Hafit

This paper details the recent re-examination of a multiperiod archaeological site discovered by the Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey [ADIAS] at a site located just to the south of Abu Dhabi International Airport in the United Arab Emirates. The site originally designated as ADA 1, is now known to extend both to the north-west and the north (Sites ADA 2 and ADA 7). A number of Late Islamic pottery scatters have also been observed to the north (Sites ADA 3–5) and east (Site ADA 6) of the main site. An earlier study of pottery collected from the surface of Site ADA 1 suggested sporadic occupation at the site from the Hafit period, c. 3100–2700 BC, with maximum settlement in the second half of the third millennium BC (de Cardi 1997). The pottery could be related to both the Umm an-Nar culture, as well as to the sequence established at Hili 8 in Period II, including wares of probably Mesopotamian and Eastern Arabian origin. The site does not appear to have been utilized during much of the second millennium BC and the Iron Age, although some pottery was recognized dating to between the first century BC and second century AD. Small quantities of Late Islamic pottery were also noted on the surface. Although lithics identified as being from the fifth and fourth millennium BC were found at the site, no pottery of Ubaid-type has been recognized amongst the pottery assemblage, although Ubaid material is now known from a number of sites along the Abu Dhabi coastline from al-Aryam, Dalmā, Ghāghah and Marawah (Beech & Elders 1999; Beech, Elders & Shepherd 2000; Flavin & Shepherd 1994; Popescu & Beech, in prep), as well as further north on the Emirates Gulf coastline.

"Book abstract:
This work is the definitive publication of the excavation that took place between 1977 and 1984 of several tombs by the French archaeological mission in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates): six tombs of Hafit type (first phase of the local early Bronze, about 3000-2700 BC) and two tombs of Umm an-Nar type (second phase of the early Bronze Age) – tomb M of Hili and tomb A of Hili north. Tomb M dates to the middle of the architectural sequence of the necropolis of Hili and is one of the rare tombs known for the middle of the 3rd millennium. Tomb A of Hili north, which is later, remains today a site of the first importance for the richness and variety of the discoveries made. It is an important landmark in the establishment of a regional chronology and its study has greatly enriched our perception of trade, on different scales. This work is the first of a series that will be published on the work carried out in the region of Al-Aïn by the French mission, which in 1999 became the French archaeological mission to the United Arab Emirates. The next two volumes will present the anthropological study of tomb N of Hili and the study of ancient technologies at Hili.B"

"Tout au long de son parcours d’archéologue, d’abord en tant que chercheur et directeur de recherches au CNRS puis en tant que professeur à l’Université de Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Serge Cleuziou a été motivé par une triple ambition : l’innovation méthodologique, la diversité thématique et la volonté de sortir des sentiers battus.
Ce volume lui est dédié, suivant des objectifs similaires, par celles et ceux qui ont partagé avec lui des sujets d’étude et des débats scientifiques, et ont comme lui participé au renouveau de l’archéologie à partir des années 1970. La recherche actuelle s’y prête fortement : l’évolution des théories et des méthodes et le recul épistémologique aujourd’hui possible, la mise en place de réflexions interdisciplinaires, la généralisation de l’intégration de l’Homme dans son environnement et les essais de modélisation à diverses échelles sont autant d’exemples qui méritent d’être réunis, et confrontés, dans un ouvrage de référence. S’y ajoutent les nouvelles données et les recherches récentes provenant de terrains longtemps considérés comme périphériques ou marginaux, en particulier la péninsule Arabique à l’époque protohistorique. Les sociétés et cultures qui se sont succédé et ont cohabité dans cette vaste région ont souvent joué un rôle non négligeable dans l’histoire orientale, en particulier – mais pas seulement – du point de vue des échanges. De plus, les caractéristiques de leur évolution témoignent d’une originalité qu’il convient de mettre en lumière avec les méthodes analytiques les plus avancées.
Quarante-cinq chercheurs ont participé à la rédaction des trente-cinq articles qui composent l’ouvrage organisé suivant trois axes principaux : la première partie épistémologique et méthodologique insiste sur l’interdisciplinarité et les dynamiques actuelles de l’archéologie dans l’optique du partage des savoirs. La seconde partie est consacrée aux diversités de l’Orient ancien avec son centre et ses marges occidentales, orientales et méridionales, et la troisième partie porte sur l’archéologie de la péninsule Omanaise.

Auteurs : Jean-Paul Demoule, Joëlle Burnouf, Sander van der Leeuw, Anick Coudart, Guillaume Gernez, Pierre Lemonnier, Pierre Gouletquer, William et Fidelity Lancaster, Alain Schnapp, Jessica Giraud, Jean-Louis Huot, Michèle Casanova, Jean-Paul Thalmann, Juris Zarins, Rémy Crassard et Jérémie Schiettecatte, Julien Charbonnier, Christopher P. Thornton et Claudio Giardino, Piotre Steinkeller, Gregory L. Possehl, Gwendoline Plisson, Serge Cleuziou et Maurizio Tosi, Jean-Jacques Glassner, Anne-Marie Lézine et Serge Cleuziou, Barbara Cerasetti et SIlvia Marigonda, Eugenio Bortolini, Daniel T. Potts, Sabrina Righetti, Michel Mouton, Anne Benoist et Joaquin M. Cordoba, Fabio Cavulli et Simona Scaruffi, Valentina Azzara, Lapo Gianni Marcucci, Olivia Munoz, Royal Omar Ghazal et Hervé Guy, Marie-Astrid Martin, Alexandre De Rorre, Olivier Blin"

In recent research, Google Earth was used successfully to detect 2840 Early Bronze Age tombs in the Wadi Andam area of Sharqiyah, Oman. The distribution of these tombs in their landscape was analysed using geographic information systems(GIS) in an attempt to shed light on the nature of Hafit society: it was tentatively concluded that they were constructed by a nomadic pastoralist population, but a concern with the dataset was the possible erroneous inclusion of a significant number of Umm an-Nar tombs, which would cast doubt on the integrity of the methodology and conclusions of the investigation. In order to assess the extent of the problem, published tombs from both periods were analysed using GIS, and a simple statistical methodology was utilized to extract a subset of structures that had a ‘high probability’ of dating to the later period. Seventy-one tombs met these parameters, and when examined on the ground all dated to the Hafit period. This result means that the Wadi Andam dataset may be used to investigate Hafit society, but further research and development of the remote sensing methodology is needed.

This chapter from the upcoming monograph of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Bat explores ceramic typology and classification issues related to pottery from recent excavations. The primary focus of this chapter is the domestic pottery from the Early Bronze Age monumental towers, which have been the subject of on-going excavation since 2007. This is the first monograph of its kind for any excavated EBA site in northern Oman and the present chapter attempts to situate the ceramic corpus in its regional and chronological framework. A more detailed synopsis of the Bat pottery is planned for the second monograph volume. Note: Please do not cite without permission of the authors. Any suggestions or comments would be greatly appreciated.