- Archaeology, Landscape Archaeology, Geophysics, Remote sensing and GIS applications in Landscape Research, Maritime Archaeology, Applied Geology, and 15 moreArchaeological Geophysics, Cultural Resource Management (Archaeology), Archaeological Prospection, Arabian Gulf, Quaternary Sedimentology and Geomorphology, Holocene sea level change, Late Pleistocene to Early Holocene, Quaternary palaeoclimate and tectonics, Arabian Neolithic, Ubaid expansion, Marine Geophysics, Marine Geophysics (Archaeology), Qatar, Survey (Archaeological Method & Theory), and Arabian/Persian Gulf Archaeologyedit
- Research interests include Pleistocene and Holocene archaeology and the impact of climate and landscape changes acros... moreResearch interests include Pleistocene and Holocene archaeology and the impact of climate and landscape changes across the Arabian Peninsula. In particular the Arabian Gulf palaeo-landscape during the Late Pleistocene to Mid Holocene and hominin responses to climatic and landscape changes, between 14,000 to 4,000BP. Other research interests include Taphonomic processes, site formation, terrestrial and marine geophysics, and heritage management.
Other interests, time permitting include playing the guitar, the piano and dreaming about old British motorbikes.edit
"A Corridor Through Time presents the results of archaeological investigations undertaken prior to the construction of the A55, a dual-carriageway which extended the North Wales Expressway to Holyhead. This detailed examination of a 32km... more
"A Corridor Through Time presents the results of archaeological investigations undertaken prior to the construction of the A55, a dual-carriageway which extended the North Wales Expressway to Holyhead. This detailed examination of a 32km corridor across Anglesy provided a rare and significant oportunty to delve into one of the richest archaeological landscapes in Britain.
This volume provides a fascinating account of the island’s cultural heritage from early Neolithic occupation onwards, with the diversity of archaeological remains offering a tantalising glimpse into how the island community experienced life and death over millennia. The detailed descriptions of sites, artefacts and environmental analysis include a complex, second millennium BC cremation cemetery at Cefn Cwmwd, an exceptionally well-preserved Iron Age farmstead, complete with industrial workshop and granary, at Cefn Du, and an Iron Age/Romano-British farmstead at Melin y Plas. The longevity of occupation is aptly reflected at Tŷ Mawr, Holyhead, where the local community reuses landscape monuments after many centuries, transforming the concentric circles of a prehistoric ring ditch to become the focus of an early medieval inhumation cemetery.
A Corridor Through Time describes the discoveries made during archaeological excavations carried out by Gwynydd Archaeological Trust and the University of Birmingham and places 9000 years of Anglesey’s heritage into its wider regional and national context.
"
This volume provides a fascinating account of the island’s cultural heritage from early Neolithic occupation onwards, with the diversity of archaeological remains offering a tantalising glimpse into how the island community experienced life and death over millennia. The detailed descriptions of sites, artefacts and environmental analysis include a complex, second millennium BC cremation cemetery at Cefn Cwmwd, an exceptionally well-preserved Iron Age farmstead, complete with industrial workshop and granary, at Cefn Du, and an Iron Age/Romano-British farmstead at Melin y Plas. The longevity of occupation is aptly reflected at Tŷ Mawr, Holyhead, where the local community reuses landscape monuments after many centuries, transforming the concentric circles of a prehistoric ring ditch to become the focus of an early medieval inhumation cemetery.
A Corridor Through Time describes the discoveries made during archaeological excavations carried out by Gwynydd Archaeological Trust and the University of Birmingham and places 9000 years of Anglesey’s heritage into its wider regional and national context.
"
Research Interests: Archaeology, Early Medieval Archaeology, Neolithic Archaeology, Iron Age Britain (Archaeology), Bronze Age Europe (Archaeology), and 8 moreAnglesey (Wales), Late Iron Age (Archaeology), Iron Age, Romano-British history and archaeology, Anglesey Archaeology Neolithic Wales Roman Romano-British Cefn-Du Iron-Age, Anglesey Archaeology, Romano-British, and Early Iron Age, Late Iron Age, Roman period, Late Antiquity, typology, chronology, distribution, function, fibulae, weapons, tools, harness, metal vessels, writing equipment, balances and weights, small finds
Between June 2000 and April 2004 four sites within the City of Worcester were subjected to archaeological investigation by Birmingham Archaeology. The results from these four sites are documented in this volume. One site is located to the... more
Between June 2000 and April 2004 four sites within the City of Worcester were subjected to archaeological investigation by Birmingham Archaeology. The results from these four sites are documented in this volume. One site is located to the northeast of the historic city core at St Martin’s Gate. The three remaining sites are located to the north of the city in an area known as The Butts. Archaeological excavations were undertaken at 8–12 and 14–24 The Butts, and an evaluation at 1 The Butts. At all four sites, the stratigraphy is characterised by Roman and post-medieval deposits, with a distinct lack of intervening material. Ditch features relating to Civil War remodelling of the city’s defences were located at St Martin’s Gate, 8–12 The Butts, and 14–24 The Butts, and it seems that this and later activity was responsible for the disturbance and removal of earlier material. At 1 The Butts, the creation of the medieval city defences in the 13th century had been responsible for the removal of earlier deposits, but a stone-lined well and other features of Roman date survived on the berm between the medieval city wall and ditch. At all four sites, the Roman deposits yielded a significant array of features and rich assemblages of pottery and other materials, which have added to an understanding of life and industry in the suburbs of Roman Worcester.
Research Interests:
Analysis of excavations at Orton's Pasture to the south of the Roman fort at Rocester. Roman activity dated from the late 1st to the mid 2nd century AD and was associated with several enclosures, a Roman road and pitting. One enclosure... more
Analysis of excavations at Orton's Pasture to the south of the Roman fort at Rocester. Roman activity dated from the late 1st to the mid 2nd century AD and was associated with several enclosures, a Roman road and pitting. One enclosure contained what appear to be ritual deposits, including a fragment from an altar, while a small stone building located in another enclosure was identified as a shrine.
Research Interests:
The results of five excavations carried out in Cambridgeshire between 1998 and 2002. The sitesare all within small towns or villages that have been the site of continuous settlement since at least medieval times. The excavations revealed... more
The results of five excavations carried out in Cambridgeshire between 1998 and 2002. The sitesare all within small towns or villages that have been the site of continuous settlement since at least medieval times. The excavations revealed evidence for a wide range of activities and considerable spans of occupation. At Woodhurst, a Romano-British settlement was later succeeded by Saxon and then medieval occupation of the same area. Fordham provided a detailed insight into changing patterns of activity in a single location during the Anglo-Saxon period. Investigations at Buckden produced a less wide-ranging but nonetheless significant view of economic activities during medieval times. Finally, the excavations at Soham and St Neots revealed sequences running respectively from the Late Saxon and medieval periods through until modern times. In addition, all five sites produced small-scale evidence for prehistoric activity.
The site of Delamere Street lies just outside the North gate of the Roman and medieval Chester, England. In recent years this has been subject to intensive investigation as part of the Gorse Stacks development. This publication represents... more
The site of Delamere Street lies just outside the North gate of the Roman and medieval Chester, England. In recent years this has been subject to intensive investigation as part of the Gorse Stacks development. This publication represents the culmination of those investigations carried out by Birmingham Archaeology during 2006 and 2008.
Research Interests:
This report outlines the results of archaeological investigations at Old Hall Street, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, UK (NGR SO 916984), carried out between 2000 and 2007. The results of the archaeological work have been combined with... more
This report outlines the results of archaeological investigations at Old Hall Street, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, UK (NGR SO 916984), carried out between 2000 and 2007. The results of the archaeological work have been combined with documentary, cartographic and genealogical studies, together with finds and scientific analyses, to present a broad interpretation of the history of settlement in the area and the motives behind it. The site was the location of a moated Elizabethan mansion house, the Great Hall, which lay at the edge of the then settled area of Wolverhampton in an area that had once been part of the town fields. A documentary reference suggests that there was an earlier house on the site, but there is only limited archaeological evidence to support this. The building of the Great Hall was intended to make a clear statement about the status, wealth and prestige of its owners, the Leveson family, who were prominent Wolverhampton merchants, also involved in the early industrialisation of the Black Country. The aspirations of the family are clearly demonstrated by their construction of one of Staffordshire’s most significant early brick buildings The later history of the Great Hall mirrors that of the Black Country, for towards the end of the 18th century it was converted for use as a japanning factory, known as the Old Hall Works, artefacts from which were exhibited in the Great Exhibition of 1851. A large-scale map of 1852 gives a detailed insight into the layout of the japanning factory, which was finally demolished in 1883, an Adult Education College being built on the site in 1899. The archaeological excavations took place ahead of the redevelopment of the college. This report shows something of the process by which the Black Country attained its distinctive personality.
