- Near Eastern Archaeology, Egyptian Archaeology, Saudi Arabia, Arabian Peninsula in Antiquity, Ceramic Analysis (Archaeology), Levantine Archaeology, and 27 moreNabataeans (Archaeology), Late Roman and early Byzantine fortifications, Early Bronze Age in the Southern Levant, History of Pre-Islamic Arabia, Near and Middle East Archaeology (Hellenistic, Roman and Byzatine times), Parthian Pottery, Palestine, Early Bronze Age, Levant, Pottery, Archaeology, Archaeology of the Hellenistic East, CFEETK Karnak, Building Materials (Archaeology), Roman Arabia (Archaeology), Arabian/Persian Gulf Archaeology, Ancient Near East, Nabataean Petra, Middle Kingdom, Middle Kingdom (Egyptology), Karnak Temple, Karnak, Temple of Ptah (Karnak), New Kingdom (Egyptology), Second Intermediate Period (Egyptology), Egyptology, and Oases of Egyptedit
- Thesis: Craft Industry and Urbanization in the Southern Levant During the Early Bronze Age. Reflections on the Social... moreThesis: Craft Industry and Urbanization in the Southern Levant During the Early Bronze Age. Reflections on the Social Structure in the Light of Ceramic Production.
2006. University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne
Advisor: J.-D. Forestedit
Bien avant l’essor des royaumes caravaniers au Ier millénaire avant notre ère, le désert d’Arabie septentrionale, en particulier le Hijaz saoudien, hébergeait déjà des populations sédentaires à l’Âge du bronze (fin du IVe-IIe millénaire... more
Bien avant l’essor des royaumes caravaniers au Ier millénaire avant notre ère, le désert d’Arabie septentrionale, en particulier le Hijaz saoudien, hébergeait déjà des populations sédentaires à l’Âge du bronze (fin du IVe-IIe millénaire avant notre ère). Contrairement à ce que les chercheurs ont longtemps pris pour acquis, à savoir des étendues désertiques uniquement peuplées de groupes de pasteurs nomades, nous savons désormais que la présence humaine dans plusieurs oasis du nord-ouest de l’Arabie se matérialisait alors par d’immenses fortifications entourant un vaste territoire agricole et des zones d’habitat sédentaire.
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The multidisciplinary investigation carried out between 2020 and 2023 by the Khaybar Longue Durée Archaeological Project (CNRS-RCU-AFALULA) demonstrates that the Khaybar Oasis was entirely enclosed by a rampart in pre-Islamic times, like... more
The multidisciplinary investigation carried out between 2020 and 2023 by the Khaybar Longue Durée Archaeological Project (CNRS-RCU-AFALULA) demonstrates that the Khaybar Oasis was entirely enclosed by a rampart in pre-Islamic times, like several other large regional walled oases in north-western Arabia (Tayma, Qurayyah, Hait, etc.). The cross-referencing of survey and remote sensing data, architectural examinations and the dating of stratified contexts have revealed a rampart initially some 14.5 km long, generally between 1.70 m and 2.40 m thick, reinforced by 180 bastions. Preserved today over just under half of the original route (41 %, 5.9 km and 74 bastions), this rampart dates back to the Bronze Age, between 2250 and 1950 BCE, and had never been detected before due to the profound reworking of the local desert landscape over time. This crucial discovery confirms the rise of a walled oasis complex in northern Arabia during the Bronze Age, a trend that proved to be central to the creation of indigenous social and political complexity.
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The present article focuses on a long-lasting phenomenon that has not yet been treated from a regional and comparative perspective, despite its exceptional character: the walled oases of north-western Arabia. It appears that several oases... more
The present article focuses on a long-lasting phenomenon that has not yet been treated from a regional and comparative perspective, despite its exceptional character: the walled oases of north-western Arabia. It appears that several oases in the region (Al-Ḥuwayyiṭ, Dūmat al-Jandal, Ḥāʾiṭ, Khaybar, Qurayyah and Taymāʾ) were entirely, or in large part, enclosed by outer walls prior to the Islamic era. These compounds comprised not only densely populated areas but the whole oasis territory, including rural zones and sometimes burial grounds. Measuring several kilometres in length, these immense defensive schemes required considerable investment by indigenous populations for their construction and maintenance until their disuse. According to our research, the walled oases phenomenon in north-western Arabia originated sometime in the late fourth−early third millennium BCE, possibly inspired by Early Bronze Age southern Levant defensive concepts, and further expanded in connection with the emergence of the trans-Arabian trade and the caravan kingdoms. These conclusions are based on the detailed technological study of the ramparts of the oasis of Dūmat al-Jandal and on the analysis of satellite imagery and scientific literature on other sites in northwestern Arabia.
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Qaryat al-Faw was the capital city of successive major tribal principalities, and a key commercial centre in the south of the Arabian Peninsula in antiquity. The site was rediscovered in the early twentieth century and has been excavated... more
Qaryat al-Faw was the capital city of successive major tribal principalities, and a key commercial centre in the south of the Arabian Peninsula in antiquity. The site was rediscovered in the early twentieth century and has been excavated by King Saud University, KSU) since 1972. In 2021–2022, in view of its nomination for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage list, the Saudi Ministry of Culture commissioned RCHeritage to initiate urgent conservation studies, and conduct preliminary research to optimize site conservation. This work involved a reappraisal of the archaeological mapping of the site. Preliminary surveys revealed the overall organization of the micro-region during the different occupation periods, in particular a strongly connected network of avenues, necropolises, and water sources in protohistory, and a concentrically organized oasis in antiquity, surrounded by a palm grove with thousands of plantation pits watered by a channel network, a fort/caravanserai area, and an open-air sanctuary.
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The Khaybar oasis is a cultural landscape that has been shaped over thousands of years by human occupation and where communities continue to live to the present day. It lies on the edge of a large lava field called Ḥarrāt Khaybar in... more
The Khaybar oasis is a cultural landscape that has been shaped over thousands of years by human occupation and where communities continue to live to the present day. It lies on the edge of a large lava field called Ḥarrāt Khaybar in north-west Saudi Arabia and combines unique geology, rich archaeology, and spectacular traditional heritage. It has been preserved for millennia, and human presence seems to have been continuous from the earliest prehistoric times to the birth of Islam and beyond. This article presents a preliminary general assessment of the archaeology of this major Arabian oasis. It aims to introduce the objectives and methods of our new survey and excavation project, the Khaybar Longue Durée Archaeological Project (2020–2024), supported by the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), the French Agency for AlUla Development (AFALULA), and the French Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). It also highlights the preliminary results of field surveys carried out inside the RCU oasis core zone in Khaybar in November 2020 and June 2021. The project yielded important discoveries in its first seasons of activity, such as the presence of Palaeolithic and Neolithic occupations, the identification of specific patterns of local desert kites, the first analyses of protohistoric funerary structures, the discovery of a monumental pre-Islamic outer wall that surrounded the oasis in the past, new pre-Islamic and Islamic sites, as well as a significant number of inscriptions and rock art from different periods and traditions.
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The Camel Site, near Sakākā, is a monumental rock art site in northern Arabia with twenty life-sized reliefs of camels and equids. A chronological assessment showed that the site was in use in the sixth millennium BC, and was repeatedly... more
The Camel Site, near Sakākā, is a monumental rock art site in northern Arabia with twenty life-sized reliefs of camels and equids. A chronological assessment showed that the site was in use in the sixth millennium BC, and was repeatedly revisited over a prolonged period, perhaps spanning several centuries. Using aerial photography and 3D models, we reconstructed the original layout of the site. Our results show that the site was probably designed to be approached via one of two main viewpoints that allowed maximum visibility of the reliefs, and that the location of individual reliefs was chosen for best visibility in the afternoon sun. Reliefs were carved across two tiers, up to a height of c.9 m, giving the site a monumental character. Analysis of individual reliefs, including the use of high-resolution 3D models of eroded reliefs, shows that the reliefs can be grouped by stylistic/technological criteria and that styles changed over time. Reliefs of equids may be linked to a pre-Neolithic tradition of depicting wild equids in the rock art. Faunal remains recovered at the site included remains of equids found alongside lithic artefacts and beads of various materials. Evidence of possible on-site processing and cooking of equids suggests that the symbology of equids, and perhaps camels, probably extended beyond their depiction in the reliefs.
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The location of Madian (or Midian), a toponym or ethnonym mentioned many times in the Old Testament and the Qurʾān has been the subject of intense scientific debate since the 19th century. In this article, we provide an overview of... more
The location of Madian (or Midian), a toponym or ethnonym mentioned many times in the Old Testament and the Qurʾān has been the subject of intense scientific debate since the 19th century.
In this article, we provide an overview of textual sources and field data leading many researchers to identify Madian with the oasis of al-Badʿ in northwest Arabia. The extent and variety of remains on this archaeological site − explored for the first time by a Franco-Saudi mission (2017-2021) − confirms a long and rich history, that remained forgotten until today.
The reassessment of scientific arguments tends to show, without much doubt, that the oasis of al-Badʿ is indeed Madyan in Islamic times, and most likely Madiama at the turn of the first millennium CE. The oasis was likely part of a large Midianite tribal confederation in the first millennium BCE. and possibly even earlier at the end of the second millennium BCE. The oldest traces of occupation in the oasis date back to the seventh millennium BCE.
La localisation de Madian, toponyme ou ethnonyme mentionné à de nombreuses reprises dans l’Ancien Testament et le Coran, est le sujet d’un intense débat scientifique depuis le 19e s.
Dans le présent article, nous proposons de faire un tour d’horizon des sources textuelles et des données de terrain conduisant de nombreux chercheurs à identifier Madian avec l’oasis d’al-Badʿ dans le nord-ouest de l’Arabie. L’étendue et la variété des vestiges sur ce site archéologique − pour la première fois exploré par une mission franco-saoudienne (2017-2021) − confirment de fait une longue et riche histoire, oubliée jusqu’à aujourd’hui.
La réévaluation des arguments scientifiques tend à montrer, sans guère d’équivoque, que l’oasis d’al-Badʿ est bien Madyan à l’époque islamique, et très vraisemblablement Madiama durant l’Antiquité “classique”. L’oasis faisait vraisemblablement partie d’une vaste confédération tribale Madianite au premier millénaire av. J.-C. et possiblement même à la fin du deuxième millénaire av. J.-C. Les plus anciennes traces d’occupation dans l’oasis remontent, quant à elles, au 7e millénaire av. J.-C.
In this article, we provide an overview of textual sources and field data leading many researchers to identify Madian with the oasis of al-Badʿ in northwest Arabia. The extent and variety of remains on this archaeological site − explored for the first time by a Franco-Saudi mission (2017-2021) − confirms a long and rich history, that remained forgotten until today.
The reassessment of scientific arguments tends to show, without much doubt, that the oasis of al-Badʿ is indeed Madyan in Islamic times, and most likely Madiama at the turn of the first millennium CE. The oasis was likely part of a large Midianite tribal confederation in the first millennium BCE. and possibly even earlier at the end of the second millennium BCE. The oldest traces of occupation in the oasis date back to the seventh millennium BCE.
La localisation de Madian, toponyme ou ethnonyme mentionné à de nombreuses reprises dans l’Ancien Testament et le Coran, est le sujet d’un intense débat scientifique depuis le 19e s.
