Papers by Christian Velde
AAE 31,2: 501-523, 2020
The intention of this paper is to outline the stratigraphic and chronological sequence of Julfar ... more The intention of this paper is to outline the stratigraphic and chronological sequence of Julfar al-Nudud (Ras al-Khaimah, UAE, henceforth referred to as Al-Nudud), and to compare it to the archaeological record revealed by former excavations at the neighbouring site of Julfar al-Mataf (henceforth Al-Mataf). Both are part of the same very major medieval coastal town, historically known as Julfar. The dating of the various excavated elements of Al-Mataf will then be reconsidered, and a concordance established with the phases at Al-Nudud, allowing us to examine the developmental trajectory of the city. This will then briefly be set within its historical context. Only passing reference will be made to the architecture and the major classes of finds, with the exception of the Far Eastern ceramics, which contain valuable dating evidence. The full architectural and artefactual record will be presented in the final monograph, currently in preparation, which includes specialist studies of the local ceramics, the glassware, the coins, and fish and faunal remains. The excavations at Al-Nudud took place in February-April 2010, funded by the Government of Ras al-Khaimah, and conducted by a team from Oxford Brookes Archaeology
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Department of Antiquities and Museums, Government of Ras al-Khaimah, 2014
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Department of Antiquities and Museums, Government of Ras al-Khaimah, 2012
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Proceedings of the seminar for arabian studies, 2011
The medieval port town of Julfār is associated with the archaeological sites of Kush, al-MaΓāf, a... more The medieval port town of Julfār is associated with the archaeological sites of Kush, al-MaΓāf, and al-Nudūd. Although these sites have been excavated separately, they most likely functioned as successive administrative centres serving the port, as the town and the landscape in which it was situated evolved through time. We know that a significant lagoon once existed in this area which was navigable, probably via a series of deeper channels. It is possible that these waterways extended as far inland as the site of Kush, some 3 km from the present-day coast. Changes in the coastal geomorphology, driven primarily by fluctuations in relative sea level (RSL) and sediment supply, caused the lagoon to gradually silt up, and it is speculated that this was the mechanism which triggered the migration of the administrative hub of Julfār from Kush out to the coast. In order to test these ideas, geoarchaeological work was carried out to ascertain the nature and depth of sediments immediately ad...
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Softstone Approaches to the study of chlorite and calcite vessels in the Middle East and Central Asia from prehistory to the present, 2018
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Final Report by the Department of Antiquities and Museums, Ras al-Khaimah, 2009
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Arabia and its Neighbours: Essays on prehistorical and historical developments in honour of Beatrice de Cardi, 1998
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Chinese Cultural Relics Issue Number 1-2, 2015
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N.A.B.U. 1995 nº 3, 1995
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Iranica Antiqua, 1994
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Golf Archaeology, Internationale Archäologie 6, 1991
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Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies, 2009
This joint paper-complementing literary sources with archaeological data-focuses on the battle of... more This joint paper-complementing literary sources with archaeological data-focuses on the battle of Julfār, the pitched battle which, at the accession of Salghur Shāh to the throne (879-910/1475-1505), reshaped the structural system of the kingdom, also marking a significant turning point in the process of urbanization along the northern coast of Oman and in the development of a market economy. This battle was not only a mere dynastic crisis, but can also be read as a masterly cooperation between Bedouin foot soldiers and a skilled fleet. Julfār stands out first as one of the most powerful dependences of the Кībīs, and, after their demise, of the maritime realm of Hormuz. It was one of the most prominent and magnificent outlets and harbours of its time (pilgrimage, shipping, and trade in pearls, horses, amber, dyes, perfumes, dates, vegetables, incense, etc.), an "oasis-town" well sheltered from typhoons and with powerful defensive structures, which exploited its geographical location to the maximum. The battle acquires its significance when read within the general context of the time. On the Arabian scene, new turbulences were shaking the Arabian Peninsula. Power was disrupted in the eastern regions. In the Omani hinterland, the disintegration of the previous order provoked fierce feuds between Malikite and IbāΡī sheikhdoms. All along the coastal region, where the rulers of Hormuz held de jure sovereignty, Bedouin tribes and IbāΡī principalities under NabΉānī emirs were well established and enjoyed great material prosperity. Taking advantage of the religious enmities, tribal groups began to overrun a large part of the interior. The main caravan route linking the Дijāz with Bahrain was de facto impracticable, to the great disadvantage of pilgrimage and trade. It is within this precarious situation that we witness the rising of a new power, that of the Banī Jabr. Joining their land forces with Salghur's ships, they gave a new primacy to the Arab component of Hormuz.
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Archaeology of the United Arab Emirates, 2003
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Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy, 2017
The Jebel al-Ma'taradh and its surroundings contain exceptional deposits of lithic raw materials,... more The Jebel al-Ma'taradh and its surroundings contain exceptional deposits of lithic raw materials, including flint and chert, but especially chalcedony, agate, car-nelian, and chrysoprase. These deposits were intensively exploited during the Neolithic, and some of the artefacts produced entered the trade network that included settlements on the coast and inland, sometimes as far as 300 km. During earlier periods, probably as early as the Pleistocene, only flint was used. Between the sixth and the fourth millennia, carnelian and agate were exploited to make beads, which are found in the necropolises and settlements of the UAE. K E Y W O R D S carnelian, chalcedony, Neolithic, Oman peninsula, ornament
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Fifty Years of Emirates Archaeology, 2012
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Emirates Heritage, 2008
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New Perspectives on Recording UAE History, 2009
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Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy, Jan 1, 1995
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Papers by Christian Velde