This report outlines the results of archaeological investigations at Old Hall Street, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, UK (NGR SO 916984), carried out between 2000 and 2007. The results of the archaeological work have been combined with... more
This report outlines the results of archaeological investigations at Old Hall Street, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, UK (NGR SO 916984), carried out between 2000 and 2007. The results of the archaeological work have been combined with documentary, cartographic and genealogical studies, together with finds and scientific analyses, to present a broad interpretation of the history of settlement in the area and the motives behind it. The site was the location of a moated Elizabethan mansion house, the Great Hall, which lay at the edge of the then settled area of Wolverhampton in an area that had once been part of the town fields. A documentary reference suggests that there was an earlier house on the site, but there is only limited archaeological evidence to support this. The building of the Great Hall was intended to make a clear statement about the status, wealth and prestige of its owners, the Leveson family, who were prominent Wolverhampton merchants, also involved in the early industrialisation of the Black Country. The aspirations of the family are clearly demonstrated by their construction of one of Staffordshire’s most significant early brick buildings The later history of the Great Hall mirrors that of the Black Country, for towards the end of the 18th century it was converted for use as a japanning factory, known as the Old Hall Works, artefacts from which were exhibited in the Great Exhibition of 1851. A large-scale map of 1852 gives a detailed insight into the layout of the japanning factory, which was finally demolished in 1883, an Adult Education College being built on the site in 1899. The archaeological excavations took place ahead of the redevelopment of the college. This report shows something of the process by which the Black Country attained its distinctive personality.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Between June 2000 and April 2004 four sites within the City of Worcester were subjected to archaeological investigation by Birmingham Archaeology. The results from these four sites are documented in this volume. One site is located to the... more
Between June 2000 and April 2004 four sites within the City of Worcester were subjected to archaeological investigation by Birmingham Archaeology. The results from these four sites are documented in this volume. One site is located to the northeast of the historic city core at St Martin’s Gate. The three remaining sites are located to the north of the city in an area known as The Butts. Archaeological excavations were undertaken at 8–12 and 14–24 The Butts, and an evaluation at 1 The Butts. At all four sites, the stratigraphy is characterised by Roman and post-medieval deposits, with a distinct lack of intervening material. Ditch features relating to Civil War remodelling of the city’s defences were located at St Martin’s Gate, 8–12 The Butts, and 14–24 The Butts, and it seems that this and later activity was responsible for the disturbance and removal of earlier material. At 1 The Butts, the creation of the medieval city defences in the 13th century had been responsible for the removal of earlier deposits, but a stone-lined well and other features of Roman date survived on the berm between the medieval city wall and ditch. At all four sites, the Roman deposits yielded a significant array of features and rich assemblages of pottery and other materials, which have added to an understanding of life and industry in the suburbs of Roman Worcester.
Research Interests:
This chapter examines tomb construction and its use from the Neolithic through the late Pre-Islamic period on the Gulf Peninsula of Qatar. Geomorphological and environmental factors that may have influenced mortuary practices are... more
This chapter examines tomb construction and its use from the Neolithic through the late Pre-Islamic period on the Gulf Peninsula of Qatar. Geomorphological and environmental factors that may have influenced mortuary practices are considered. The authors present evidence that suggests that the density of cairns was influenced by landscape, geomorphology, and hydrology. Further, the authors understand that more information is necessary before other researches make comparisons of similar tombs from other regions of the Arabian Peninsula.
Research Interests:
The site of Delamere Street lies just outside the North gate of the Roman and medieval Chester, England. In recent years this has been subject to intensive investigation as part of the Gorse Stacks development. This publication represents... more
The site of Delamere Street lies just outside the North gate of the Roman and medieval Chester, England. In recent years this has been subject to intensive investigation as part of the Gorse Stacks development. This publication represents the culmination of those investigations carried out by Birmingham Archaeology during 2006 and 2008.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Geography, Archaeology, Near Eastern Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Geology, and 15 moreAnatolian Archaeology, Neolithic Archaeology, Neolithic & Chalcolithic Archaeology, Chalcolithic Archaeology, Arabian Gulf, Obsidian, Ancient Near East, Roman Syria (Archaeology), Prehistory, History and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, Chalcolithic, Obsidian Sourcing, archaeology in Iraq, Ubaid culture, and Arabian Peninsula In Antiquity
Research Interests:
Since 2008, the Qatar Museums Authority (QMA) and the University of Birmingham have collaborated on a cutting-edge research programme called the Qatar National Historic Environment Record (QNHER). This has made a significant contribution... more
Since 2008, the Qatar Museums Authority (QMA) and the University of Birmingham have collaborated on a cutting-edge research programme called the Qatar National Historic Environment Record (QNHER). This has made a significant contribution to our understanding of Qatar's diverse cultural heritage resource. Commencing with the analysis of terrestrial and marine remotely sensed data, the project expanded to undertake detailed terrestrial and marine survey across large parts of the country, recording archaeological sites and palaeoenvironmental remains ranging from the Palaeolithic to modern times. The project was not simply concerned with the collection of heritage data, but how that data is then stored and accessed. After consultation with Qatar's Centre for GIS, the project team designed and developed a custom geospatial web application which integrated a large variety of heritage-related information, including locations, detailed categorisations, descriptions, photographs and survey reports. The system arc...
Archaeological survey by the Qatar National Historic Environment Record Project (QNHER) in 2009, led to the discovery of a Neolithic flint scatter, a settlement and an ancient, raised shoreline associated with higher, mid-Holocene sea... more
Archaeological survey by the Qatar National Historic Environment Record Project (QNHER) in 2009, led to the discovery of a Neolithic flint scatter, a settlement and an ancient, raised shoreline associated with higher, mid-Holocene sea levels at Wādī Ḍebayʿān, north-western Qatar (Al-Naimi et al. 2010, 2011; Cuttler, Tetlow & Al-Naimi 2011). The QNHER project is a collaboration between Qatar Museums and the University of Birmingham, which over the past five years has developed a national geospatial database for the recording of archaeological sites and historic monuments in Qatar. A significant aspect of the project involved archaeological survey and excavation in advance of major construction projects. Between 2012 and 2014 excavations at Wādī Ḍebayʿān revealed a burial of a typology previously unknown in Qatar, the unmarked graves (Cuttler, Al-Naimi & Tetlow 2013).
Research Interests:
Abstract The Qatar National Historic Environment Record (QNHER) Project, developed by the University of Birmingham in collaboration with Qatar Museums, has been working in Qatar for five years helping to develop the country’s... more
Abstract The Qatar National Historic Environment Record (QNHER) Project, developed by the University of Birmingham in collaboration with Qatar Museums, has been working in Qatar for five years helping to develop the country’s archaeological resource management. The need to develop a robust system to deal with development control is vital in Arabia, which boasts some of the most rapid and intensive development and construction in the world. Qatar is developing at such a rapid rate that, if left unchecked, it could destroy much of the nation’s heritage, whether it is known or unknown. Legislation cannot be the end of heritage protection but merely the starting point. The QNHER has developed a bespoke software package to manage the historic environment that enables heritage professionals to have control over geographical information system (GIS) functions such as a spatial database, map building, or thematic mapping. The introduction of this software has had a major impact on how Qatar manages its cultural heritage resources and is making significant changes to archaeological resource management in the country. This paper will discuss the approaches that have been taken in Qatar to develop modern systems for archaeological resource management which include the heritage professional in development control and enable them to manage the historic environment.