Dans le présent article, nous proposons de faire un tour d’horizon des sources textuelles et des données de terrain conduisant de nombreux chercheurs à identifier Madian avec l’oasis d’al-Badʿ dans le nord-ouest de l’Arabie. L’étendue et la variété des vestiges sur ce site archéologique − pour la première fois exploré par une mission franco-saoudienne (2017-2021) − confirment de fait une longue et riche histoire, oubliée jusqu’à aujourd’hui.
La réévaluation des arguments scientifiques tend à montrer, sans guère d’équivoque, que l’oasis d’al-Badʿ est bien Madyan à l’époque islamique, et très vraisemblablement Madiama durant l’Antiquité “classique”. L’oasis faisait vraisemblablement partie d’une vaste confédération tribale Madianite au premier millénaire av. J.-C. et possiblement même à la fin du deuxième millénaire av. J.-C. Les plus anciennes traces d’occupation dans l’oasis remontent, quant à elles, au 7e millénaire av. J.-C.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Classical Archaeology, Near Eastern Archaeology, Landscape Archaeology, Neolithic Archaeology, and 7 moreNabataeans (Archaeology), Early Bronze Age (Archaeology), Arabian/Persian Gulf Archaeology, Arabian Peninsula in Antiquity, History of Pre-Islamic Arabia, Moses, and Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
Among the rock art in Arabia, a little-known Neolithic tradition of large, naturalistic camel depictions stands out. Their geographic distribution and stylistic traits suggest close links with the Camel Site reliefs. Four newly documented... more
Among the rock art in Arabia, a little-known Neolithic tradition of large, naturalistic camel depictions stands out. Their geographic distribution and stylistic traits suggest close links with the Camel Site reliefs. Four newly documented panels appear to have been carved by the same individual (or group), tracing repeated movements over hundreds of kilometres.
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The Camel Site is in the north of Saudi Arabia in the province of al-Jawf. It is characterised by three decaying sandstone hillocks with life-sized 3D engravings (or reliefs) of camels and equids likely carved during later prehistory. A... more
The Camel Site is in the north of Saudi Arabia in the province of al-Jawf. It is characterised by three decaying sandstone hillocks with life-sized 3D engravings (or reliefs) of camels and equids likely carved during later prehistory. A survey in the central area of the site identified clusters of flakes and other flintknapping remains in the lower areas between the sandstone spurs and larger silcrete tools directly underneath the animal depictions. Some of these tools presented abraded edges, possibly from prolonged contact with the soft and abrasive sandstone that constitutes the rock spurs where the animals were carved. Experiments were performed to test this hypothesis and have a reference collection for further traceological analysis. The chaine opératoire of the experimental engraving tools, from raw material procurement, tool manufacture and use, reuse and discard, was conducted with locally available materials comparable to the archaeological specimens. Specific experimental variables, including how the force was applied, in what direction the movement took place and the orientation of the stone tool during the experiment, were also recorded. Macro-and microscopic analyses of the experimental collection and a sample of archaeological artefacts seem to show that the ancient tools found on the surface were probably used to make the camelid and equid reliefs at the site.
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Today the austere deserts of Saudi Arabia evoke images of wandering nomads. But in late prehistory Saudi Arabia was surprisingly green and hospitable, the product of a humid period that lasted for at least four thousand years. One... more
Today the austere deserts of Saudi Arabia evoke images of wandering nomads. But in late prehistory Saudi Arabia was surprisingly green and hospitable, the product of a humid period that lasted for at least four thousand years. One familiar figure, however, that unites the two scenes are camels.
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The life-sized, naturalistic reliefs at the Camel Site in northern Arabia have been severely damaged by erosion. This, coupled with substantial destruction of the surrounding archaeological landscape, has made a chronological assessment... more
The life-sized, naturalistic reliefs at the Camel Site in northern Arabia have been severely damaged by erosion. This, coupled with substantial destruction of the surrounding archaeological landscape, has made a chronological assessment of the site difficult. To overcome these problems, we combined results from a wide range of methods, including analysis of surviving tool marks, assessment of weathering and erosion patterns, portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, and luminescence dating of fallen fragments. In addition, test excavations identified a homogenous lithic assemblage and faunal remains that were sampled for radiocarbon dating. Our results show that the reliefs were carved with stone tools and that the creation of the reliefs, as well as the main period of activity at the site, date to the Neolithic. Neolithic arrowheads and radiocarbon dates attest occupation between 5200 and 5600 BCE. This is consistent with measurements of the areal density of manganese and iron in the rock varnish. The site was likely in use over a longer period and reliefs were re-worked when erosion began to obscure detailed features. By 1000 BCE, erosion was advanced enough to cause first panels to fall, in a process that continues until today. The Camel Site is likely home to the oldest surviving large-scale (naturalistic) animal reliefs in the world.
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Following two centuries of research at Karnak, our understanding of the origins and development of this famous ancient Egyptian temple complex remains limited. Recent archaeological excavation in the Ptah temple, however, has reached its... more
Following two centuries of research at Karnak, our understanding of the origins and development of this famous ancient Egyptian temple complex remains limited. Recent archaeological excavation in the Ptah temple, however, has reached its earliest levels, providing a first, securely dated stratigraphic sequence. Despite flood risks, the development of the religious complex c. 2200–2000 BC was made possible by the retreating Nile riverbank. Thus, the river and the expanding Karnak temple complex played major roles in the takeover of Egypt by the Eleventh Dynasty rulers and the growth of the new capital at Thebes, a potent combination of forces— fluvial, religious and secular—encountered among other early state powers.
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Prehistoric stone structures are prominent and well studied in the Levantine desert margins. In northern Arabia, however, such structures have received less attention. This article presents the results of investigations of a 35m-long... more
Prehistoric stone structures are prominent and well studied in the Levantine desert margins. In northern Arabia, however, such structures have received less attention. This article presents the results of investigations of a 35m-long stone platform, first constructed in the mid sixth millennium BC, overlooking the oasis of Dûmat al-Jandal in northern Saudi Arabia.
Excavation of the platform has yielded bioarchaeological and cultural remains, along with evidence for several phases of construction and intermittent use down to the first millennium BC. Analysis of the platform and nearby tombs highlights the persistent funerary and ritual use of this area over millennia, illuminating nomadic pastoralist lifeways in prehistoric Arabia.
Excavation of the platform has yielded bioarchaeological and cultural remains, along with evidence for several phases of construction and intermittent use down to the first millennium BC. Analysis of the platform and nearby tombs highlights the persistent funerary and ritual use of this area over millennia, illuminating nomadic pastoralist lifeways in prehistoric Arabia.
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Rock art is undoubtedly one of the most impressive testimonies left by the ancient inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula over the course of several millennia. While the study of this rich heritage is still in its early stages, the present... more
Rock art is undoubtedly one of the most impressive testimonies left by the ancient inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula over the course of several millennia. While the study of this rich heritage is still in its early stages, the present paper draws attention to the existence of a remarkable and almost unknown artistic phenomenon attested in the western part of the Peninsula, which consists of large-sized representations of camels (Camelus dromedarius), arguably the most ‘characteristic’ animal species of Arabia. Life-size, and sometimes larger-than-life, carvings of camels have been reported across a large area that stretches from the Najrān area in southern Saudi Arabia northwards to Petra, in southern Jordan. Although it is possible that the carvings share a common cultural substratum, these different figures clearly do not form a homogeneous group. At least six different regional rock art traditions can be identified. The present paper provides a first characterization of their stylistic features, chronological setting, and the technical skills involved, and also considers the epigraphic inscriptions which occasionally accompany large-sized camel engravings. In addition, we explore the cultural and environmental background of the communities and individuals that created them and examine this monumental rock art theme over the longue durée.
Research Interests: Prehistoric Archaeology, Epigraphy (Archaeology), Rock Art (Archaeology), Saudi Arabia, Neolithic Archaeology, and 15 moreJordan, Nabataeans (Archaeology), Tribology, Prehistory, Prehistoric Rock Art, Rock Art, Nabataean Petra, Tribal studies, Epigraphy, Arabian/Persian Gulf Archaeology, Arabian Peninsula in Antiquity, History of Pre-Islamic Arabia, Camels, Thamudic, and Camelus Dromedarius
I cammelli a grandezza naturale scolpiti con grande ricchezza di particolari a Camel Site presso Sakaka (provincia di Jawf) sono un unicum nel Vicino Oriente (fig. 1). A oggi si conoscono dodici rilievi, che raf-figurano almeno dieci... more
I cammelli a grandezza naturale scolpiti con grande ricchezza di particolari a Camel Site presso Sakaka (provincia di Jawf) sono un unicum nel Vicino Oriente (fig. 1). A oggi si conoscono dodici rilievi, che raf-figurano almeno dieci cammelli (Camelus dromedarius), tre equidi (probabilmente Equus africanus, Equus africanus asinus o Equus hemionus) e quattro animali non identificati 1. Malgrado l'avanzato stato di erosione di tutti i riquadri, quanto si può ancora apprezzare nella resa delle narici, delle labbra e dei muscoli delle zampe evidenzia una grande attenzione ai dettagli. Il tempo e l'impegno che gli scultori de-dicarono alla realizzazione di questi rilievi monumentali denotano l'importanza che cammelli ed equidi ri-vestivano per le popolazioni preistoriche dell'Arabia. Cammelli e asini addomesticati erano essenziali per la sopravvivenza in quelle regioni ostili e sterili, dove erano impiegati per il trasporto di carichi su lunghe distanze e come fonte di latte e di carne 2 ; dalle opere d'arte rupestre sappiamo anche che i loro antena-ti selvatici erano oggetto di caccia 3. I rilievi del Camel Site raffigurano gli animali allo stato di natura; a tutt'oggi non sono stati riscontrati segni di addomesticamento o di controllo umano, e la figura umana è del tutto assente. La straordinaria abilità nell'uso dell'alto e del basso rilievo e il naturalismo nella resa a grandezza na-turale dei cammelli e degli equidi non hanno eguali nella penisola arabica. Inoltre, considerando l'ubica-zione del Camel Site in una regione culturalmente ricca durante tutta la preistoria, sorprendono la tota-le assenza di iscrizioni coeve e la scarsità di petroglifi di alto genere 4. La posizione e il carattere del sito sollevano alcuni interrogativi: Qual era la funzione o forse il significato simbolico del sito? Chi eseguì i rilievi, e perché non compaiono da nessun'altra parte dell'Arabia? Quali tecniche e quali strumenti furono utilizzati per scolpire questi maestosi animali? Quanto sono antichi i rilievi, e per quanto tempo fu utilizzato il sito?
Un interesse particolare rivestono le condizioni attuali del sito, che è minacciato da un’erosione naturale estremamente rapida dell’arenaria: come possiamo mitigare un processo erosivo che sta provocando il distacco di frammenti e che di anno in anno può portare alla perdita di interi rilievi? Lo stato di conservazione è visibilmente precario, e il rischio che questo importante documento dell’arte rupestre vada perduto sul breve periodo è molto grave.
Un interesse particolare rivestono le condizioni attuali del sito, che è minacciato da un’erosione naturale estremamente rapida dell’arenaria: come possiamo mitigare un processo erosivo che sta provocando il distacco di frammenti e che di anno in anno può portare alla perdita di interi rilievi? Lo stato di conservazione è visibilmente precario, e il rischio che questo importante documento dell’arte rupestre vada perduto sul breve periodo è molto grave.
