found in the Umm Az Zamul region, a barren stretch deep inside Abu Dhabi that borders Saudi Arabia and Oman, where few people – other than camel herders, oil exploiters and archaeologists – dare to tread.

An environmental research team spotted scatterings of stone flints in October 2003 and reported the discovery to Abu Dhabi’s archaeology chiefs. Subsequent investigations by Dr Beech and other survey team members revealed that the site, known as Khor Al Manahil, was steeped in history.

“We’ve already found more than 3,000 tools, but there are clearly a lot more,” says Richard Cuttler, a senior project manager for Birmingham Archaeology, at the University of Birmingham, in England, who assisted the survey. “We collected many in the first season, and went back to the same place the next year, and there were still so many more to collect. You think you have picked up all of them, and then you go back and the wind has moved the sand around, and there are just as many on the ground again.”

STONE AGE ARSENAL
The haul includes flint arrowheads and other sharp-pointed weapons, together with the tools needed to manufacture a Stone Age arsenal, says Cuttler. Team members believe they have unique finds among their collection, with a crescent-shaped flint suitable for smoothing the shafts of wooden arrows being dubbed “the wing scraper”.

“Just because we found lots of arrowheads doesn’t mean that the people who used them were necessarily war-like,” says Dr Beech.“Of course, they will have done some hunting, but hunting was just part of what they did. They had domesticated animals as well, such as sheep, goats and cattle.

“The weapons we have found could have been for personal defence, but they also could have a more symbolic meaning.

“Somebody walking around with a flash set of arrows could have been showing them off as a status symbol.” The site has now been formally dated to a time period between 6,000 and 9,000 years ago, during South Arabia’s Neolithic period when the region’s nomadic inhabitants grazed animals.

A nearby site called Kharimat Khor Al Manahil yielded “more unusual” finds, according to Dr Beech, with three collapsed stone structures peeking out above the surface of a limestone plain encircled by tall sand dunes.

The circular limestone structures were initially believed to be dwellings, but excavations revealed their square interiors were likely to have formed the burial chambers of ancient tribespeople, says Cuttler, who presented the findings to the British Museum, London, in July.

While the graves had been robbed of their contents by tomb raiders of intervening years, Dr Beech says the three elaborate graves could indicate their Stone Age builders were part of a wider Arabian community.

SOPHISTICATED CIVILISATION
“As far as we know, this site is unique within the UAE, although there are a number in Saudi Arabia that are similar to this,” he says. “The sites in Saudi are in a similar environment that make me suspect it was part of a wider cultural tradition. The problem is, we have very little to go on. Very few of the other sites have been properly excavated and dating them has proven difficult.”

The large number of weapons, the burial chambers, the charred remains of ancient hearths and limestone mortars found across the two sites, indicates a civilisation of some sophistication, says Dr Beech, speculating about Abu Dhabi’s ancient interior.
“There was vegetation and pasture for animals.The stone mortars indicate the occupants were grinding food and processing raw plants. We know from the graves that they buried their dead and took part in a ceremonial ritual.

“We don’t know if the people were inhabiting the site or whether they visited seasonally, but we suspect it was sea sonal.We also found two beads made from marine shells, which means the people there had some connection with the coast. Some have speculated that the people here spent some of the years living off mostly marine sources, and then came inland at other times to take advantage of what the land had to offer.” The evidence points to a time when the region’s climate was very different to the current, searing weather experienced in Abu Dhabi’s interior, says Dr Beech.Animal grazing, cooking and other trappings of tribal life would have been unlikely without adequate rainfall and vegetation.

The latest research from climatologists has revealed that the monsoon rains that make Oman’s Dhofar mountain range so verdant used to blow across greater swathes of the Arabian peninsula.

“Now, it is an inhospitable desert, but during the period of between 6,000 and 9,000 years ago there were lakes, water and vegetation – places for people to take their ani mals,” says Dr Beech. “This is something that astonishes modern Emiratis, because they consider the area to be the back of beyond. But what is interesting is that there are references to this in the Quran. The Holy Book says that once there were rivers flowing in the deserts of Arabia.”