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Engineering, Historical Archaeology, Cultural Heritage, Open Source Software, Software Development, and 12 moreCultural Heritage Management, Cultural Resource Management (Archaeology), Heritage Management, Concept Inventories, Historic environment, Cultural Resource Management, The Relevance of Historic Environments and Their Associated Records, Historic Environment Record, Open Source GIS Technology, International heritage management, Geospatial databases, and Monuments Conservation
ʿUbaid pottery was famously recorded by H.R. Hall during the excavation of a tell mound at Al ʿUbaid, and for nearly half a century became associated with the origins of urbanisation and developments in social hierarchy in southern... more
ʿUbaid pottery was famously recorded by H.R. Hall during the excavation of a tell mound at Al ʿUbaid, and for nearly half a century became associated with the origins of urbanisation and developments in social hierarchy in southern Mesopotamia. The discovery in 1968 of ʿUbaid pottery around the western Gulf littoral, some 1000 km to the south of Mesopotamia, raised questions regarding the nature of interaction between these two societies. This paper considers the origins of this interaction and the effects of geomorphology, hydrology and the palaeoenvironment on regional migration. The extent to which topography and marine transgression were a catalyst for migration is also discussed as well as how, or if, such factors influenced post-transgression settlement dynamics.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Geology, Geomorphology, Remote Sensing, Hydrology, and 15 moreLandscape Archaeology, Migration, Arabian Gulf, Sea Level, Remote sensing and GIS, Lithics, Holocene sea level change, Neolithic, Late Pleistocene to Early Holocene, Quaternary Sedimentology and Geomorphology, Climate Change and Sea Level Rise, Gulf Archaeology, Emirates, Marine transgression, and ABT
It is no surprise that the integration of remotely sensed data from both terrestrial and marine sources is improving our discovery and interpretation of cultural heritage. As technological advances provide the capacity to produce and... more
It is no surprise that the integration of remotely sensed data from both terrestrial and marine sources is improving our discovery and interpretation of cultural heritage. As technological advances provide the capacity to produce and utilise large spatial data sets, their integration with existing data presents new challenges for heritage managers and future researchers. In terms of large datasets, countries such as Qatar are in a unique position given the vast amounts of commercially gathered geophysical and geotechnical data These data can be used to model past landscapes and inform future research within the region, without the major expense of large scale geophysical survey. However, the true value of such datasets can only be achieved if this leads to the pro-active management and protection of the resource, from designation and curation to forward planning and future research. Over the past year Qatar has developed a new National Historic Environment Record (known as QNHER) for this purpose. This includes data standards for recording and archiving both currently known and new archaeological sites. The diversity of cultural heritage, site types and chronology between the Arabian Peninsula and Europe meant that simply attempting to transplant western models of Historic Environment Records and heritage management was inappropriate. QNHER was therefore developed as a bespoke database together with staff from the Department of Antiquities and specifically geared towards regional chronologies, local environments, chronological and spatial variation and existing data standards. This is not to say that useful aspects of data management in other regions were ignored. Data managers were extensively consulted about the most efficient way in which data should be stored to optimise retrieval. Combined with GIS QNHER becomes a very powerful management and research tool, able to map the distribution of sites according to variable criteria and produce reports on the data from specific queries. This combined database and GIS is not simply a tool for analysis but facilitates a flow of data between the Department of Antiquities and the Urban Planning Development Authority, bringing heritage into the frame when planning decisions are taken. In addition QNHER facilitates a systematic digital record of Qatar’s known archaeological and built heritage in accordance with the Qatar Antiquity Law No. 2, 1980. By managing monuments in this way this will empower and inform heritage custodians, while leaving a lasting legacy for future researchers. A number of Antiquities departments within the GCC countries are investigating models for Historic Environment Record development and it currently seems an ideal opportunity for heritage managers across the region to meet and discuss international Arabian data standards. Such strategies impact upon education, the accessibility of heritage information to the public, and how the historic resource is managed across the Arabian Peninsula.
Research Interests: Ethics, Communication, Visualization, Cultural Heritage, Semantics, and 15 moreLandscape Archaeology, Cultural Heritage Conservation, Cultural Landscapes, Heritage Conservation, Participation, Critical Geography, Heritage, Knowledge, Critical Cartography, Web, Information, Mapping, Cultural Landscape, Discourses, and Historical Landscape
Obsidian artifacts are geochemically traceable to their geological sources of origin. The results of their analysis provide some of the most accurate testimonies of interaction, exchange and population movement. This article presents... more
Obsidian artifacts are geochemically traceable to their geological sources of origin. The results of their analysis provide some of the most accurate testimonies of interaction, exchange and population movement. This article presents results of obsidian analyses of artifacts from twelve sites from the Middle Euphrates to the Arabian Gulf. We demonstrate that the Sıcaksu flow of Nemrut Dağ in eastern Turkey consistently supplied obsidian to the majority of sites across this region from the 7th to 4th millennia BCE. This outcrop predominated in analyzed assemblages and as a production material for the region, across all site positions, sizes and periods; this has been argued to be a result of the quality, quantity and accessibility of this flow (Robin et al., 2016). The analyses demonstrate the presence of mainly finished products from a variety of additional sources in eastern Anatolia and Armenia (average N 4 sources) on northern Mesopotamian sites during this time span. We argue that the Nemrut region was a major economic node and chief actor in the establishment and dynamics of networks in the greater region. The diachronic persistence or breaks in obsidian supply from more minor sources are an additional source of information on the inner workings and development of subtle interregional socio-political and economic relations. Obsidian analysis provides a detailed picture of the contributions of increasingly complex networks and channels of communication to intensified adoption of common practices and styles across regions, to intensifica-tion of processes leading to urbanization and state formation, and to accentuating periods of stress and conflict. These data nourish and update existing models on social networks during the crucial Ubaid to Late Chalcolithic periods and advance debates on the role and impact of these networks on early state formation.
Research Interests: Near Eastern Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Anatolian Archaeology, Neolithic Archaeology, Neolithic & Chalcolithic Archaeology, and 13 moreChalcolithic Archaeology, Arabian Gulf, Obsidian, Ancient Near East, Anatolian Archaeology (Archaeology), Ancient Near East (Archaeology), Prehistory, Syria (Archaeology), Arabian/Persian Gulf Archaeology, Obsidian Sourcing, Arabian Peninsula in Antiquity, archaeology in Iraq, and Ubaid culture
Survey work in 2004 identified two extensive lithics scatters in the south-eastern desert of Abu Dhabi at Umm az-Zumūl. Both scatters were within small interdunal areas to the south-east of large barchan dunes. At the first site (Khor... more
Survey work in 2004 identified two extensive lithics scatters in the south-eastern desert of Abu Dhabi at Umm az-Zumūl. Both scatters were within small interdunal areas to the south-east of large barchan dunes. At the first site (Khor al-Manāhil) a controlled pick-up of lithics recorded almost 3000 fragments of flint and stone artefacts. The typology of the artefacts suggests the scatter belongs to the so-called Arabian Bifacial Tradition (ABT). This dates the scatter to the mid-Holocene, between the seventh and fifth millennia, when the climate was wetter and the conditions more favourable. A series of undated "burnt mounds" at Khor al-Manāhil was also recorded and excavated. The second scatter (Kharimat Khor al-Manāhil) was again comprised of flints belonging to the Arabian Bifacial Tradition. OSL dating suggested that these must date later than 9000 years ago. Two shell beads, found in association with the flint scatter resemble types well known from the Neolithic cemetery of Jebel al-Buhais 18, located in Sharjah emirate in the UAE.