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The Camel Site is a unique rock-art site in Arabia with bas-relief and high relief representations of life-sized camels and equids. It is of exceptional archaeological and historical value and is in great danger of destruction. Protection... more
The Camel Site is a unique rock-art site in Arabia with bas-relief and high relief representations of life-sized camels and equids. It is of exceptional archaeological and historical value and is in great danger of destruction. Protection of the site is therefore of paramount importance. The monumental scale of the site is still visible despite considerable erosion, but the ongoing loss of reliefs presents enormous challenges for the future of the site. Conservation strategies are now being assessed and a site management plan is in preparation. The sculptures must be consolidated, and some urgently need to be moved and restored. Unfortunately, the poor state of preservation at the Camel Site requires urgent action!
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Although particularly spectacular, the caches of sacred artefacts discovered in Egyptian religious complexes, often discussed in the literature, have rarely been interrogated from a purely archaeological point of view. In this paper, we... more
Although particularly spectacular, the caches of sacred artefacts discovered in Egyptian religious complexes, often discussed in the literature, have rarely been interrogated from a purely archaeological point of view. In this paper, we have tried to consider the context of discovery of the caches as a priority. Through this examination, we propose to identify among caches of sacred artefacts those that can really be characterised as ‘sacred’ (that is to say, having received a liturgical burial at the hands of the temple clergy), by establishing a classification according to common and objective criteria.
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Main results of the French component of the Saudi-Italian-French archaeological project in the oasis of Dûmat al-Jandal (Saudi Arabia, Jawf province ; dir. G. Charloux, CNRS, and R. Loreto, univ. L'Orientale of Naples) between 2010 and... more
Main results of the French component of the Saudi-Italian-French archaeological project in the oasis of Dûmat al-Jandal (Saudi Arabia, Jawf province ; dir. G. Charloux, CNRS, and R. Loreto, univ. L'Orientale of Naples) between 2010 and 2017.
Principaux résultats des études menées entre 2010 et 2017 dans l'oasis de Dûmat al-Jandal (Arabie saoudite, province du Jawf) par la composante française de la mission archéologique Italo-franco-saoudienne (dir. G. Charloux, CNRS & R. Loreto, univ. L'Orientale de Naples).
Principaux résultats des études menées entre 2010 et 2017 dans l'oasis de Dûmat al-Jandal (Arabie saoudite, province du Jawf) par la composante française de la mission archéologique Italo-franco-saoudienne (dir. G. Charloux, CNRS & R. Loreto, univ. L'Orientale de Naples).
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Water management is essential for survival in marginal environments such as the North Arabian desert. The present study examines strategies of water management near Dûmat al-Jandal, a major oasis at the edge of the Nafud. Through a... more
Water management is essential for survival in marginal environments such as the North Arabian desert. The present study examines strategies of water management near Dûmat al-Jandal, a major oasis at the edge of the Nafud. Through a synthesis of architectural, ceramic and geological data sets, we attempt to reconstruct the purpose and function of a water collecting system recently discovered in the desert margin of the oasis. We then compare this system with those found in other Arabian oases to understand the origins and influences on the present system. We conclude that the closest comparable strategies of water management can be found in Northwestern Arabia, where Nabataean systems blended with local strategies.
Les aménagements hydrauliques sont essentiels à la survie dans un environnement marginal désertique comme l’Arabie du Nord. Le but de cet article est d’étudier la gestion de l’eau en marge de l’oasis historique de Dûmat al-Jandal, située au nord du Nafûd. Nous nous proposons de reconstituer la fonction d’un système hydraulique de collecte d’eau de pluie récemment découvert, à travers une synthèse architecturale,
un court examen de la céramique et en interrogeant les données géologiques du site. Nous comparons également ce système de collecte avec ceux développés dans d’autres oasis d’Arabie afin de comprendre ses origines et ses influences. Il est ainsi possible de conclure que les stratégies hydrauliques les plus proches du système hydraulique à l’étude se trouvent en Arabie du Nord-Ouest, où les Nabatéens surent intégrer des stratégies locales.
Les aménagements hydrauliques sont essentiels à la survie dans un environnement marginal désertique comme l’Arabie du Nord. Le but de cet article est d’étudier la gestion de l’eau en marge de l’oasis historique de Dûmat al-Jandal, située au nord du Nafûd. Nous nous proposons de reconstituer la fonction d’un système hydraulique de collecte d’eau de pluie récemment découvert, à travers une synthèse architecturale,
un court examen de la céramique et en interrogeant les données géologiques du site. Nous comparons également ce système de collecte avec ceux développés dans d’autres oasis d’Arabie afin de comprendre ses origines et ses influences. Il est ainsi possible de conclure que les stratégies hydrauliques les plus proches du système hydraulique à l’étude se trouvent en Arabie du Nord-Ouest, où les Nabatéens surent intégrer des stratégies locales.
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Results of 2010 and 2011 archaeological campaigns at Dûmat al-Jandal
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Recent excavations in the temple of Ptah built by Thutmosis III at Karnak confirm the existence of an earlier building dated to the end of the Second Intermediate Period or the beginning of the 18th Dynasty. The analysis of the mudbrick... more
Recent excavations in the temple of Ptah built by Thutmosis III at Karnak confirm the existence of an earlier building dated to the end of the Second Intermediate Period or the beginning of the 18th Dynasty. The analysis of the mudbrick remains, very deteriorated and difficult to access, discovered under the temple, reveals an earlier mudbrick building composed of three rooms whose orientation differs from that of the Tuthmosid temple. The tripartite composition, however, is comparable to the stone temple, analogy that suggests that the original building could have the same functions as his successor: a sanctuary dedicated to Ptah and Hathor and a place of welcome during the processional outings of Amon.
Les fouilles récentes dans le temple de Ptah bâti par Thoutmosis III à Karnak confirment l’existence d’un édifice antérieur daté de la fin de la Deuxième Période intermédiaire ou du début de la XVIIIe dynastie. L’analyse des vestiges en briques, à la fois très détériorés et difficiles d’accès découverts sous le temple, révèle un édifice antérieur en brique composé de trois salles mais dont l’orientation diffère de celle du temple thoutmoside. La composition tripartite est toutefois comparable au temple en pierre, analogie qui permet de proposer que le temple antérieur ait pu, dès l’origine, avoir les mêmes fonctions que son successeur : un sanctuaire consacré à Ptah et à Hathor et un lieu d’accueil lors des sorties processionnelles d’Amon.
Les fouilles récentes dans le temple de Ptah bâti par Thoutmosis III à Karnak confirment l’existence d’un édifice antérieur daté de la fin de la Deuxième Période intermédiaire ou du début de la XVIIIe dynastie. L’analyse des vestiges en briques, à la fois très détériorés et difficiles d’accès découverts sous le temple, révèle un édifice antérieur en brique composé de trois salles mais dont l’orientation diffère de celle du temple thoutmoside. La composition tripartite est toutefois comparable au temple en pierre, analogie qui permet de proposer que le temple antérieur ait pu, dès l’origine, avoir les mêmes fonctions que son successeur : un sanctuaire consacré à Ptah et à Hathor et un lieu d’accueil lors des sorties processionnelles d’Amon.
Research Interests: Religion, Ancient Egyptian Religion, Egyptology, Architecture, Egyptian Art and Archaeology, and 12 moreHistory of Religion, Pottery (Archaeology), Egyptian Archaeology, Ceramic Analysis (Archaeology), Lithic Technology, Second Intermediate Period (Egyptology), New Kingdom (Egyptology), Ancient Egyptian Architecture, Ancient Egyptian Art and Archaeology, Ancient Seals and Sealings, Ancient Egypt, and Karnak Temple
This paper presents the results of the excavations undertaken in Area 1 of ancient Hegra (modern Madā'in Sālih) in north-western Saudi Arabia. The four seasons conducted from 2008 to 2011 in the residential area have revealed a long... more
This paper presents the results of the excavations undertaken in Area 1 of ancient Hegra (modern Madā'in Sālih) in north-western
Saudi Arabia. The four seasons conducted from 2008 to 2011 in the residential area have revealed a long sequence of domestic
occupation between the fifth–fourth century BC and the fourth–fifth century AD. The interdisciplinary study of the archaeological
and bio-archaeological material has identified different activities performed in this area during its latest phase of occupation and has
dated the abandonment of the ancient city.
Saudi Arabia. The four seasons conducted from 2008 to 2011 in the residential area have revealed a long sequence of domestic
occupation between the fifth–fourth century BC and the fourth–fifth century AD. The interdisciplinary study of the archaeological
and bio-archaeological material has identified different activities performed in this area during its latest phase of occupation and has
dated the abandonment of the ancient city.
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The relative scarcity of ancient Arabian rock reliefs has been a significant barrier to understanding the development, function and socio-cultural context of such art. The recently discovered ‘Camel Site’ in northern Arabia depicts, for... more
The relative scarcity of ancient Arabian rock reliefs has been a significant barrier to understanding the development, function and socio-cultural context of such art. The recently discovered ‘Camel Site’ in northern Arabia depicts, for the first time, life-sized camelids and equids carved in low- and high-relief. Analysis and stylistic comparison of the art suggest a distinct Arabian tradition, which perhaps drew upon Nabataean and Parthian influences. That this isolated and seemingly uninhabitable site attracted highly skilled rock-carvers is striking testimony to its importance for surrounding populations. Perhaps serving as a boundary marker or a place of veneration, the Camel Site offers important new evidence for the evolution of Arabian rock art.
Research Interests:
The relationship of statues to the deities they represent is reflected in the special treatments they were often accorded during and after their primary use and display. In 2014 an unusual favissa—an intentionally hidden cache of... more
The relationship of statues to the deities they represent is reflected in the special treatments they were often accorded during and after their primary use and display. In 2014 an unusual favissa—an intentionally hidden cache of religious objects—was discovered in the temple of Ptah at Karnak in Egypt. Such caches are generally poorly documented and difficult to date. The favissa contained numerous fragmentary statuettes and figurines, including 14 representing Osiris, carefully arranged around a larger central statue of Ptah. By comparing this cache with evidence from other Egyptian favissae, a hypothesis is proposed to explain the creation of such caches: the Osirian burial of an artefact, in this case the deposition of the ‘deceased’ statue of the god Ptah and its assimilation with Osiris, the god of rebirth.
Available at http://dx.doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2017.137.
Available at http://dx.doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2017.137.
Research Interests:
As an obsolete underground water supply system, the qanât is particularly affected by the destruction and demolition taking place within the oases of Saudi Arabia. In a period of economic and demographic growth, the oasis of Dûmat... more
As an obsolete underground water supply system, the qanât is particularly affected by the destruction and demolition taking place within the oases of Saudi Arabia. In a period of economic and demographic growth, the oasis of Dûmat al-Jandal (province of
Jawf) is a good example of such an evolution. Qanâts have been replaced by everdeeper pumping systems since the mid-twentieth century, and the series of shafts associated with these monumental structures, well known elsewhere in the Middle East, are no longer
visible from the surface, primarily for reasons of security. The investigation conducted since 2011 by the Saudi–Italian–French archaeological project in Dûmat al-Jandal provides a first image of the ancient hydraulic network through a combination of complementary analyses integrated into a GIS: field surveys, oral information gathering, underground exploration, analysis of old aerial photographs and comparison with recent satellites images.
