Although stucco is a challenging material to study, it proves to be useful for a researcher interested in Christian art in the Gulf and southern Mesopotamia. Comparative analyses of stucco decorations may contribute to a better... more
Although stucco is a challenging material to study, it proves to be useful for a researcher interested in Christian art in the Gulf and southern Mesopotamia. Comparative analyses of stucco decorations may contribute to a better understanding of the ecclesiastical and artistic relationships between particular sites, as well as revealing the chronological sequence of stucco production in the region. For example, a stucco panel from the site of al-Quṣūr on Failaka (Faylakā) Island, Kuwait, was most probably produced later than a small stucco plaque of similar design excavated at the church site on Ṣīr Banī Yās Island, UAE. Two other stucco fragments from al-Quṣūr are roughly contemporary with decorations from Christian sites in southern Mesopotamia. The relative dating of those stuccoes can be further correlated with the absolute dating of their sites of origin, which is based on radiocarbon analyses, studies of ceramic assemblages, and historical sources. The fact that the relative dating and the absolute dating coincide may support the dating of Ṣīr Banī Yās to between the late seventh and the second part of the eighth century, of al-Quṣūr to the eighth and early ninth centuries, and of some Christian sites in southern Mesopotamia also roughly to the eighth and early ninth centuries.
Cross College A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Archaeology Trinity Term 2017 Christian archaeology and art of the region under the jurisdiction of the Church of the East in the Late Antique and early Islamic... more
Cross College A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Archaeology Trinity Term 2017 Christian archaeology and art of the region under the jurisdiction of the Church of the East in the Late Antique and early Islamic period is an underresearched field of studies, which exists in between
Call for papers for a conference about Stucco in the Mediterranean from 300 BCE to 1200 CE that Flavia Vanni, Luca Zavagno and I organise at Bilkent University in May 2024. We hope to connect archaeologists (especially in Classical... more
Call for papers for a conference about Stucco in the Mediterranean from 300 BCE to 1200 CE that Flavia Vanni, Luca Zavagno and I organise at Bilkent University in May 2024. We hope to connect archaeologists (especially in Classical Archaeology and Islamic Archaeology), byzantinists, medievalists and art historians who work on this still understudied material (or just came accross it during their research) in the Mediterranean (broadly understood, and also in other regions, as long as the topic is somehow linked to the Mediterranean) and discuss methodology, transmissions, technologies etc. Please feel free to circulate!
Authors' Correction: Recent examination of the newly available data proved that stucco fragments represented in figures 11 and 12 do not belong to the original stucco assemblage from Jumeirah, despite that the information provided in... more
Authors' Correction: Recent examination of the newly available data proved that stucco fragments represented in figures 11 and 12 do not belong to the original stucco assemblage from Jumeirah, despite that the information provided in footnote 38 is correct. Consequently, the fragments in question should be excluded from the consideration on the chronology of the site.
Jumeirah (Dubai) is one of the most important sites for the understanding of the Abbasid period in eastern Arabia. At the same time, it is severely understudied and the small number of publications available on the subject situates Jumeirah on the margins of academic debate about the region in the Islamic period. This paper aims to prompt discussion on Jumeirah by presenting an overview of the site, a summary of archaeological research and a preliminary study of the typology of stucco decorations. Some issues regarding problems with the reconstructions and renovations of the buildings are also raised. The study of stuccoes contributes to a better understanding of the site's chronology, indicating its main phase of occupation to the Abbasid period and the possible existence of an earlier, pre-ninth or early ninth century phase.
It has been suggested that the church on Sir Bani Yas island, dated to the seventh– eighth century, originally had a tower rising over its south-eastern room. This would be a unique feature as other hitherto known churches in the Gulf... more
It has been suggested that the church on Sir Bani Yas island, dated to the seventh–
eighth century, originally had a tower rising over its south-eastern room. This would be
a unique feature as other hitherto known churches in the Gulf dated to the early Islamic
period did not have towers. One of the arguments for the existence of the tower has been
the increased thickness of the northern wall of the south-eastern room. However, close
examination of the remains reveals that the increased thickness of this wall is in fact related to the rectangular apse of the chancel. Other arguments used previously to support the claim that the church had a tower are critically assessed in this paper, which concludes that the Sir Bani Yas church had no tower and that its chancel had a rectangular apse, yet another architectural feature it shares with other early Islamic Gulf churches.
Jumeirah (Dubai) is one of the most important sites for the understanding of the Abbasid period in eastern Arabia. At the same time, it is severely understudied and the small number of publications available on the subject situates... more
Jumeirah (Dubai) is one of the most important sites for the understanding of the Abbasid period in eastern Arabia. At the same time, it is severely understudied and the small number of publications available on the subject situates Jumeirah on the margins of academic debate about the region in the Islamic period. This paper aims to prompt discussion on Jumeirah by presenting an overview of the site, a summary of archaeological research and a preliminary study of the typology of stucco decorations. Some issues regarding problems with the reconstructions and renovations of the buildings are also raised. The study of stuccoes contributes to a better understanding of the site's chronology, indicating its main phase of occupation to the Abbasid period and the possible existence of an earlier, pre-ninth or early ninth century phase.
Authors’ Correction: Recent examination of the newly available data proved that stucco fragments represented in figures 11 and 12 do not belong to the original stucco assemblage from Jumeirah, despite that the information provided in footnote 38 is correct. Consequently, the fragments in question should be excluded from the consideration on the chronology of the site.
Islamic Archaeology as a discipline has seen a spectacular growth in complexity and number of themes in the last two decades. Islamic Archaeology Conference 2024 celebrates this growth, focusing on the material culture of the Early and... more
Islamic Archaeology as a discipline has seen a spectacular growth in complexity and number of themes in the last two decades. Islamic Archaeology Conference 2024 celebrates this growth, focusing on the material culture of the Early and Middle Islamic periods (600-1500 AD). The conference aims to provide a platform for contributions from diverse groups of people and for exchanging ideas, methodologies, and discoveries in Islamic archaeology. The conference keynote speakers: Mahmoud Hawari, Andrew Petersen and Marie-Odile Rousset