Research Interests:
The development of the Qatar National Historic Environment Record (QNHER) by the Qatar Museums Authority and the University of Birmingham in 2008 was based on a customised, bilingual Access database and ArcGIS. While both platforms are... more
The development of the Qatar National Historic Environment Record (QNHER) by the Qatar Museums Authority and the University of Birmingham in 2008 was based on a customised, bilingual Access database and ArcGIS. While both platforms are stable and well supported, neither was designed for the documentation and retrieval of cultural heritage data. As a result it was decided to develop a custom application using Open Source code. The core module of this application is now completed and is orientated towards the storage and retrieval of geospatial heritage data for the curation of heritage assets. Based on MIDAS Heritage data standards and regionally relevant thesauri, it is a truly bilingual system. Significant attention has been paid to the user interface, which is user-friendly and intuitive. Based on a suite of web services and accessed through a web browser, the system makes full use of internet resources such as Google Maps and Bing Maps. The application avoids long term vendor ‘tie-ins’, and as a fully integrated data management system, is now an important tool for both cultural resource managers and heritage researchers in Qatar.
Research Interests: Historical Archaeology, Cultural Heritage, Open Source Software, Software Development, Open Source GIS (Geographic Information Systems), and 12 moreCultural Heritage Management, Cultural Resource Management (Archaeology), Heritage Management, Concept Inventories, Historic environment, Cultural Resource Management, The Relevance of Historic Environments and Their Associated Records, Historic Environment Record, Open Source GIS Technology, International heritage management, Geospatial databases, and Monuments Conservation
Ubaid pottery was famously recorded by H. R. Hall during the excavation of a tell mound at Al cUbaid, and for nearly half a century became associated with the origins of urbanisation and developments in social hierarchy in southern... more
Ubaid pottery was famously recorded by H. R. Hall during the excavation of a tell mound at Al cUbaid, and for nearly half a century became associated with the origins of urbanisation and developments in social hierarchy in southern Mesopotamia. The discovery in 1968 of cUbaid pottery around the western Gulf littoral, some 1,000km to the south of Mesopotamia, raised questions regarding the nature of interaction between these two societies. This paper considers the origins of this interaction and the effects of geomorphology, hydrology and the palaeoenvironment on regional migration. The extent to which topography and marine transgression were a catalyst for migration is also discussed, and how, or if such factors influenced post-transgression settlement dynamics.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Geomorphology, Remote Sensing, Landscape Archaeology, Migration, and 25 moreThe Persian Gulf, Arabian Gulf, Sea Level, Remote sensing and GIS, Lithics, Holocene sea level change, Neolithic, Late Pleistocene to Early Holocene, Submerged Landscapes, Submerged site archaeology, Quaternary Sedimentology and Geomorphology, Submerged landscapes and settlements, Arabian/Persian Gulf Studies, Arabian/Persian Gulf Archaeology, Climate Change and Sea Level Rise, Ubaid, Gulf Archaeology, Emirates, Ubaid culture, Submerged Prehistoric Archaeology, Ubaid Architecture, Ubaid Period, Marine transgression, New Light on Human Prehistory in theArabo-Persian Gulf Oasis, and ABT
Throughout the late Pleistocene and early Holocene the landscape of Qatar was transformed by global climate changes, cycles of sea level rise and fluctuations in rainfall. The Peninsula is formed from Eocene limestone which was... more
Throughout the late Pleistocene and early Holocene the landscape of Qatar was transformed by global climate changes, cycles of sea level rise and fluctuations in rainfall. The Peninsula is formed from Eocene limestone which was subsequently shaped by geomorphological processes, leaving a gently undulating landscape featuring rock outcrops and sediment bowls. As a result of late Pleistocene and early Holocene sea level rise, the Arabian Gulf now surrounds the western, northern and eastern sides of the landmass, but for most of prehistory Qatar was part of a landlocked, hyper-arid region. Given these changes it is therefore important to consider both the changing external conditions that influenced human behaviour in prehistory and the varying taphonomic pathways that were favourable for site preservation. These are fundamental tenets of landscape archaeology, placing past human activities within the wider context of a landscape that is the product of climatic fluctuation and geomorphological change.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Landscape Archaeology, Arabian Gulf, Impact of climate change on sea level rise, Karst Geomorphology, and 18 moreLithics, Holocene sea level change, Neolithic, Late Pleistocene to Early Holocene, Qatar, Submerged Landscapes, Palaeolithic, Submerged landscapes and settlements, Holocene relative sea-level change, Arabian/Persian Gulf Archaeology, Arabian Peninsula, Palaeoenvironmental Reconstruction, Lithic Analysis, Cave and Karst Studies, Ubaid, Gulf Archaeology, Emirates, and ABT
In December 2011 the Qatar National Historic Environment Record (QNHER), Qatar Museum Authority and University of Birmingham, collaborated with Texas A & M University – Qatar (TAMUQ) to visualize sea level change and its effects on... more
In December 2011 the Qatar National Historic Environment Record (QNHER), Qatar Museum Authority and University of Birmingham, collaborated with Texas A & M University – Qatar (TAMUQ) to visualize sea level change and its effects on patterns of human occupation on a site specific level. This data was derived from extensive coring and subsurface modeling in Wādī debayān, north western Qatar. During prehistory the wadi would have been subject to dynamic periods of environmental change. This has been related to two periods of dramatic sea-level rise during the Holocene geological epoch (12000BP to the present era). Evidence from other sites in Qatar indicate that these two episodes may have reached ‘highstands’ of between 1 and 3m above modern sea level.
Vizualising the prehistoric environment of the wadi presents an important opportunity to test several of our assumptions about these past environments in the wadi and contribute to ongoing research aims. Immersive visualization allows the examination the dramatic effects dynamic environmental change would have had upon past populations and prehistoric environments in the Arabian Gulf. This tool not only has applications for academic based research but also for providing uncomplicated public access. There are important benefits for schools, universities and museums, where visual representation can convey concepts more readily than descriptive narrative.
Vizualising the prehistoric environment of the wadi presents an important opportunity to test several of our assumptions about these past environments in the wadi and contribute to ongoing research aims. Immersive visualization allows the examination the dramatic effects dynamic environmental change would have had upon past populations and prehistoric environments in the Arabian Gulf. This tool not only has applications for academic based research but also for providing uncomplicated public access. There are important benefits for schools, universities and museums, where visual representation can convey concepts more readily than descriptive narrative.
Research Interests: Geomorphology, Coastal Geomorphology, Arabian Gulf, 3D visualisation, Holocene sea level change, and 11 moreArchaeological Visualisation, Qatar, Submerged Landscapes, Palaeolithic, Submerged landscapes and settlements, Arabian/Persian Gulf Archaeology, Arabian Peninsula, Lithic Analysis, Gulf Archaeology, History Of Qatar, and Submerged Prehistoric Archaeology
Approximately sixty years of survey and excavation have revealed the presence of extensive burial cairns, particularly in the north of Qatar, indicating that this monument class may number in the tens of thousands. While excavation... more
Approximately sixty years of survey and excavation have revealed the presence of extensive burial cairns, particularly in the north of Qatar, indicating that this monument class may number in the tens of thousands. While excavation demonstrates that many of the mounds date between 300 BC and AD 300, more recently the chronology of these monuments has been extended to the fifth millennium BC, suggesting that they reflect mortuary practices over a much longer period than previously thought. As the majority of mounds have been disturbed in antiquity, where possible this paper focuses on undisturbed examples representative of the currently known range of burial types. Where the same burial typology is evidenced from several excavations, representative examples have been cited with a preference for unpublished (and as a result) less accessible literature. These representative examples are used to propose a typology for the future classification of burials in Qatar and to address research priorities that could form the basis of a National Research Framework for the future excavation and study of these monuments.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Landscape Archaeology, Ritual, Culture, and 14 moreArabian Gulf, Death and Burial (Archaeology), Burial mounds (Archaeology), Qatar, Tradition, Palaeolithic, Arabian/Persian Gulf Archaeology, Arabian Peninsula, Lithic Analysis, Archaeology of death and burial, Burial Customs, Gulf Archaeology, History Of Qatar, and Ritual landscapes
"The Arabian Gulf is a fairly shallow sea and during the Last Glacial Maximum was an open landscape that may have formed a refugia for human groups. The discovery of archaeological remains predating 8,000 years ago in the marine areas of... more
"The Arabian Gulf is a fairly shallow sea and during the Last Glacial Maximum was an open landscape that may have formed a refugia for human groups. The discovery of archaeological remains predating 8,000 years ago in the marine areas of the North Sea and English Channel would suggest that the Arabian Gulf also has a similar potential for the favorable survival of pre-marine transgression deposits. In addition, The Gulf has been part of a maritime trade network which extends back into the 7th millennium and so the region has the potential for shipwrecks from both the historic and prehistoric periods. However, despite this very little maritime archaeological research directed towards the discovery of such remains has been undertaken. Given the expense and logistical issues associated with diving and underwater survey this may not be entirely surprising. To survey the marine areas of Qatar alone using a team of divers would take many years, particularly given strong regional currents and limited visibility. In recent years the rapid development of geophysics has provided new opportunities to investigate wider areas of the marine landscape and to develop strategies for targeted diver inspections of geophysical anomalies.