Jawf) is a good example of such an evolution. Qanâts have been replaced by everdeeper pumping systems since the mid-twentieth century, and the series of shafts associated with these monumental structures, well known elsewhere in the Middle East, are no longer
visible from the surface, primarily for reasons of security. The investigation conducted since 2011 by the Saudi–Italian–French archaeological project in Dûmat al-Jandal provides a first image of the ancient hydraulic network through a combination of complementary analyses integrated into a GIS: field surveys, oral information gathering, underground exploration, analysis of old aerial photographs and comparison with recent satellites images.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Water, Landscape Archaeology, Landscape Architecture, Water resources, and 11 moreSaudi Arabia, Nabataeans (Archaeology), Roman Arabia (Archaeology), Speleology, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Karst and speleology, Arabian/Persian Gulf Archaeology, Arabian Peninsula in Antiquity, History of Pre-Islamic Arabia, Oasis, and Qanat systems
Recent excavations in the temple of Ptah at Karnak confirm the
existence of an earlier mud-brick sanctuary.
existence of an earlier mud-brick sanctuary.
Research Interests:
A large U-shaped building made of stones discovered in 2011 at the top of a promontory in Dûmat al-Jandal (modern Dumat, Saudi Arabia) is interpreted as a vast freestanding open-air Nabataean triclinium. Radiocarbon dating and pottery... more
A large U-shaped building made of stones discovered in 2011 at the top of a promontory in Dûmat al-Jandal (modern Dumat, Saudi Arabia) is interpreted as a vast freestanding open-air Nabataean triclinium. Radiocarbon dating and pottery readings set the main occupation of this triclinium during a relatively short period, between the late first century b.c. and the late first
century/early second century a.d. Excavation of the structure reveals pottery dishes and fireplaces regularly distributed throughout the occupation surface. Multidisciplinary studies of the archaeological material (pottery, bone, and plant remains) provide an opportunity to focus on the activities carried out within this type of cultic structure. By comparing the data with that of other studies undertaken in similar Nabataean triclinia found in Petra, Jordan, and Hegra, Saudi Arabia, in particular, this article seeks to give new insights into the question of "ritual meals.” Moreover, this discovery of a first typical Nabataean building in Dûmat al-Jandal confirms Nabataean
control over trade routes north of the Arabian Peninsula at the turn of the Christian era.
century/early second century a.d. Excavation of the structure reveals pottery dishes and fireplaces regularly distributed throughout the occupation surface. Multidisciplinary studies of the archaeological material (pottery, bone, and plant remains) provide an opportunity to focus on the activities carried out within this type of cultic structure. By comparing the data with that of other studies undertaken in similar Nabataean triclinia found in Petra, Jordan, and Hegra, Saudi Arabia, in particular, this article seeks to give new insights into the question of "ritual meals.” Moreover, this discovery of a first typical Nabataean building in Dûmat al-Jandal confirms Nabataean
control over trade routes north of the Arabian Peninsula at the turn of the Christian era.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Classical Archaeology, Near Eastern Archaeology, Saudi Arabia, Ancient Religion, and 12 moreAncient Near East, Nabataeans (Archaeology), Ancient Near East (Archaeology), Ancient Near Eastern archaeology, Nabataean Religion, Arabian/Persian Gulf Archaeology, Arabian Peninsula, Archéologie, Arabian Peninsula in Antiquity, Nabataeans, Nabataean Archaeology, Pre-Islamic Arabia, and Roman Archaeology
This paper reassesses the political and cultural chronology of northwest Arabia in the second half of the 1st millennium BC. A close review of the available epigraphic and iconographic evidence shows that it cannot provide any firm... more
This paper reassesses the political and cultural chronology of northwest Arabia in the second half of the 1st millennium BC. A close review of the available epigraphic and iconographic evidence shows that it cannot provide any firm chronological anchor for the kingdom of Liḥyān nor for the Nabataean takeover of the area: only archaeology may offer new insights into the history of this important but poorly known period. Recent excavation results from Hegra / Madā’in Ṣāliḥ and from various sites in the al-‘Ulā oasis (Dadan / Khuraybah, Tall al-Kathīb, Khīf al-Zahrah) suggest a disruption in the settlement history and the material culture of the area in the 3rd c. BC. At that time, Dadan and its peripheral settlements seem to have entered a phase of decline, while the Iron Age painted pottery tradition probably came to an end. Conversely, the Saudi-French excavations at Hegra show uninterrupted occupation and development throughout the second half of the 1st millennium BC, suggesting that this site had replaced Dadan as a regional centre by the early 2nd c. BC – i.e. well before the commonly accepted date for the Nabataean takeover of the area. Numismatic data confirm the existence of an autonomous power at Hegra from the late 3rd or early 2nd c. through the 1st c. BC, revealing a hitherto unknown chapter in the political and cultural history of northwest Arabia.
Research Interests:
Since 2013, the authors have conducted archaeological surveys across the Al-Jawf province in northern Saudi Arabia. In the past two seasons, 48 sites were mapped and characterized by the presence of Levallois technology and, therefore,... more
Since 2013, the authors have conducted archaeological surveys across the Al-Jawf province in northern Saudi Arabia. In the past two seasons, 48 sites were mapped and characterized by the presence of Levallois technology and, therefore, attributed to the Middle Paleolithic of Arabia. Preferential Levallois reduction using different methods of dorsal core preparation have been found at these sites. The technological variability includes Nubian Levallois methods, preferential Levallois with centripetal preparation, as well as recurrent centripetal reduction methods. In Arabia, sites with Nubian Levallois reduction are known from southern Oman, eastern Yemen, and central Saudi Arabia, while in Africa this reduction method has been identified across much of the northeastern continent. Preferential Levallois with centripetal preparation and recurrent centripetal Levallois methods have been found across Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates. Outside of Arabia, these methods have been found in many regions across the Old World. In this paper, we present the results from technological analyses on the Middle Paleolithic assemblages from the newly discovered Al-Jawf sites. The technological data are used to place these sites into a wider regional framework, assessing whether connections with known lithic industries from across the Near East and northeastern Africa can be surmised.
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Two reports on excavations carried out in 1985–1986 by archaeologist Khaled Abdulaziz al-Dayel and published in the journal Atlal (1988, 1986) have revealed the existence of ‘Hellenistic tombs’ in the Dumat al-Jandal oasis (ancient... more
Two reports on excavations carried out in 1985–1986 by archaeologist Khaled Abdulaziz al-Dayel and published in the journal Atlal (1988, 1986) have revealed the existence of ‘Hellenistic tombs’ in the Dumat al-Jandal oasis (ancient Adummatu/Dumat/Dumata) in northern Saudi Arabia. Although attributed more precisely to the Nabataeans by Khalil al-Muaikel (1994), these tombs nevertheless appear not to have interested specialists of this historical period in the least. Moreover, a re-examination of the architectural data and of the grave-goods indicates the difficulty of establishing a link between the unearthed remains and a purely ‘Nabataean’ cultural sphere (i.e. of the Petra type). This study therefore attempts to reassess published archaeological data, formulate questions on the Nabataean presence in the oasis, and also to demonstrate the relations connecting Dumat to the great Levantine and Mesopotamian cultural spheres between the first century BC and the second century AD.
Research Interests:
The Domain of the Temple of Ptah at Karnak. New Field Data. After seven seasons of archaeological research in the temple of Ptah and in its southern and eastern vicinity, the main objectives set at the origin of the project have now been... more
The Domain of the Temple of Ptah at Karnak. New Field Data.
After seven seasons of archaeological research in the temple of Ptah and in its southern and eastern vicinity, the main objectives set at the origin of the project have now been achieved.
First, the extension of the temple has been delimited by the clearing of the upper part of the enclosure towards the east. This significant result for the study of the monument makes it possible to evaluate with precision the maximum extent of the religious domain during the Ptolemaic period. On the occasion of this clearing, a room appeared to the south of the small gate C’ which would be tempting to identify as a chapel or a storeroom of the religious complex.
Then the date of the earliest stage of the temple and the diachronic evolution of the area were revealed by the opening of a large stratigraphic sounding to the south of the building. It appeared that a series of domestic settlements – still under study – preceded religious structures. A mudbrick building anterior to the sandstone building of Thutmose III and dating to the end of the 17th and the beginning of the 18th Dynasty was also uncovered, confirming the epigraphic testimonies of the existence of an older sanctuary. In addition, the deep sounding provided an opportunity to clarify the different phases of the inner enclosures to the south of the sanctuary, allowing a basis for reflection to sequence the structures surrounding the sandstone building as well as for the understanding of the functionality of adjacent spaces.
Finally, the last occupation of the area, which is being examined to the east of the Ptah temple, revealed an imposing residential area dating to the end of the 4th-early 5th century AD. The discovered artifacts testify to the Christian occupation of the site, but also to a gradual transition between Christian and pagan rites of the preceding period.
After seven seasons of archaeological research in the temple of Ptah and in its southern and eastern vicinity, the main objectives set at the origin of the project have now been achieved.
First, the extension of the temple has been delimited by the clearing of the upper part of the enclosure towards the east. This significant result for the study of the monument makes it possible to evaluate with precision the maximum extent of the religious domain during the Ptolemaic period. On the occasion of this clearing, a room appeared to the south of the small gate C’ which would be tempting to identify as a chapel or a storeroom of the religious complex.
Then the date of the earliest stage of the temple and the diachronic evolution of the area were revealed by the opening of a large stratigraphic sounding to the south of the building. It appeared that a series of domestic settlements – still under study – preceded religious structures. A mudbrick building anterior to the sandstone building of Thutmose III and dating to the end of the 17th and the beginning of the 18th Dynasty was also uncovered, confirming the epigraphic testimonies of the existence of an older sanctuary. In addition, the deep sounding provided an opportunity to clarify the different phases of the inner enclosures to the south of the sanctuary, allowing a basis for reflection to sequence the structures surrounding the sandstone building as well as for the understanding of the functionality of adjacent spaces.
Finally, the last occupation of the area, which is being examined to the east of the Ptah temple, revealed an imposing residential area dating to the end of the 4th-early 5th century AD. The discovered artifacts testify to the Christian occupation of the site, but also to a gradual transition between Christian and pagan rites of the preceding period.
Research Interests:
Report of two seasons of archaeological survey and excavations in the oasis of al-Kharj (Central Arabia). Geomorphological observations, Prehistorical, Bronze Age and Historical surveys. Excavations of the Late pre-Islamic / Islamic site... more
Report of two seasons of archaeological survey and excavations in the oasis of al-Kharj (Central Arabia). Geomorphological observations, Prehistorical, Bronze Age and Historical surveys. Excavations of the Late pre-Islamic / Islamic site of al-Yamama.