CHANGING CLIMES
While allowing archaeologists a peek into Arabia’s history, the finds at the two sites demonstrate how a currently barren desert once provided life’s basic necessities to members of Arabia’s Stone Age civilisation, says Cuttler.

“It shows how the climate moves people about, how changes in weather patterns move people to different areas,” he says. “In Arabia, this environmental change has been a driving force.” According to Dr Beech, the importance of environmental fluctuations remain as important today, with climate change likely to affect modern Gulf dwellers as much as it did to our ancient ancestors.

21 September 2006

Empty Quarter but still full of history (Source: UAEinteract.com)

30 September 2006

Abu Dhabi's archaeological past comes alive in EEG's lecture
Source: Khaleej Times
By a staff reporter

DUBAI — The Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) recently organised the seventh community lecture at the Le Meridien Hotel.

Titled “Ancient Landscapes and Environment of Abu Dhabi — An Archaeological Perspective,” the lecture was part of a very effective outreach programme that has been put together since the early 1990s.

A prominent speaker at the lecture was Dr Mark Beech who dwelt on the Emirates' archaeological past.

Through his presentation he demonstrated the links between human evolution and the environment as can be traced in archaeological evidence found in and around the Abu Dhabi Island.

Dr Beech's talk also highlighted the environmental changes that have taken place over time in the area, and how people living within these changes have adapted themselves to differences in climate and topography.

He led the audience through a journey across ages, climes and socio-cultural environments. His presentation provided an insight into how this region evolved.

The EEG will hold a number of events in November. There will be workshops on Ecological Footprint for schools and colleges, an inter-collegiate public speaking competition, a workshop on Corporate Social Responsibility principles and practice in media, the clean up the world campaign and a community lecture.

31 October - 1 November 2006

I participated in the International Symposium in Honor of Hans-Peter Uerpmann’s 65th birthday, entitled "Archaeology and Human Ecology in Southwestern Asia”, which took place in Tuebingen, Germany.

The symposium took place in the historic ambience of Schloss Hohentübingen on Tuesday, 31st of October and Wednesday, 1st November 2006. There was a reception at the Museum of Schloss Hohentübingen on the Tuesday night. I presented a paper on behalf of our research team:

Mark Beech, Heiko Kallweit, Richard Cuttler, Anja Zander & Walid Yasin al Tikriti (Abu Dhabi): New Insights into the Desert Neolithic of South-East Arabia: Recent Work at Kharimat Khor al Manahil and Khor al Manahil, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.

ABSTRACT:
Recent fieldwork by the Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey in cooperation with Al Ain Department of Antiquities and Tourism has revealed new Neolithic sites in the southeastern desert of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. The sites comprise extensive lithic scatters spreading more than 3 kilometres alongside the southeastern slopes of large barchan dunes. Detailed recording of single artefacts, controlled total collection from defined contexts, as well as systematic excavation have been undertaken. The lithic scatters are characteristic of the socalled “Desert Neolithic” or “Rub Al-Khali Neolithic” and form part of the complex known as the so-called Arabian Bifacial Tradition (ABT). A number of building structures have been found in association with surface lithic scatters. This is the first time that such structures have been identified deep within the deserts of the United Arab Emirates. The application of Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating helps to provide a chronological framework for these sites. A discussion of the regional significance of these new discoveries considers the interrelationship between mobile pastoral nomads and coastal fishing communities during the Neolithic period in southeastern Arabia.

11 November 2006

Fujairah gets set for GCC archaeological exhibition (Source: Gulf News)

14 November 2006

UAE joins WHC (Source: UAEinteract.com)

26 November 2006

Capital’s nature delight to open (Source: UAEinteract.com)

22 December 2006

Archaeology exhibition attracts visitors from home and abroad (Source: Gulf News)

24 December 2006

Archaeology exhibition attracts visitors from home and abroad (Source: UAEinteract.com)

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