The analysis of a large tract of geophysical data off the northwest coast of Qatar revealed more than 80 anomalies with a sea bed expression, some of which were clearly modern, and others that were considered to have reasonable archaeological potential. Of the anomalies subject to subsequent diver inspection, none proved to be of archaeological interest. However, the visual inspection of geophysical anomalies is providing valuable regional baseline data for the interpretation of anthropogenic marine signatures. The clarification of signatures from different types of anomalies enables the calibration of regionally important geophysical data. In addition, these inspections have significantly increased our understanding of the seabed characteristics around Northeastern Qatar. Future geophysical survey will be focused not simply on anomalies but on characterising the submerged landscape using higher resolution geophysical data from a range of sensors.
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The analysis of a large tract of geophysical data off the northwest coast of Qatar revealed more than 80 anomalies with a sea bed expression, some of which were clearly modern, and others that were considered to have reasonable archaeological potential. Of the anomalies subject to subsequent diver inspection, none proved to be of archaeological interest. However, the visual inspection of geophysical anomalies is providing valuable regional baseline data for the interpretation of anthropogenic marine signatures. The clarification of signatures from different types of anomalies enables the calibration of regionally important geophysical data. In addition, these inspections have significantly increased our understanding of the seabed characteristics around Northeastern Qatar. Future geophysical survey will be focused not simply on anomalies but on characterising the submerged landscape using higher resolution geophysical data from a range of sensors.
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Research Interests: Archaeology, Maritime Archaeology, Landscape Archaeology, The Persian Gulf, Archaeological geophysics (Archaeology), and 22 moreArabian Gulf, Archaeological Geophysics, Nautical Archaeology, Marine Archaeology, Qatar, Submerged Landscapes, GIS and Landscape Archaeology, Palaeolithic, Submerged landscapes and settlements, Ancient Topography, Arabian/Persian Gulf Archaeology, Arabian Peninsula, Lithic Analysis, Costal and marine Archaeology, Marine Geophysics, Gulf Archaeology, Sidescan Sonar, Submerged Prehistoric Archaeology, Enviromental Archaeology, Geo Archeology, Mediterrranean Archaeology, and Islands Archaeology
It is no surprise that the integration of remotely sensed data from both terrestrial and marine sources is improving our discovery and interpretation of cultural heritage. As technological advances provide the capacity to produce and... more
It is no surprise that the integration of remotely sensed data from both terrestrial and marine sources is improving our discovery and interpretation of cultural heritage. As technological advances provide the capacity to produce and utilise large spatial data sets, their integration with existing data presents new challenges for heritage managers and future researchers. In terms of large datasets, countries such as Qatar are in a unique position given the vast amounts of commercially gathered geophysical and geotechnical data These data can be used to model past landscapes and inform future research within the region, without the major expense of large scale geophysical survey. However, the true value of such datasets can only be achieved if this leads to the pro-active management and protection of the resource, from designation and curation to forward planning and future research.
Over the past year Qatar has developed a new National Historic Environment Record (known as QNHER) for this purpose. This includes data standards for recording and archiving both currently known and new archaeological sites. The diversity of cultural heritage, site types and chronology between the Arabian Peninsula and Europe meant that simply attempting to transplant western models of Historic Environment Records and heritage management was inappropriate. QNHER was therefore developed as a bespoke database together with staff from the Department of Antiquities and specifically geared towards regional chronologies, local environments, chronological and spatial variation and existing data standards. This is not to say that useful aspects of data management in other regions were ignored. Data managers were extensively consulted about the most efficient way in which data should be stored to optimise retrieval. Combined with GIS QNHER becomes a very powerful management and research tool, able to map the distribution of sites according to variable criteria and produce reports on the data from specific queries. This combined database and GIS is not simply a tool for analysis but facilitates a flow of data between the Department of Antiquities and the Urban Planning Development Authority, bringing heritage into the frame when planning decisions are taken. In addition QNHER facilitates a systematic digital record of Qatar’s known archaeological and built heritage in accordance with the Qatar Antiquity Law No. 2, 1980. By managing monuments in this way this will empower and inform heritage custodians, while leaving a lasting legacy for future researchers.
A number of Antiquities departments within the GCC countries are investigating models for Historic Environment Record development and it currently seems an ideal opportunity for heritage managers across the region to meet and discuss international Arabian data standards. Such strategies impact upon education, the accessibility of heritage information to the public, and how the historic resource is managed across the Arabian Peninsula.
Over the past year Qatar has developed a new National Historic Environment Record (known as QNHER) for this purpose. This includes data standards for recording and archiving both currently known and new archaeological sites. The diversity of cultural heritage, site types and chronology between the Arabian Peninsula and Europe meant that simply attempting to transplant western models of Historic Environment Records and heritage management was inappropriate. QNHER was therefore developed as a bespoke database together with staff from the Department of Antiquities and specifically geared towards regional chronologies, local environments, chronological and spatial variation and existing data standards. This is not to say that useful aspects of data management in other regions were ignored. Data managers were extensively consulted about the most efficient way in which data should be stored to optimise retrieval. Combined with GIS QNHER becomes a very powerful management and research tool, able to map the distribution of sites according to variable criteria and produce reports on the data from specific queries. This combined database and GIS is not simply a tool for analysis but facilitates a flow of data between the Department of Antiquities and the Urban Planning Development Authority, bringing heritage into the frame when planning decisions are taken. In addition QNHER facilitates a systematic digital record of Qatar’s known archaeological and built heritage in accordance with the Qatar Antiquity Law No. 2, 1980. By managing monuments in this way this will empower and inform heritage custodians, while leaving a lasting legacy for future researchers.
A number of Antiquities departments within the GCC countries are investigating models for Historic Environment Record development and it currently seems an ideal opportunity for heritage managers across the region to meet and discuss international Arabian data standards. Such strategies impact upon education, the accessibility of heritage information to the public, and how the historic resource is managed across the Arabian Peninsula.
Research Interests: Ethics, Communication, Web 2.0, Visualization, Cultural Heritage, and 16 moreSemantics, Landscape Archaeology, Cultural Heritage Conservation, Cultural Landscapes, Heritage Conservation, Participation, Critical Geography, Cultural Resource Management (Archaeology), Heritage, Knowledge, Critical Cartography, Information, Mapping, Cultural Landscape, Discourses, and Historical Landscape
Two structures were partially excavated revealing well constructed buildings with stone walls still surviving to a height of almost a metre in some places. Radiocarbon dates as well as associated finds suggest that the settlement was... more
Two structures were partially excavated revealing well constructed buildings with stone walls still surviving to a height of almost a metre in some places. Radiocarbon dates as well as associated finds suggest that the settlement was established by the mid sixth millennium BC. This makes it one of the oldest sites so far discovered in the United Arab Emirates. The final phase of occupation at the site seems to be soon after the mid-5th millennium BC.
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The results of two seasons of extensive survey by the Qatar Museums Authority and the University of Birmingham around Wadi Debayan in northern Qatar have revealed substantial differences in the density and distribution of monuments from... more
The results of two seasons of extensive survey by the Qatar Museums Authority and the University of Birmingham around Wadi Debayan in northern Qatar have revealed substantial differences in the density and distribution of monuments from the late Stone Age onwards, particularly a high density of pre-Islamic burial cairns. Such a high density must reflect either a sustained population over a long period or significant rise in population over a short period. Given that very minor climate fluctuation can significantly affect resources in a hyper-arid landscape, the analysis of proxy data from regionally relevant environmental sediment traps appear to be a prerequisite for further meaningful research into pre-Islamic population dynamics. However, the identification of sediment traps remains a major problems within a deflated, hyper-arid landscape.