Research Interests: Prehistoric Archaeology, Islamic Archaeology, Palaeolithic Archaeology, Islamic' Architecture, Arabian Gulf, and 11 moreAncient Near East, Lithic Technology, Early Bronze Age (Archaeology), Upper Paleolithic, Irrigation Systems Design, Prehistory, Mosque Architecture, Arabian/Persian Gulf Studies, Arabian/Persian Gulf Archaeology, Arabian Peninsula in Antiquity, and History of Pre-Islamic Arabia
First mentioned in Assyrian annals, then in Nabataean and Roman inscriptions, Dūmat al-Jandal (ancient Adumatu) is, along with Taymā' and Hegra (Madā'in Sālih), one of the main pre-Islamic sites of north-west Saudi Arabia. A preliminary... more
First mentioned in Assyrian annals, then in Nabataean and Roman inscriptions, Dūmat al-Jandal (ancient Adumatu) is, along with Taymā' and Hegra (Madā'in Sālih), one of the main pre-Islamic sites of north-west Saudi Arabia. A preliminary survey by the newly established Saudi-Italian-French Project in 2010 revealed numerous archaeological features and offered a first understanding of the layout and environmental characteristics of this wide oasis. This paper offers the opportunity to review and briefly describe its main monuments, most of them little known, as a basis for future field research.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
First restitution hypothesis of the Middle kingdom temple of Amun-Ra at Karnak
Research Interests:
En mars 2008, la Mission archéologique et épigraphique franco-saoudienne dans la région de Najrān a fait la découverte d'un sanctuaire rupestre au lieu-dit ʿān Halkān (Arabie Saoudite). Il comporte notamment un siège d'apparence... more
En mars 2008, la Mission archéologique et épigraphique franco-saoudienne dans la région de Najrān a fait la découverte d'un sanctuaire rupestre au lieu-dit ʿān Halkān (Arabie Saoudite). Il comporte notamment un siège d'apparence grossière, en maçonnerie de pierre sèche, dont l'originalité n'apparaît qu'après un examen attentif : le nom de la divinité préislamique dhū-Samāwī est gravé sur son assise. Cette contribution est consacrée à la description de ce sanctuaire et de son contexte archéologique.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
In G. Charloux & J. Schiettecatte (eds), 2016, Yémen – Terre d’Archéologie. CEFAS & Geuthner, p. 20-33
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
"Preliminary results of the excavation of several structures on the archaeological site of Hasi (Highlands, Yemen) : - Building A (Area A) - Dwellings (Area C) - Sounding in a probable mosque (Area D). The site proved to be... more
"Preliminary results of the excavation of several structures on the archaeological site of Hasi (Highlands, Yemen) :
- Building A (Area A)
- Dwellings (Area C)
- Sounding in a probable mosque (Area D).
The site proved to be occupied from the turn of the Christian era, down to the Islamic period.
"
- Building A (Area A)
- Dwellings (Area C)
- Sounding in a probable mosque (Area D).
The site proved to be occupied from the turn of the Christian era, down to the Islamic period.
"
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
A survey conducted between 2007–2010 in the Najrān region by the Saudi-French Project aimed to reinvestigate in a systematic way several archaeological and epigraphical sites mentioned in former archaeological studies (Philby – Ryckmans –... more
A survey conducted between 2007–2010 in the Najrān region by the Saudi-French Project aimed to reinvestigate in a systematic way several archaeological and epigraphical sites mentioned in former archaeological studies (Philby – Ryckmans – Lippens, Zarins, and Kawatoko expeditions). Areas located to the north of the Najrān oasis were targeted in particular: these were the Jabal Kawkab and Taṯlīṯ, as well as the wādī Najrān. Five survey seasons led to reevaluations of previously published works and new first-rate discoveries, which
are detailed in the following paper.
are detailed in the following paper.
Research Interests: Rock Art (Archaeology), Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Epigraphic South Arabian, Sabaean, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and 19 moreYemen (History), Epigraphic South Arabian, Prehistoric Rock Art, Rock Art, Arabian Peninsula, South Arabian Epigraphy, Arabian Peninsula in Antiquity, History of Pre-Islamic Arabia, South Arabian Culture, Pre-Islamic Arabia, Ancient South Arabia, Rock art research, Old South Arabian Linguistics, South Arabian Archaeology, Landscape and Rock Art, Preislamic Arabia, South Arabic, Rock Art Study, and Pre Islamic Period
J. Schiettecatte, A. al-Ghazzi, G. Charloux, R. Crassard, Y. Hilbert, H. Monchot, M. Mouton & P. Siméon
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Au milieu des années 1970, la fouille engagée par l’architecte Michel Azim dans la cour du Xe pylône constituait l’une des premières explorations archéologiques d’ampleur entreprises à l’emplacement de l’allée processionnelle sud-nord du... more
Au milieu des années 1970, la fouille engagée par l’architecte Michel Azim dans la cour du Xe pylône constituait l’une des premières explorations archéologiques d’ampleur entreprises à l’emplacement de l’allée processionnelle sud-nord du grand temple d’Amon-Rê depuis les travaux de Georges Legrain au début du xxe siècle. En dépit de son importance, cette opération est demeurée largement inédite et les résultats des travaux réalisés n’ont jusqu’ici fait l’objet que de rares notes liminaires.
Le présent ouvrage vient conclure un ambitieux programme d’inventaire de la documentation de ces fouilles conservée dans plusieurs institutions françaises et égyptiennes. L’ensemble des résultats obtenus à l’issue des campagnes de recherche de 1975-1976 et 1977 est ici réexaminé à la lumière d’un sondage d’évaluation stratigraphique effectué en 2015, dont le mobilier archéologique est analysé par une dizaine de spécialistes.
Bien que la séquence des constructions et des occupations de la cour du Xe pylône reste très proche de celle restituée initialement par le fouilleur, les analyses récentes permettent de réviser en profondeur la chronologie du site, et se révèlent essentielles pour la connaissance de l’histoire urbaine de Thèbes.
Le présent ouvrage vient conclure un ambitieux programme d’inventaire de la documentation de ces fouilles conservée dans plusieurs institutions françaises et égyptiennes. L’ensemble des résultats obtenus à l’issue des campagnes de recherche de 1975-1976 et 1977 est ici réexaminé à la lumière d’un sondage d’évaluation stratigraphique effectué en 2015, dont le mobilier archéologique est analysé par une dizaine de spécialistes.
Bien que la séquence des constructions et des occupations de la cour du Xe pylône reste très proche de celle restituée initialement par le fouilleur, les analyses récentes permettent de réviser en profondeur la chronologie du site, et se révèlent essentielles pour la connaissance de l’histoire urbaine de Thèbes.
Research Interests:
In the sandstone mountains north of Najrān, Saudi Arabia, on the edge of the great Arabian desert, hundreds of thousands of rock engravings have been carved over time. These are figurative representations or small graffiti, incised by the... more
In the sandstone mountains north of Najrān, Saudi Arabia, on the edge of the great Arabian desert, hundreds of thousands of rock engravings have been carved over time. These are figurative representations or small graffiti, incised by the natives or by people travelling between Yemen and the far reaches of northern Arabia. The area was inscribed by UNESCO on the World Heritage List in 2021.
In 2006, a Saudi-French mission was set up to map and analyse these rock engravings. Every year since then, it has been surveying the area, systematically documenting and recording specific sectors. The first observations show that petroglyphs from the Islamic period (after 622 CE), mainly horsemen and female figures with raised arms, are as numerous as the pre-Islamic carvings.
This volume is devoted to the rock engravings of a rocky peak called ʿĀn Jamal, some ten kilometres east of the wells of Ḥimà. This peak is a landmark in the desert landscape, which partly explains the number and diversity of engravings. Its chaotic relief and the innumerable superimpositions provide us with the first markers in the difficult chronological ordering of the Arabian rock art.
In 2006, a Saudi-French mission was set up to map and analyse these rock engravings. Every year since then, it has been surveying the area, systematically documenting and recording specific sectors. The first observations show that petroglyphs from the Islamic period (after 622 CE), mainly horsemen and female figures with raised arms, are as numerous as the pre-Islamic carvings.
This volume is devoted to the rock engravings of a rocky peak called ʿĀn Jamal, some ten kilometres east of the wells of Ḥimà. This peak is a landmark in the desert landscape, which partly explains the number and diversity of engravings. Its chaotic relief and the innumerable superimpositions provide us with the first markers in the difficult chronological ordering of the Arabian rock art.
Research Interests: Rock Art (Archaeology), Saudi Arabia, Epigraphic South Arabian, Rock Art, Arabian Peninsula in Antiquity, and 10 moreHistory of Pre-Islamic Arabia, South Arabian Culture, Pre-Islamic Arabia, Ancient South Arabia, Rock art research, Ancient North Arabian Linguistics, South Arabian Archaeology, Preislamic Arabia, Rock art recording, and Pre Islamic Period
قبل خمسة وأربعون عاماً، خرجت اليمن من فترة طويلة من الصراع والعزلة. في الميدان الثقافي، صاحبت هذه النهضة مكونًا أثريًا مهمًا، ركزت في البداية على العصور القديمة، وهي الحضارة العربية الجنوبية، ثم امتدت سريعا إلى عصور ما قبل التاريخ... more
قبل خمسة وأربعون عاماً، خرجت اليمن من فترة طويلة من الصراع والعزلة. في الميدان الثقافي، صاحبت هذه النهضة مكونًا أثريًا مهمًا، ركزت في البداية على العصور القديمة، وهي الحضارة العربية الجنوبية، ثم امتدت سريعا إلى عصور ما قبل التاريخ والإسلامية.
يتتبع هذا الكتاب أكثر من أربعين عاماً من البحوث الأثرية الفرنسية، نُسقت ابتداءً من عام 1982 من قِبَل المركز الفرنسي للدراسات اليمنية، الذي أصبح المركز الفرنسي للأثار والعلوم الاجتماعية بصنعاء. ورغم التوقف الوحشي بسبب الصراعات الأخيرة، إلا أن الاكتشافات التي حققتها الفرق العديدة من علماء الآثار والمؤرخينتجعل من الممكن تتبع المراحل العظيمة لتطور بلد أسطوري، بلد ملكة سبأ. هذه الأرض شهدت ظهور الممالك والمدن التي كان تطورها نتيجة لاتقان متقدم للزراعةالمروية وزيادة في تجارةالقوافل ثم التجارة البحرية للراتنجات العطرية، والخيول والبن.
من خلال الطابع الأثري لهندستها المعمارية، وصقل فنونها، والسحر الذي تبذله نقوشها، تبدو الحضارة العربية الجنوبية (جنوب شبه الجزيرة العربية)مختلفة تمامًا عن الصورة الخاطئة لصحراء عربيةيجوبها البدو الوحيدون.
يتتبع هذا الكتاب أكثر من أربعين عاماً من البحوث الأثرية الفرنسية، نُسقت ابتداءً من عام 1982 من قِبَل المركز الفرنسي للدراسات اليمنية، الذي أصبح المركز الفرنسي للأثار والعلوم الاجتماعية بصنعاء. ورغم التوقف الوحشي بسبب الصراعات الأخيرة، إلا أن الاكتشافات التي حققتها الفرق العديدة من علماء الآثار والمؤرخينتجعل من الممكن تتبع المراحل العظيمة لتطور بلد أسطوري، بلد ملكة سبأ. هذه الأرض شهدت ظهور الممالك والمدن التي كان تطورها نتيجة لاتقان متقدم للزراعةالمروية وزيادة في تجارةالقوافل ثم التجارة البحرية للراتنجات العطرية، والخيول والبن.
من خلال الطابع الأثري لهندستها المعمارية، وصقل فنونها، والسحر الذي تبذله نقوشها، تبدو الحضارة العربية الجنوبية (جنوب شبه الجزيرة العربية)مختلفة تمامًا عن الصورة الخاطئة لصحراء عربيةيجوبها البدو الوحيدون.
Research Interests: Islamic Archaeology, Yemen, Yemen (History), Epigraphic South Arabian, Arabian Peninsula, and 15 moreSouth Arabian Epigraphy, Arabian Peninsula in Antiquity, History of Pre-Islamic Arabia, South Arabian Culture, Pre-Islamic Arabia, Ancient South Arabia, South Arabian Archaeology, Yemen archaeology, South Arabian prehistory, Preislamic Arabia, الآثار والفنون الإسلامية, Christianity in Arabia, South Arabic, Christianity in South Arabia before Islam, and تاريخ اليمن
قبل خمسة وأربعون عاماً، خرجت اليمن من فترة طويلة من الصراع والعزلة. في الميدان الثقافي، صاحبت هذه النهضة مكونًا أثريًا مهمًا، ركزت في البداية على العصور القديمة، وهي الحضارة العربية الجنوبية، ثم امتدت سريعا إلى عصور ما قبل التاريخ... more
قبل خمسة وأربعون عاماً، خرجت اليمن من فترة طويلة من الصراع والعزلة. في الميدان الثقافي، صاحبت هذه النهضة مكونًا أثريًا مهمًا، ركزت في البداية على العصور القديمة، وهي الحضارة العربية الجنوبية، ثم امتدت سريعا إلى عصور ما قبل التاريخ والإسلامية.
يتتبع هذا الكتاب أكثر من أربعين عاماً من البحوث الأثرية الفرنسية، نُسقت ابتداءً من عام 1982 من قِبَل المركز الفرنسي للدراسات اليمنية، الذي أصبح المركز الفرنسي للأثار والعلوم الاجتماعية بصنعاء. ورغم التوقف الوحشي بسبب الصراعات الأخيرة، إلا أن الاكتشافات التي حققتها الفرق العديدة من علماء الآثار والمؤرخينتجعل من الممكن تتبع المراحل العظيمة لتطور بلد أسطوري، بلد ملكة سبأ. هذه الأرض شهدت ظهور الممالك والمدن التي كان تطورها نتيجة لاتقان متقدم للزراعةالمروية وزيادة في تجارةالقوافل ثم التجارة البحرية للراتنجات العطرية، والخيول والبن.
من خلال الطابع الأثري لهندستها المعمارية، وصقل فنونها، والسحر الذي تبذله نقوشها، تبدو الحضارة العربية الجنوبية (جنوب شبه الجزيرة العربية)مختلفة تمامًا عن الصورة الخاطئة لصحراء عربيةيجوبها البدو الوحيدون.
يتتبع هذا الكتاب أكثر من أربعين عاماً من البحوث الأثرية الفرنسية، نُسقت ابتداءً من عام 1982 من قِبَل المركز الفرنسي للدراسات اليمنية، الذي أصبح المركز الفرنسي للأثار والعلوم الاجتماعية بصنعاء. ورغم التوقف الوحشي بسبب الصراعات الأخيرة، إلا أن الاكتشافات التي حققتها الفرق العديدة من علماء الآثار والمؤرخينتجعل من الممكن تتبع المراحل العظيمة لتطور بلد أسطوري، بلد ملكة سبأ. هذه الأرض شهدت ظهور الممالك والمدن التي كان تطورها نتيجة لاتقان متقدم للزراعةالمروية وزيادة في تجارةالقوافل ثم التجارة البحرية للراتنجات العطرية، والخيول والبن.
من خلال الطابع الأثري لهندستها المعمارية، وصقل فنونها، والسحر الذي تبذله نقوشها، تبدو الحضارة العربية الجنوبية (جنوب شبه الجزيرة العربية)مختلفة تمامًا عن الصورة الخاطئة لصحراء عربيةيجوبها البدو الوحيدون.
Research Interests:
In December 2014, excavation near the temple of Ptah in Karnak uncovered a favissa –a pit filled with objects– dug a few meters behind the shrine of the god. The pit contained thirty-eight objects, statues, statuettes and statuary... more
In December 2014, excavation near the temple of Ptah in Karnak uncovered a favissa –a pit filled with objects– dug a few meters behind the shrine of the god. The pit contained thirty-eight objects, statues, statuettes and statuary elements, in limestone, greywacke, copper alloy and Egyptian frit, sometimes gilded. The visualization and analysis of the favissa filling has been made possible by the use of modern photogrammetric survey, and 3D modeling methods. Dug at the end of the Ptolemaic Period, the pit housed a New Kingdom broken statue of the god Ptah, surrounded by religious artefacts and many Osirian bronzes, most of the objects dating back to the Third Intermediate Period and the Late Period (especially 25th and 26th Dynasties). The analysis and the interpretation of the data lead, in this volume, to look at the Egyptian sacred caches as a whole, and to consider the present deposit as a testimony of the burial of a statue of the god Ptah in an Osirian ritual context.
En décembre 2014, les fouilles entreprises à proximité du temple de Ptah à Karnak ont mis au jour une favissa, à savoir une fosse comblée d’objets, creusée à quelques mètres à l’arrière du sanctuaire de la divinité. La fosse contenait trente-huit objets mobiliers, statues, statuettes et éléments d’appliques statuaires, en calcaire, grauwacke, alliage cuivreux et fritte égyptienne, parfois recouverts d’or. La visualisation et l’analyse du comblement de la favissa ont été rendues possibles grâce à l’apport des méthodes modernes de relevés photogrammétriques et de modélisation 3D. Creusée à la fin de l’époque ptolémaïque, la fosse a servi à abriter une statue « déclassée » du dieu Ptah datant du Nouvel Empire, entourée d’éléments mobiliers et de nombreux bronzes osiriens, la plupart des objets remontant à la Troisième Période intermédiaire et à la Basse Époque (XXVe et XXVIe dynasties notamment). L’analyse et l’interprétation du comblement conduisent, dans cet ouvrage, à s’intéresser aux caches sacrées égyptiennes dans leur ensemble et à envisager le présent dépôt comme le témoignage de l’inhumation d’une statue du dieu Ptah dans le cadre de rituels osiriens.
في ديسمبـر 2014، كشفت أعمال الحفائر بمحيط معبد بتاح عن خبيئة ‐ عبارة عن حفرة مُلئت بلقى ‐ حُفرت على بعد أمتــار قليلة خلف مقصورة الإله، وتحوي هذه الحفــرة عدد 38 من اللقى المتنوعة: تماثيل مختلفة الأحجام وعناصر من تماثيل من الحجر الجيري ومن حجر الجريواك وسبائك النحاس بالإضافة إلى الفيانس المصري وفي بعض الأحيان تكون هذه اللقى مذهبة.
لقد أصبح من الممكن تصور وتحليل هذه الخبيئة باستخدام المسح التصويري الحديث والنماذج ثلاثية الأبعاد. حفرت هذه الخبيئة في نهاية العصر البطلمي، وحوت على تمثال مكسور للإله بتاح من عصر الدولة الحديثة أحيط بعدد من اللقى الأثرية وكثير من التماثيل البرونزية الأوزيرية، ومعظم هذه اللقى يؤرخ لها بعصر الانتقال الثالث والعصر المتأخر(خاصة الأسرتين 25 و26).
إن تحليل وتفسير البيانات في هذا الكتاب يرشدنا إلى الأخذ بعين الاعتبار الخبايا المصرية المقدسة ككل واعتبار المحتوى الحالي كدليل على دفن تمثال الإله بتاح في سياق الطقوس الأوزيرية.
En décembre 2014, les fouilles entreprises à proximité du temple de Ptah à Karnak ont mis au jour une favissa, à savoir une fosse comblée d’objets, creusée à quelques mètres à l’arrière du sanctuaire de la divinité. La fosse contenait trente-huit objets mobiliers, statues, statuettes et éléments d’appliques statuaires, en calcaire, grauwacke, alliage cuivreux et fritte égyptienne, parfois recouverts d’or. La visualisation et l’analyse du comblement de la favissa ont été rendues possibles grâce à l’apport des méthodes modernes de relevés photogrammétriques et de modélisation 3D. Creusée à la fin de l’époque ptolémaïque, la fosse a servi à abriter une statue « déclassée » du dieu Ptah datant du Nouvel Empire, entourée d’éléments mobiliers et de nombreux bronzes osiriens, la plupart des objets remontant à la Troisième Période intermédiaire et à la Basse Époque (XXVe et XXVIe dynasties notamment). L’analyse et l’interprétation du comblement conduisent, dans cet ouvrage, à s’intéresser aux caches sacrées égyptiennes dans leur ensemble et à envisager le présent dépôt comme le témoignage de l’inhumation d’une statue du dieu Ptah dans le cadre de rituels osiriens.
في ديسمبـر 2014، كشفت أعمال الحفائر بمحيط معبد بتاح عن خبيئة ‐ عبارة عن حفرة مُلئت بلقى ‐ حُفرت على بعد أمتــار قليلة خلف مقصورة الإله، وتحوي هذه الحفــرة عدد 38 من اللقى المتنوعة: تماثيل مختلفة الأحجام وعناصر من تماثيل من الحجر الجيري ومن حجر الجريواك وسبائك النحاس بالإضافة إلى الفيانس المصري وفي بعض الأحيان تكون هذه اللقى مذهبة.
لقد أصبح من الممكن تصور وتحليل هذه الخبيئة باستخدام المسح التصويري الحديث والنماذج ثلاثية الأبعاد. حفرت هذه الخبيئة في نهاية العصر البطلمي، وحوت على تمثال مكسور للإله بتاح من عصر الدولة الحديثة أحيط بعدد من اللقى الأثرية وكثير من التماثيل البرونزية الأوزيرية، ومعظم هذه اللقى يؤرخ لها بعصر الانتقال الثالث والعصر المتأخر(خاصة الأسرتين 25 و26).
إن تحليل وتفسير البيانات في هذا الكتاب يرشدنا إلى الأخذ بعين الاعتبار الخبايا المصرية المقدسة ككل واعتبار المحتوى الحالي كدليل على دفن تمثال الإله بتاح في سياق الطقوس الأوزيرية.
Research Interests: Ancient Egyptian Religion, Archaeology, Egyptology, Egyptian Art and Archaeology, Egyptian Archaeology, and 13 moreRitual, Egypt, History of Egyptology, Archeologia, Ancient Egyptian History, Ancient Egyptian Art and Archaeology, Ancient Egypt, Archéologie, Karnak, Ritual Practices, Karnak Temple, CFEETK Karnak, and Archeology
Il y a quarante-cinq ans, le Yémen est sorti d’une longue période de conflits et d’isolement. Dans le domaine culturel, cette renaissance s’est accompagnée d’un important volet archéologique, d’abord centré sur l’époque antique, celle de... more
Il y a quarante-cinq ans, le Yémen est sorti d’une longue période de conflits et d’isolement. Dans le domaine culturel, cette renaissance s’est accompagnée d’un important volet archéologique, d’abord centré sur l’époque antique, celle de la civilisation sudarabique, puis rapidement étendu aux périodes préhistorique et islamique.
Cet ouvrage retrace plus de quarante années de recherches archéologiques françaises, coordonnées à partir de 1982 par le Centre français d’Études yéménites, devenu le Centre français d’Archéologie et de Sciences sociales de Sanaa. Bien que brutalement stoppées par les conflits récents, les découvertes effectuées par les nombreuses équipes d’archéologues et d’historiens permettent de retracer les grandes étapes de l’évolution d’un pays légendaire, le pays de la reine de Saba. Cette terre a vu l’émergence de royaumes et de cités dont le développement fut le résultat d’une maîtrise avancée de l’agriculture irriguée et de l’accroissement du commerce caravanier puis maritime des résines aromatiques, des chevaux et du café.