Coring within the wadi found evidence for marine sediments during the first half of the seventh millennium BP, followed by sea-level stabilization and encroaching intertidal vegetation during the second half of the seventh millennium BP. These results emphasize the potential for the presence of organic-rich deposits within wadi sequences, particularly in intertidal zones.
Coring within the wadi found evidence for marine sediments during the first half of the seventh millennium BP, followed by sea-level stabilization and encroaching intertidal vegetation during the second half of the seventh millennium BP. These results emphasize the potential for the presence of organic-rich deposits within wadi sequences, particularly in intertidal zones.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Climate Change, Palaeoenvironment, Neolithic Archaeology, Population Dynamics, and 15 moreNeolithic & Chalcolithic Archaeology, Arabian Gulf, Lithics, Neolithic, Qatar, Palaeolithic, Arabian Peninsula, Palaeoenvironmental Reconstruction, Lithic Analysis, Ubaid, Qatar Heritage, Qatar Archaeology, Gulf Archaeology, Emirates, and ABT
Pioneering large-scale period-specific survey in the late 1960’s and multi-period landscape survey in the early 1970’s (De Cardi 1978) served to broadly characterise the heritage of Qatar and provided foci of interest for further... more
Pioneering large-scale period-specific survey in the late 1960’s and multi-period landscape survey in the early 1970’s (De Cardi 1978) served to broadly characterise the heritage of Qatar and provided foci of interest for further archaeological research over the following decades. However, since this early start further survey has been primarily focused around individual sites. As a result data pertaining to the national character, volume and extent of the archaeological resource can be seen to have been regionally inconsistent, with an absence of data compounded by the absence of a mechanism to allow integrated examination of data from a multitude of sources of work at the national or regional scales.
The development of the QNHER (Qatar National Historic Environment Record) in 2008 removed this hurdle by providing a systematic resource for the integration and examination of spatial and aspatial archaeological data on a national scale. As a part of this the Qatar Museums Authority and the University of Birmingham began a collaborative project in 2008 which used aerial photographic and remotely sensed datasets for rapid archaeological prospection within the terrestrial areas of Qatar and commercially captured geophysical data sets for the marine areas.
The development of the QNHER (Qatar National Historic Environment Record) in 2008 removed this hurdle by providing a systematic resource for the integration and examination of spatial and aspatial archaeological data on a national scale. As a part of this the Qatar Museums Authority and the University of Birmingham began a collaborative project in 2008 which used aerial photographic and remotely sensed datasets for rapid archaeological prospection within the terrestrial areas of Qatar and commercially captured geophysical data sets for the marine areas.
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"The effects of changes in sea level over the past 100,000 years have been monumental both as a powerful catalyst for migration and for the displacement of populations. While the submergence of earlier landscapes has generally made them... more
"The effects of changes in sea level over the past 100,000 years have been monumental both as a powerful catalyst for migration and for the displacement of populations. While the submergence of earlier landscapes has generally made them inaccessible to archaeologists, the potential for environmental preservation is thought to be higher than in most terrestrial areas. Despite this, these landscapes are often considered a ‘terra incognita’ to mainstream archaeology, due not only to the depth of water, but also to their burial through sedimentation. In the Arabian Gulf and elsewhere this has inevitably led to the marine areas being given less ‘archaeological credence’ than terrestrial areas.
Over recent years a multitude of extensive marine geophysical data sets have been gathered, chiefly for the purposes of oil and gas exploration. Although such geophysical surveys are primarily targeted towards the mapping of deep subsurface rock formations, the top section of the data can be processed specifically to detail the currently unknown shallow palaeo-geomorphology of the Gulf, providing information that would be impossible to collect within archaeological budgets. Using such data to document palaeolandscapes is just one element of a marine mapping program which can form the basis of a cohesive strategy for managing the archaeological resource in marine areas. Such strategies impact upon education, the accessibility of heritage information to the public, and ultimately the protection of this marine cultural landscape."
Over recent years a multitude of extensive marine geophysical data sets have been gathered, chiefly for the purposes of oil and gas exploration. Although such geophysical surveys are primarily targeted towards the mapping of deep subsurface rock formations, the top section of the data can be processed specifically to detail the currently unknown shallow palaeo-geomorphology of the Gulf, providing information that would be impossible to collect within archaeological budgets. Using such data to document palaeolandscapes is just one element of a marine mapping program which can form the basis of a cohesive strategy for managing the archaeological resource in marine areas. Such strategies impact upon education, the accessibility of heritage information to the public, and ultimately the protection of this marine cultural landscape."
Research Interests:
"This paper discusses the results and wider significance of archaeological excavations undertaken on a Neolithic settlement located on the island of Marawah, in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Survey and... more
"This paper discusses the results and wider significance of archaeological excavations undertaken on a Neolithic settlement located on the island of Marawah, in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Survey and excavation revealed the remains of seven prehistoric mounds associated with Neolithic structures. One of the structures measured approximately 4m long and 2m in width and, built out of stone, survived to a height of approximately 70cm. Finds include pottery, lithics, shell beads and bone. The site represents a unique architectural style for the Gulf Neolithic coastal communities, that does not have any obvious parallels. Radiocarbon analysis suggests the site was occupied around 7,600 years ago."
Survey and excavation revealed the remains of seven prehistoric mounds associated with Neolithic structures. One of the structures measured approximately 4m long and 2m in width and, built out of stone, survived to a height of approximately 70cm. Finds include pottery, lithics, shell beads and bone. The site represents a unique architectural style for the Gulf Neolithic coastal communities, that does not have any obvious parallels. Radiocarbon analysis suggests the site was occupied around 7,600 years ago."
Research Interests: Archaeology, Climate Change, Adaptation, Neolithic Archaeology, Neolithic & Chalcolithic Archaeology, and 15 moreDesertification, Holocene sea level change, Prehistory, Neolithic, Social Complexity, Computer Applications & Quantitative Methods in Archaeology (CAA), Museum Digital, gvSIG, Stone tools, Arabian Peninsula in Antiquity, Ubaid, Middle Holocene, Civilisation, Settlement & Landscape research, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
This paper summarizes some initial results using real time GPS to navigate and collect magnetometer data using Foerster sensors and a magnetic cart. The Foerster system is primarily aimed at the detection of buried ordnance and, by... more
This paper summarizes some initial results using real time GPS to navigate and collect magnetometer data using Foerster sensors and a magnetic cart. The Foerster system is primarily aimed at the detection of buried ordnance and, by comparison to some other magnetometer sensors, the reported sensitivity is relatively low. However, the sensors require no alignment in the field, nor does the system require a regular contiguous grid to be established across the survey area. The latter means that data grids of different sizes and orientation can be measured and stitched together as part of data restoration prior to processing. The accurate positioning of the data means that ‘staggering’, which is often seen in time-based collection strategies, is not apparent in the data; overall less processing is required to produce a final image than is required for other fluxgate instruments. Data from a survey at Cyrene are reproduced to illustrate the strengths of the system
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While heritage monuments are all 3D objects within the landscape the potential for recording and analysis of such objects in 3D environments has only recently been realised. This presents the opportunity not only for point-in-time,... more
While heritage monuments are all 3D objects within the landscape the potential for recording and analysis of such objects in 3D environments has only recently been realised. This presents the opportunity not only for point-in-time, millimetrically-accurate digital records but has implications for the display of heritage both in museums, across the web and for the placing of objects within their historical context. The Fort at Al Zubarah and the petroglyphs at Jebel Jassasiya are two of the most important yet antithetical heritage sites in Qatar, each of which was laser scanned as part of an investigation into the potential for 3D datasets to advance research, analysis and conservation on two diverse sites.