Par la monumentalité de son architecture, le raffinement de ses arts et la fascination qu’exercent ses inscriptions, la civilisation de l’Arabie du Sud apparait désormais bien différente de l’image trompeuse d’une Arabie désertique parcourue par les seuls nomades.
Contributeurs :
Mounir Arbach, Rémy Audouin, Anne Benoist, Paul Bonnenfant, Frank Braemer, Jean-François Breton, Julien Charbonnier, Guillaume Charloux, Rémy Crassard, Marie-Christine Danchotte, Christian Darles, Yves Egels, Iwona Gajda, Danilo Grébénart, Claire Hardy-Guilbert, Roberto Macchiarelli, Marjan Mashkour, Bernard Maury, Michel Mouton, Anne Regourd, Christian Julien Robin, Axelle Rougeulle, Jean-Claude Roux, Jérémie Schiettecatte, Matthias Skorupka, Tara Steimer-Herbet, Florian Téreygeol, Michel Tuchscherer
Cet ouvrage retrace plus de quarante années de recherches archéologiques françaises, coordonnées à partir de 1982 par le Centre français d’Études yéménites, devenu le Centre français d’Archéologie et de Sciences sociales de Sanaa. Bien que brutalement stoppées par les conflits récents, les découvertes effectuées par les nombreuses équipes d’archéologues et d’historiens permettent de retracer les grandes étapes de l’évolution d’un pays légendaire, le pays de la reine de Saba. Cette terre a vu l’émergence de royaumes et de cités dont le développement fut le résultat d’une maîtrise avancée de l’agriculture irriguée et de l’accroissement du commerce caravanier puis maritime des résines aromatiques, des chevaux et du café.
Par la monumentalité de son architecture, le raffinement de ses arts et la fascination qu’exercent ses inscriptions, la civilisation de l’Arabie du Sud apparait désormais bien différente de l’image trompeuse d’une Arabie désertique parcourue par les seuls nomades.
Contributeurs :
Mounir Arbach, Rémy Audouin, Anne Benoist, Paul Bonnenfant, Frank Braemer, Jean-François Breton, Julien Charbonnier, Guillaume Charloux, Rémy Crassard, Marie-Christine Danchotte, Christian Darles, Yves Egels, Iwona Gajda, Danilo Grébénart, Claire Hardy-Guilbert, Roberto Macchiarelli, Marjan Mashkour, Bernard Maury, Michel Mouton, Anne Regourd, Christian Julien Robin, Axelle Rougeulle, Jean-Claude Roux, Jérémie Schiettecatte, Matthias Skorupka, Tara Steimer-Herbet, Florian Téreygeol, Michel Tuchscherer
Research Interests: History, Archaeology, Near Eastern Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Art History, and 22 moreNear Eastern Studies, Islamic Archaeology, Islamic Studies, Yemen, Early Islam, Ancient Near East, Early and Medieval Islamic Art and Architecture, Ancient Near East (Archaeology), Prehistory, Epigraphic South Arabian, History and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, Yemen History, Arabian/Persian Gulf Studies, Arabian/Persian Gulf Archaeology, Arabian Peninsula, Arabian Peninsula in Antiquity, History of Pre-Islamic Arabia, South Arabian Culture, Pre-Islamic Arabia, Ancient South Arabia, South Arabian Archaeology, and Preislamic Arabia
The Temple of Amun-Ra at Karnak, as now visited by thousands of tourists, is the largest religious sanctuary still preserved in Egypt. Yet our knowledge of its origin and its development is still very patchy, despite two centuries of... more
The Temple of Amun-Ra at Karnak, as now visited by thousands of tourists, is the largest religious sanctuary still preserved in Egypt. Yet our knowledge of its origin and its development is still very patchy, despite two centuries of French archaeological research.
In 2002, fortuitous mud-brick remains exhumed during the study of the foundations of New Kingdom constructions has revived the debate about its origin. This was the start of a large-scale geomorphological and archaeological operation conducted by a multidisciplinary research team. Courtyards of the fourth, fifth and sixth pylons, the so-called "courtyard of the Middle Kingdom", neighboring aisles, and Thutmose III’s Akhmenou have been the focus of soundings to recover mud-brick construction and lower sedimentation levels.
The results suggest that the first religious complex at Karnak was built on a hill and it gradually developed to the west. It was also determined that the first temple certainly dates back from the eleventh dynasty (ca. 2160-1991 BC) and cannot be earlier.
The Temple of the New Kingdom, as we now see it, was present in almost identical proportions during the Middle Kingdom and the Second Intermediate Period. This earlier religious complex, of which there remain only minor leveling courses of mud-brick, was most likely one of the largest sanctuaries in Egypt in the first half of the second millennium BC.
In 2002, fortuitous mud-brick remains exhumed during the study of the foundations of New Kingdom constructions has revived the debate about its origin. This was the start of a large-scale geomorphological and archaeological operation conducted by a multidisciplinary research team. Courtyards of the fourth, fifth and sixth pylons, the so-called "courtyard of the Middle Kingdom", neighboring aisles, and Thutmose III’s Akhmenou have been the focus of soundings to recover mud-brick construction and lower sedimentation levels.
The results suggest that the first religious complex at Karnak was built on a hill and it gradually developed to the west. It was also determined that the first temple certainly dates back from the eleventh dynasty (ca. 2160-1991 BC) and cannot be earlier.
The Temple of the New Kingdom, as we now see it, was present in almost identical proportions during the Middle Kingdom and the Second Intermediate Period. This earlier religious complex, of which there remain only minor leveling courses of mud-brick, was most likely one of the largest sanctuaries in Egypt in the first half of the second millennium BC.
Research Interests:
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The 2015-2016 Report of the Saudi–Italian–French Archaeological Project at Dûmat al-Jandal, Saudi Arabia
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Archaeological Report (edited in 2013) published in 2016 by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage
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Archaeological Report (edited in 2012) published in 2014 by the Saudi Commission for Tourism
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"Craft Industry and Urbanization in the Southern Levant During the Early Bronze Age Reflections on the Social Structure in the Light of Ceramic Production The Early Bronze Age in Palestine (3500-2000 B.C.) appears to have been an... more
"Craft Industry and Urbanization in the Southern Levant During the Early Bronze Age
Reflections on the Social Structure in the Light of Ceramic Production
The Early Bronze Age in Palestine (3500-2000 B.C.) appears to have been an important transition period during which populations from former Chalcolithic chiefdoms evolved into urban society.
The purpose of this dissertation is to analyse aspects of continuity and transformation in ceramic production from the EB I period to the EB III, on typological and technological bases. The study of local assemblages from Tell el-Fâr’ah, Megiddo and Tel Yarmouth, and that of the archaeological literature, permits to identify regional diversity in the Southern Levant and to better understand the global process of urban uniformity.
The first chapter deals with the Early Bronze I, which is characterized by a great variety of the pottery and the emergence of urbanism. Social entities are recognized, and a new framework on the evolution of the first urban society is proposed.
The urban Early Bronze II-III ceramic production is treated in the second chapter. It shows the overall homogeneity of the period as well as signs of regionalisms continuation. These signs inform us on the social heterogeneous nature of the EB population.
The major contribution of this work lies in the explication of the character of the EB society, and explains the collapse of the EB III urbanization, by a disintegration of the social cohesion and the return to ancestral ways of life.
ARTISANAT ET URBANISATION DE LA PALESTINE
À L'ÂGE DU BRONZE ANCIEN :
APPORT DE L'ETUDE DES CERAMIQUES A LA STRUCTURE SOCIALE
Guillaume Charloux
L’âge du Bronze ancien en Palestine est marqué par l’apparition de la première urbanisation locale et par l’essor de l’économie traditionnelle « méditerranéenne ». Une société complexe, mais sans écriture, se développe au cours de cette longue période (environ 3500-2000 avant notre ère).
À partir des publications et de l’examen du mobilier des sites de Tell el-Fâr’ah, de Mégiddo et de Tel Yarmouth, nous avons tenté de mettre en lumière l’évolution de la production céramique de l’âge du Bronze ancien I au Bronze ancien III, périodes durant lesquelles une phase de normalisation succède à une phase de fortes différenciations régionales.
Les études ayant cherché à comprendre la structuration sociale à partir de l’analyse des poteries ne sont pas nouvelles. G. E. Wright identifiait déjà des régionalismes culturels en 1937 , et reconnaissait une forte distinction des productions entre le nord et le sud de la Palestine. Les travaux postérieurs mirent peu à peu l’accent sur cet aspect, majoritairement centrés sur l’âge du Bronze ancien I . Concernant la période suivante, l’âge du Bronze ancien II-III, les études se sont surtout intéressées au phénomène de « standardisation » de la production, bien que plusieurs d’entre elles se tournent désormais vers l’identification de spécificités régionales .
Notre thèse est très dépendante de toutes ces recherches. En analysant la production des céramiques du point de vue archéologique et technologique, nous identifions des régionalismes et des tendances, afin de reconnaître les zones culturelles sur le long terme. Il nous semble en effet que le particularisme majeur de la société palestinienne repose sur l’originalité de chaque groupe de population la composant. Le développement graduel puis le déclin abrupt du premier urbanisme palestinien naissent de l’hétérogénéité des groupes ayant cette identité urbaine en commun. Ceux-ci restent tournés vers des modes de vie ancestraux, qui limiteront leur intégration dans un modèle socio-économique venu de l’étranger.
Après un long éclaircissement de la périodisation chronologique et des connaissances actuelles des répertoires typologiques à l’âge du Bronze ancien I (environ 3500-3050 avant notre ère), le premier chapitre a eu pour objectif d’évaluer l’activité céramique et la diversité des entités sociales au Levant méridional, afin de comprendre le processus d’homogénéisation urbaine apparaissant à la fin de cette période. Plusieurs données majeures sont apparues :
. Une forte disparité d’organisation artisanale selon les régions a été établie grâce à l’étude du mobilier des sites précédemment mentionnés. L’activité se transforme graduellement, durant le Bronze ancien I, en parallèle à la sédentarisation des populations, aux modifications des pratiques funéraires, à la création d’une économie méditerranéenne ainsi qu’au développement du commerce.
. Des différences régionales ont également été repérées suite à l’identification de treize grands ensembles céramiques . Sept zones de production ont été reconnues à l’âge du Bronze ancien Ia et neuf à l’âge du Bronze ancien Ib , constituant les territoires d’entités sociales distinctes mais apparentées.
. Nous avons aussi constaté une diffusion des procédés techniques du nord vers le sud durant tout le Bronze ancien I. Il nous semble que les nouveautés technologiques se soient progressivement répandues en Palestine à partir du Levant nord, sous l’intense attraction commerciale exercée par la sphère égyptienne. Suivant la même direction, et profitant des réseaux d’échanges en place, l’urbanisation s’est alors développée dans le nord et sur la plaine côtière. Bien que constituant la promesse d’une vie meilleure, elle a toutefois rencontré plus de résistance dans le sud, au même titre que la transmission des procédés techniques.
D’une manière similaire, le second chapitre concernant l’âge du Bronze ancien II-III (environ 3050-2200 avant notre ère) a examiné l’organisation artisanale sur deux niveaux, la production locale et les régionalismes céramiques.
Reliées par une identité commune, les populations urbaines participent désormais à un modèle unique, qui est néanmoins adapté aux besoins locaux et à une société de nature tribale. Cette urbanisation « secondaire », née de contacts et d’échanges, et non d’un développement autochtone comme l’Égypte et la Mésopotamie, est fondée sur une multitude d’entités sociales. Bien que dissimulées dans l’homogénéité du processus urbain, elles restent perceptibles au Bronze ancien II et au Bronze ancien III, à travers les signes d’une persistance des traditions céramiques antérieures et de nouvelles productions. On en compte huit , qui permettent d’identifier six régions au Bronze ancien II et quatre au Bronze ancien III , soit une forte diminution en comparaison de l’âge du Bronze ancien I. Les limites entre les zones de production sont de plus en plus graduelles, et moins apparentes. La distinction principale apparaît entre le nord d’un côté, et le centre et le sud de l’autre. L’examen des mobiliers archéologiques de Tell el-Fâr’ah, Tel Yarmouth et Mégiddo aboutit à la même conclusion, en montrant une disparité technologique entre le nord et le centre-sud, tout en reconnaissant, néanmoins, de nombreux indices de contacts.
Pour conclure, il nous semble que l’évolution des pratiques céramiques reflète l’intégration progressive de populations mobiles au sein des premiers villages puis des premières villes, et permet d’expliquer l’effondrement de la société urbaine du Bronze ancien III, notamment par un échec de la cohésion sociale et le retour à un mode de vie semi-sédentaire et ancestral. C’est aussi ce qu’indiquerait l’identification de huit ensembles de céramiques à la période suivante , illustrant une recrudescence des régionalismes et une plus grande disparité des entités sociales à l’âge du Bronze ancien IV.
À travers l’analyse des céramiques, ce sont donc les mécanismes de la structuration sociale que nous avons ici évalués, les effets de l’urbanisation, ainsi que les divergences fondamentales et ancestrales des entités sociales, en fonction de leurs modes de vie et de leurs localisations géographiques."
Reflections on the Social Structure in the Light of Ceramic Production
The Early Bronze Age in Palestine (3500-2000 B.C.) appears to have been an important transition period during which populations from former Chalcolithic chiefdoms evolved into urban society.
The purpose of this dissertation is to analyse aspects of continuity and transformation in ceramic production from the EB I period to the EB III, on typological and technological bases. The study of local assemblages from Tell el-Fâr’ah, Megiddo and Tel Yarmouth, and that of the archaeological literature, permits to identify regional diversity in the Southern Levant and to better understand the global process of urban uniformity.
The first chapter deals with the Early Bronze I, which is characterized by a great variety of the pottery and the emergence of urbanism. Social entities are recognized, and a new framework on the evolution of the first urban society is proposed.
The urban Early Bronze II-III ceramic production is treated in the second chapter. It shows the overall homogeneity of the period as well as signs of regionalisms continuation. These signs inform us on the social heterogeneous nature of the EB population.
The major contribution of this work lies in the explication of the character of the EB society, and explains the collapse of the EB III urbanization, by a disintegration of the social cohesion and the return to ancestral ways of life.
ARTISANAT ET URBANISATION DE LA PALESTINE
À L'ÂGE DU BRONZE ANCIEN :
APPORT DE L'ETUDE DES CERAMIQUES A LA STRUCTURE SOCIALE
Guillaume Charloux
L’âge du Bronze ancien en Palestine est marqué par l’apparition de la première urbanisation locale et par l’essor de l’économie traditionnelle « méditerranéenne ». Une société complexe, mais sans écriture, se développe au cours de cette longue période (environ 3500-2000 avant notre ère).
À partir des publications et de l’examen du mobilier des sites de Tell el-Fâr’ah, de Mégiddo et de Tel Yarmouth, nous avons tenté de mettre en lumière l’évolution de la production céramique de l’âge du Bronze ancien I au Bronze ancien III, périodes durant lesquelles une phase de normalisation succède à une phase de fortes différenciations régionales.
Les études ayant cherché à comprendre la structuration sociale à partir de l’analyse des poteries ne sont pas nouvelles. G. E. Wright identifiait déjà des régionalismes culturels en 1937 , et reconnaissait une forte distinction des productions entre le nord et le sud de la Palestine. Les travaux postérieurs mirent peu à peu l’accent sur cet aspect, majoritairement centrés sur l’âge du Bronze ancien I . Concernant la période suivante, l’âge du Bronze ancien II-III, les études se sont surtout intéressées au phénomène de « standardisation » de la production, bien que plusieurs d’entre elles se tournent désormais vers l’identification de spécificités régionales .
Notre thèse est très dépendante de toutes ces recherches. En analysant la production des céramiques du point de vue archéologique et technologique, nous identifions des régionalismes et des tendances, afin de reconnaître les zones culturelles sur le long terme. Il nous semble en effet que le particularisme majeur de la société palestinienne repose sur l’originalité de chaque groupe de population la composant. Le développement graduel puis le déclin abrupt du premier urbanisme palestinien naissent de l’hétérogénéité des groupes ayant cette identité urbaine en commun. Ceux-ci restent tournés vers des modes de vie ancestraux, qui limiteront leur intégration dans un modèle socio-économique venu de l’étranger.
Après un long éclaircissement de la périodisation chronologique et des connaissances actuelles des répertoires typologiques à l’âge du Bronze ancien I (environ 3500-3050 avant notre ère), le premier chapitre a eu pour objectif d’évaluer l’activité céramique et la diversité des entités sociales au Levant méridional, afin de comprendre le processus d’homogénéisation urbaine apparaissant à la fin de cette période. Plusieurs données majeures sont apparues :
. Une forte disparité d’organisation artisanale selon les régions a été établie grâce à l’étude du mobilier des sites précédemment mentionnés. L’activité se transforme graduellement, durant le Bronze ancien I, en parallèle à la sédentarisation des populations, aux modifications des pratiques funéraires, à la création d’une économie méditerranéenne ainsi qu’au développement du commerce.
. Des différences régionales ont également été repérées suite à l’identification de treize grands ensembles céramiques . Sept zones de production ont été reconnues à l’âge du Bronze ancien Ia et neuf à l’âge du Bronze ancien Ib , constituant les territoires d’entités sociales distinctes mais apparentées.
. Nous avons aussi constaté une diffusion des procédés techniques du nord vers le sud durant tout le Bronze ancien I. Il nous semble que les nouveautés technologiques se soient progressivement répandues en Palestine à partir du Levant nord, sous l’intense attraction commerciale exercée par la sphère égyptienne. Suivant la même direction, et profitant des réseaux d’échanges en place, l’urbanisation s’est alors développée dans le nord et sur la plaine côtière. Bien que constituant la promesse d’une vie meilleure, elle a toutefois rencontré plus de résistance dans le sud, au même titre que la transmission des procédés techniques.
D’une manière similaire, le second chapitre concernant l’âge du Bronze ancien II-III (environ 3050-2200 avant notre ère) a examiné l’organisation artisanale sur deux niveaux, la production locale et les régionalismes céramiques.
Reliées par une identité commune, les populations urbaines participent désormais à un modèle unique, qui est néanmoins adapté aux besoins locaux et à une société de nature tribale. Cette urbanisation « secondaire », née de contacts et d’échanges, et non d’un développement autochtone comme l’Égypte et la Mésopotamie, est fondée sur une multitude d’entités sociales. Bien que dissimulées dans l’homogénéité du processus urbain, elles restent perceptibles au Bronze ancien II et au Bronze ancien III, à travers les signes d’une persistance des traditions céramiques antérieures et de nouvelles productions. On en compte huit , qui permettent d’identifier six régions au Bronze ancien II et quatre au Bronze ancien III , soit une forte diminution en comparaison de l’âge du Bronze ancien I. Les limites entre les zones de production sont de plus en plus graduelles, et moins apparentes. La distinction principale apparaît entre le nord d’un côté, et le centre et le sud de l’autre. L’examen des mobiliers archéologiques de Tell el-Fâr’ah, Tel Yarmouth et Mégiddo aboutit à la même conclusion, en montrant une disparité technologique entre le nord et le centre-sud, tout en reconnaissant, néanmoins, de nombreux indices de contacts.
Pour conclure, il nous semble que l’évolution des pratiques céramiques reflète l’intégration progressive de populations mobiles au sein des premiers villages puis des premières villes, et permet d’expliquer l’effondrement de la société urbaine du Bronze ancien III, notamment par un échec de la cohésion sociale et le retour à un mode de vie semi-sédentaire et ancestral. C’est aussi ce qu’indiquerait l’identification de huit ensembles de céramiques à la période suivante , illustrant une recrudescence des régionalismes et une plus grande disparité des entités sociales à l’âge du Bronze ancien IV.
À travers l’analyse des céramiques, ce sont donc les mécanismes de la structuration sociale que nous avons ici évalués, les effets de l’urbanisation, ainsi que les divergences fondamentales et ancestrales des entités sociales, en fonction de leurs modes de vie et de leurs localisations géographiques."
Research Interests:
Rapport préliminaire de la 2e campagne de la Mission archéologique franco-saʿūdienne dans la région de Najrān : relevé des graffites rupestres des sites d'an-Jamal, an-Halkan et Bi'r Hima. Preliminary report of the second season of the... more
Rapport préliminaire de la 2e campagne de la Mission archéologique franco-saʿūdienne dans la région de Najrān : relevé des graffites rupestres des sites d'an-Jamal, an-Halkan et Bi'r Hima.
Preliminary report of the second season of the Saudi-French Project in the Najrân Region : petroglyph survey & study of an-Jamal, an-Halkan et Bi'r Hima sites.
Preliminary report of the second season of the Saudi-French Project in the Najrân Region : petroglyph survey & study of an-Jamal, an-Halkan et Bi'r Hima sites.
"Report displaying the results of the third field season of the French-Saudi archaeological Mission in the Province of Najran, Saudi Arabia.
The season was devoted to the study of the rock-art site of 'An Halkan."
The season was devoted to the study of the rock-art site of 'An Halkan."
Research Interests:
Report of the archaeological, geophysical, archaeozoological and topographical activities of the French-Saudi mission in the oasis of al-Kharj, 80 km South of Riyadh, in the Central Province of Saudi Arabia carried out from September 20th... more
Report of the archaeological, geophysical, archaeozoological and topographical activities of the French-Saudi mission in the oasis of al-Kharj, 80 km South of Riyadh, in the Central Province of Saudi Arabia carried out from September 20th to October 21st 2011. It includes chapters on: - The geographic and historical setting - The present issues for a study of al-Kharj area - An historiography of the exploration of al-Kharj area - Description on the Registration system - Details of the Historical survey of the oasis - Report of the exploration of the site of al-Yamāma (geophysical survey, topographical survey, archaeological sounding, zooarchaeological study) - Ceramic study An abstract in Arabic is available at the end of the report.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Recent archaeological investigations in Khaybar oasis in northwestern Saudi Arabia, carried out in the framework of the Khaybar Longue Durée Archaeological Project (Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), French Agency for AlUla Development... more
Recent archaeological investigations in Khaybar oasis in northwestern Saudi Arabia, carried out in the framework of the Khaybar Longue Durée Archaeological Project (Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), French Agency for AlUla Development (AFALULA), French National Center for Scientific Research) have revealed a considerable amount of pre-Islamic ceramics during the 2020-2021 surveys. This note aims to present the preliminary results of the pottery study, in particular the technological aspects (macrofabrics, fashioning methods), in order to provide a first chronological picture of human activities in Khaybar from the fourth millennium BCE to the second century CE.