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Stone fish-traps are almost ubiquitous around the Qatar coastline (with the notable exception of a substantial gap between Khor al Udaid and Umm al Houl), and in excess of 320 groups of fish-traps have been identified to date. The... more
Stone fish-traps are almost ubiquitous around the Qatar coastline (with the notable exception of a substantial gap between Khor al Udaid and Umm al Houl), and in excess of 320 groups of fish-traps have been identified to date. The fish-traps display a variety of morphologies and positions within the intertidal zone, and are a significant investment in time and energy (averaging around 600m+ in length). Typically unworked fragments of limestone and faroush beach rock were used to construct a dry-stone wall. In the cases examined, these walls demonstrated no evidence of bonding material or core variation. Some of the fish-traps exhibited the use of large capstones within their upmost course. The excavation of a section across a fish-trap at Madinat al Shamal established a basal footing and associated sedimentological regime.
The volume and scale of materials suggests that passive intertidal fishing played a substantial role in the former economy, and there is evidence that such methods have been employed for thousands of years. For the existing fish-traps a firm construction date earlier than a terminus ante quem c. 1940, cannot be established however existing traps are likely to have been in use and subject to continuous repair over an extended period. Therefore feature dating, distribution and the examination of local records for references, are worthy avenues for future research into this important archaeological resource. The presence of small volumes of comparable stone fish-traps in the western isles of the UAE suggests these features may represent a distinct regional construction technology.
The volume and scale of materials suggests that passive intertidal fishing played a substantial role in the former economy, and there is evidence that such methods have been employed for thousands of years. For the existing fish-traps a firm construction date earlier than a terminus ante quem c. 1940, cannot be established however existing traps are likely to have been in use and subject to continuous repair over an extended period. Therefore feature dating, distribution and the examination of local records for references, are worthy avenues for future research into this important archaeological resource. The presence of small volumes of comparable stone fish-traps in the western isles of the UAE suggests these features may represent a distinct regional construction technology.
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Urbes Extinctae Neil Christie (ed) Ashgate Publishers
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"Survey work in 2004 identified two extensive lithics scatters in the south-eastern desert of Abu Dhabi at Umm az-Zumul. both scatters were within small interdunal areas to the south-east of large barchan dunes. At the first site (Khor... more
"Survey work in 2004 identified two extensive lithics scatters in the south-eastern desert of Abu Dhabi at Umm az-Zumul. both scatters were within small interdunal areas to the south-east of large barchan dunes. At the first site (Khor al-Manahil) a controlled pick-up of lithics recorded almost 3000 fragments of flint and stone artefacts. The typology of the artefacts suggests the scatter belongs to the so-called Arabian Bifacial Tradition (ABT). This dates the scatter to the mid-Holocene, between the seventh and fifth millennia, when the climate was wetter and the conditions more favourable. A series of undated "burnt mounds" at Khor al-Manahil was also recorded and excavated.
The second scatter (Kharimat Khor al-Manahil) was again comprised of flints belonging to the Arabian Bifacial Tradition. OSL dating suggested that these must date later than 9,000 years ago. Two shell beads, found in association with the flint scatter resemble types well known from the Neolithic cemetery of Jebel al-Buhais 18, located in Sharjah emirate in the UAE."
The second scatter (Kharimat Khor al-Manahil) was again comprised of flints belonging to the Arabian Bifacial Tradition. OSL dating suggested that these must date later than 9,000 years ago. Two shell beads, found in association with the flint scatter resemble types well known from the Neolithic cemetery of Jebel al-Buhais 18, located in Sharjah emirate in the UAE."
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Excavation of part of a Romano-British roadside settlement on the Fosse Way at Princethorpe, UK. The excavation revealed the remains of an agger associated with the Roman Road, and former road-side ditches. Settlement features included... more
Excavation of part of a Romano-British roadside settlement on the Fosse Way at Princethorpe, UK. The excavation revealed the remains of an agger associated with the Roman Road, and former road-side ditches. Settlement features included postholes and a small hearth and flue. The stratigraphic evidence suggests that the construction of the road pre-dates the road side settlement.
The pottery evidence suggested that the majority of occupation appeared to date to the late 1st or early 2nd centuries
The pottery evidence suggested that the majority of occupation appeared to date to the late 1st or early 2nd centuries
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During the course of 2008 and 2009 the Qatar Museums Authority (QMA) and the VISTA Centre at Birmingham University collaborated together on a project to analyse remotely sensed data in both the marine and terrestrial areas of Qatar. This... more
During the course of 2008 and 2009 the Qatar Museums Authority (QMA) and the VISTA Centre at Birmingham University collaborated together on a project to analyse remotely sensed data in both the marine and terrestrial areas of Qatar. This was with a view to identifying not only archaeological sites, but also deposits that would provide information about changes in the environment during the late Pleistocene and early Holocene. The interpreted data from this was subject to ground truthing and accessed via a GIS platform. At the same time the QMA were considering the development of an Historic Environment Record in order to be able to effectively manage archaeological sites within Qatar and enable the Department of Antiquities to maintain effective digital records of sites as required by Article 4 of Qatar's 'Law No. 2 of 1980 on Antiquities'.
Research Interests: Relational Database, Database Systems, Spatial Databases, Archaeological GIS, Cultural Heritage Management, and 8 moreCultural Resource Management (Archaeology), Heritage Management, Archaeological Heritage Management, Approaches to Cultural Resource Management, Cultural Resource Management Arabian Peninsula, Historic Environment Record, Data Standards, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Preliminary results from further survey and a series of test pit excavations at the flint scatter site of Ras Ushayriq (QHNER 141) during the 2010 season has led to a re-assessment of the nature and chronology of the site. Over 1500... more
Preliminary results from further survey and a series of test pit excavations at the flint scatter site of Ras Ushayriq (QHNER 141) during the 2010 season has led to a re-assessment of the nature and chronology of the site. Over 1500 lithics were collected including implements of the Arabian Bifacial Tradition (ABT) in the form of barbed and tanged arrowheads, a ‘knife’, and possible bifacial performs. The site has also yielded an axe which exhibits evidence of hafting and a particularly high number of scraper tools. A hearth has also been uncovered containing lithics, pottery, and fragments of animal and fish bone. Furthermore, over fifty pieces of Ubaid pottery were discovered, and most significantly five worked fragments of obsidian.
The diversity of technologies combined with the wide variety of different raw material types present suggests successive re-occupation of the site using both local and imported materials. Evidence of interaction between Arabia and Mesopotamia in the form of Ubaid pottery suggests a date of between 6000-3500BC, placing the main occupation of the site within the Neolithic and the early Holocene. The recovery of five worked obsidian pieces represents the largest assemblage of obsidian discovered in Qatar to date and implies that the trade in this commodity is perhaps more significant than previously surmised.
The diversity of technologies combined with the wide variety of different raw material types present suggests successive re-occupation of the site using both local and imported materials. Evidence of interaction between Arabia and Mesopotamia in the form of Ubaid pottery suggests a date of between 6000-3500BC, placing the main occupation of the site within the Neolithic and the early Holocene. The recovery of five worked obsidian pieces represents the largest assemblage of obsidian discovered in Qatar to date and implies that the trade in this commodity is perhaps more significant than previously surmised.
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... Changing perspectives on the city of Cyrene, Libya: Remote sensing and the management of the buried archaeological resource. Richard Cuttler, Chris Gaffney, Vince Gaffney, Helen Goodchild, Andy Howard et Gareth ... Andy Howard.... more
... Changing perspectives on the city of Cyrene, Libya: Remote sensing and the management of the buried archaeological resource. Richard Cuttler, Chris Gaffney, Vince Gaffney, Helen Goodchild, Andy Howard et Gareth ... Andy Howard. University of Birmingham. Gareth Sears. ...
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Excavations at Newark, Nottingham identified 3rd and 4th century Romano-British enclosure ditches and a articulated skeleton with associated grave goods. One structure within the enclosures may be a raised grannary, but no dating evidence... more
Excavations at Newark, Nottingham identified 3rd and 4th century Romano-British enclosure ditches and a articulated skeleton with associated grave goods. One structure within the enclosures may be a raised grannary, but no dating evidence was recovered for this feature.
Foundation trenches filled with mortar possibly represent the robbed-out remains of the medieval Hospital of St. Leonard.
The defensive ditiches of a Civil War earthwork known as the King's Sconce was also excavated.
Foundation trenches filled with mortar possibly represent the robbed-out remains of the medieval Hospital of St. Leonard.
The defensive ditiches of a Civil War earthwork known as the King's Sconce was also excavated.
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This details the results of excavations on part of late Iron Age occupation (3rd to 1st century BC) and a part of a Romano-British (later 1st to 3rd century AD) enclosure at Arle Court, Cheltenham. . While no clearly defined structures... more
This details the results of excavations on part of late Iron Age occupation (3rd to 1st century BC) and a part of a Romano-British (later 1st to 3rd century AD) enclosure at Arle Court, Cheltenham. . While no clearly defined structures were associated with the Romano-British enclosure, the nature of artefacts recovered from the ditch fill suggests domestic occupation. This excavation examined only a small area with a low density of features, however the results are significant because so few sites of this period from the Severn Vale have been excavated to date. A flint knife and a sherd of prehistoric potter dating to the Neolithic or Bronze-Age indicate an early phase of ephemeral or transitory settlement in the locality. There is also some evidence for the re-occupation of the site during the Saxon period, a phenomenon also recorded at other sites elsewhere in Gloucestershire.
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The historic centre of Walsall has been occupied and reoccupied over the post-medieval period with major shifts in the use of the early urban area, including quarrying and industrial activity to the construction of affluent housing. By... more
The historic centre of Walsall has been occupied and reoccupied over the post-medieval period with major shifts in the use of the early urban area, including quarrying and industrial activity to the construction of affluent housing. By the mid to late 19th century the area was largely given over to slum housing. The paper synthesizes earlier archaeological excavations and investigates the urban development within the town centre.
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Given the absence of settlement sites, the systematic excavation and recording of burial sites is fundamental to our comprehension of pre-Islamic social groups. Providing valuable insights into not only their perception of the afterlife... more
Given the absence of settlement sites, the systematic excavation and recording of burial sites is fundamental to our comprehension of pre-Islamic social groups. Providing valuable insights into not only their perception of the afterlife but also of the social organisation and general cosmology of early inhabitants. Prehistoric archaeology represents a key period in the development, migration and establishment of early societies within the Arabian Peninsula. These sites not only contribute to national historical narratives but are essential in terms of understanding the development and dispersal of early human societies within an international context.While research since the 1950’s has greatly contributed to the understanding of pre-Islamic burials practices in Qatar, there remains several periods for which the absence of comprehensive absolute chronologies remains an obstacle. More recently the presence of Ubaid pottery within several burials and the discovery of two new burials types has led us to reassess our understanding of the archaeology of death and burial in Qatar.
New research conducted by the QNHER Project during the season 2013-2014 has revealed an important 4th millennium BC burial, the first confirmed in Qatar through absolute dating. The excavation of this 4th millennium BC burial provides the foundation for a robust framework of research within the wider area. This poster will detail the results of the excavation of burial cairns in the Wadi al-Jalta (north-eastern Qatar), and the excavation of tombs in Al Ghafat (central Qatar). Excavations at both sites revealed complex and extensive chronologies which have providing a range of important proximal data.
New research conducted by the QNHER Project during the season 2013-2014 has revealed an important 4th millennium BC burial, the first confirmed in Qatar through absolute dating. The excavation of this 4th millennium BC burial provides the foundation for a robust framework of research within the wider area. This poster will detail the results of the excavation of burial cairns in the Wadi al-Jalta (north-eastern Qatar), and the excavation of tombs in Al Ghafat (central Qatar). Excavations at both sites revealed complex and extensive chronologies which have providing a range of important proximal data.
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Presentation given at the EAA Glasgow 2015 conference: It has been nearly 20 years since Kurt Lambeck proposed that three large lakes fed by the confluence of the Tigris/Euphrates Rivers dominated the former sub-aerial landscape of the... more
Presentation given at the EAA Glasgow 2015 conference: It has been nearly 20 years since Kurt Lambeck proposed that three large lakes fed by the confluence of the Tigris/Euphrates Rivers dominated the former sub-aerial landscape of the Arabian/Persian Gulf. We can be fairly certain this landscape was markedly different to the environment that dominated much of the remainder of the hyper-arid Arabian Peninsula, particularly given the presence of a guaranteed source of fresh water, and most likely extensive resources of flora and fauna. More recently researchers have postulated that during MIS 2, the Gulf very likely provided some form of environmental refugia for early human groups, principally during periods when the climate across much of the rest of the Arabian Peninsula was particularly inhospitable. Over the past seven years the Qatar National Historic Environment Record project has adopted an holistic ‘land to sea’ approach, through the collection of high-resolution marine geophysics data and high resolution bathymetric data sets, to the excavation and dating of relic coastlines associated with periods of sea level high stands between 6,000 and 4,000 years ago. This paper provides an overview of the results of this work in the context of the regional geomorphology, hydrology and early Neolithic archaeology.
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Presentation given at the EAA Glasgow 2015 conference: The development of the QNHER project in Qatar over the past 5 years, has involved the creation of the first national HER in the Middle East, combining practical aspects of... more
Presentation given at the EAA Glasgow 2015 conference:
The development of the QNHER project in Qatar over the past 5 years, has involved the creation of the first national HER in the Middle East, combining practical aspects of developing high profile research teams with sustainable capacity building and infrastructure. The challenges of rapid regional development presented significant challenges, in particular the need for a re-evaluation of Eurocentric approaches to the management of heritage. The simple transplanting of heritage management concepts from one region to another is often inappropriate and does not account for a wide range of issues from cultural sensitivity to an understanding of regional taphonomy or alternative conservation approaches in differing environments. In response to these demands, the QNHER project has developed a range of innovative methodologies based within digital frameworks. Focusing upon the growing issues of cross-communication of idiosyncratic data and the role of holistic software platforms can play in effective interrogation, analysis and dissemination of data, we have integrated Remote-sensing, Terrestrial & Marine Survey, HER software development and web-based applications through appropriate dissemination strategies and the customisation of concepts and data standards to regional needs. These concepts have formed the basis for sustainable capacity building, infrastructure and co-operative practice between government departments, academic missions and the private and public sectors.
The development of the QNHER project in Qatar over the past 5 years, has involved the creation of the first national HER in the Middle East, combining practical aspects of developing high profile research teams with sustainable capacity building and infrastructure. The challenges of rapid regional development presented significant challenges, in particular the need for a re-evaluation of Eurocentric approaches to the management of heritage. The simple transplanting of heritage management concepts from one region to another is often inappropriate and does not account for a wide range of issues from cultural sensitivity to an understanding of regional taphonomy or alternative conservation approaches in differing environments. In response to these demands, the QNHER project has developed a range of innovative methodologies based within digital frameworks. Focusing upon the growing issues of cross-communication of idiosyncratic data and the role of holistic software platforms can play in effective interrogation, analysis and dissemination of data, we have integrated Remote-sensing, Terrestrial & Marine Survey, HER software development and web-based applications through appropriate dissemination strategies and the customisation of concepts and data standards to regional needs. These concepts have formed the basis for sustainable capacity building, infrastructure and co-operative practice between government departments, academic missions and the private and public sectors.
Research Interests:
Poster detailing the work of Qatar Museums and the QNHER project and their use of systematic survey, remote sensing, landscape archaeology and geographic information systems. The utilisation of such methodologies has enabled the accurate... more
Poster detailing the work of Qatar Museums and the QNHER project and their use of systematic survey, remote sensing, landscape archaeology and geographic information systems.
The utilisation of such methodologies has enabled the accurate identification of over 7000 archaeological sites in Qatar, the poster explores some of the emerging research themes and techniques behind the current work.
Submitted to the ICOMOS 18th General Assembly as part of the 'landscape as cultural habitat' session.
The utilisation of such methodologies has enabled the accurate identification of over 7000 archaeological sites in Qatar, the poster explores some of the emerging research themes and techniques behind the current work.
Submitted to the ICOMOS 18th General Assembly as part of the 'landscape as cultural habitat' session.