The GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Fachgruppe Paläoumwelt of the University of Erlangen in cooperation wi... more The GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Fachgruppe Paläoumwelt of the University of Erlangen in cooperation with the DAI has conducted sedimentological and ecological investigations in Yeha and its surroundings. These studies are concerned with accumulations of fluvial sediments along recent wadis, which provide data on the climate history during the Holocene. In addition, research focused on the use of natural resources as well as the provenance of building materials employed in the monumental architecture in Yeha. In the case of the latter the wood used to build the palace-like Grat Beʿal Gebri stemmed from the juniper and African olive trees. The stones included phonolite and sandstone from the vicinity of Yeha, limestone quarried at Wuqro, located 80 km from Yeha, and slate from the region of Adua, some 30 km away.
Different phenomena of Sabaean cults are being examined by the Sana'a Branch as part of clust... more Different phenomena of Sabaean cults are being examined by the Sana'a Branch as part of cluster 4 "Sanctuaries. Cult topography and forms of communication in sacral context". As in many other cultures, a communication can be assumed in both directions in South Arabia, too: Besides the purely religious messages to the gods, political and economic messages were conveyed through various media in the sanctuaries. Questions on the cultural topography are explained using the example of the Sabaean city of Sirwāh.
The ancient cultures of Southern Arabia are increasingly recognised as playing as major a role in... more The ancient cultures of Southern Arabia are increasingly recognised as playing as major a role in the heritage of mankind as the early cultures of Egypt, Mesopotamia or the Indus Valley. The beginning of the widely known Sabaean culture dates back to the end of the second millennium bc. Whereas, undoubtedly, its wealth came mainly from the trade along the Incense Road, the backbone of its economy was irrigated agriculture. Since agriculture is based on soil and water resources and, hence, land availability, the buried soils and sediments of the area surrounding the Ma’rib Oasis have been investigated, both as an archive of Holocene soil development in Pre-Sabaean times and as ‘natural treasures’, as, for example, ores or alabaster are defined. The natural buried Holocene soils around Ma’rib are rich in phosphate, organic material and volcanic ashes. In a few places they demonstrate cultivation before the Great Dam of Ma’rib was built in the first millennium bc. Most important are th...
I he most famous town of ancient Yemen was Marib the capital of the Kingdom of Saba. Marib is div... more I he most famous town of ancient Yemen was Marib the capital of the Kingdom of Saba. Marib is divided by the Wadi Dhana into a northern and southern oasis. The most important temples of Marib are the Ba'ran-Temple and the Awam-Temple. Both were dedicated to the moon God Almquah. The Awam-Temple is located in the southern oasis. 3.5 km to the south-east of the ancient city of Marib. The oldest inscription on the oval wall of the temple can be assigned in time to the middle of the 7" century B.C., the youngest inscriptions date to the end of the 4'" century A. D. The Awam-Temple was partly excavated by an American expedition in 1951/52, but is now again completely covered by the sand. The necropolis remained long undiscovered. This expedition 1951/52 were the first who recognized the cemetery. The cemetery is located adjacent to the Awam-Temple like an 80-100 meter wide band around the southern half of the temple oval. Beginning in the south of the West Gate it ends ...
Dans l’etude des relations interculturelles entre l’Arabie du Sud et la region syro-palestinienne... more Dans l’etude des relations interculturelles entre l’Arabie du Sud et la region syro-palestinienne d’une part, la Mesopotamie d’autre part, l’examen du trace des voies commerciales et l’exploitation des sources assyriennes mentionnant les royaumes sudarabiques ou leurs monarques apparaissaient jusqu’ici comme essentiels. Par ailleurs, une etude approfondie des ecrits des auteurs classiques a egalement ete entreprise. Herodote (Histoire, III, 107), Strabon (Geographie, XVI, 765 sq.) et Pline l’...
The ancient cultures of Southern Arabia are increasingly recognised as playing as major a role in... more The ancient cultures of Southern Arabia are increasingly recognised as playing as major a role in the heritage of mankind as the early cultures of Egypt, Mesopotamia or the Indus Valley. The beginning of the widely known Sabaean culture dates back to the end of the second millennium bc. Whereas, undoubtedly, its wealth came mainly from the trade along the Incense Road, the backbone of its economy was irrigated agriculture. Since agriculture is based on soil and water resources and, hence, land availability, the buried soils and sediments of the area surrounding the Ma’rib Oasis have been investigated, both as an archive of Holocene soil development in Pre-Sabaean times and as ‘natural treasures’, as, for example, ores or alabaster are defined. The natural buried Holocene soils around Ma’rib are rich in phosphate, organic material and volcanic ashes. In a few places they demonstrate cultivation before the Great Dam of Ma’rib was built in the first millennium bc. Most important are th...
The ancient cultures of Southern Arabia are increasingly recognised as playing as major a role in... more The ancient cultures of Southern Arabia are increasingly recognised as playing as major a role in the heritage of mankind as the early cultures of Egypt, Mesopotamia or the Indus Valley. The beginning of the widely known Sabaean culture dates back to the end of the second millennium BC. Whereas, undoubtedly, its wealth came mainly from the trade along the Incense Road, the backbone of its economy was irrigated agriculture. Since agriculture is based on soil and water resources and, hence, land availability, the buried soils and sediments of the area surrounding the Ma’rib Oasis have been investigated, both as an archive of Holocene soil development in Pre-Sabaean times and as ‘natural treasures’, as, for example, ores or alabaster are defined. The natural buried Holocene soils around Ma’rib are rich in phosphate, organic material and volcanic ashes. In a few places they demonstrate cultivation before the Great Dam of Ma’rib was built in the first millennium BC. Most important are th...
Archaeopedological analyses in the oasis of Ma'rib (Yemen) y... more Archaeopedological analyses in the oasis of Ma'rib (Yemen) yield new information of Neolithic land use, Bronze Age soil formation, and Sabaean irrigation. The AMS radiocarbon age of a Neolithic fireplace buried under Sabaean irrigation sediments in the Southern oasis indicates Pre-Sabaean human activities in Wadi Dhana about 5600 years ago. The associated Mid-Holocene palaeosol, developed in fluvial sediments of Wadi
Tan'im is regarded as the most important urban centre in the Khawlan, a closed mountainous re... more Tan'im is regarded as the most important urban centre in the Khawlan, a closed mountainous region east of Sana'a, the capital of Yemen. The Khawlan covers a surface area of more than 2500 km2 with mountains reaching a height of over 3000 m and with a transforming area between the mountains and the desert. Tan'im is the single urban complex in the Khawlan that was founded in the 1st millennium BC. The branch office of the DAI in Sana'a is studying continuity and disruption in the city's history, particularly during the transition from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age.
Wandering movements and trade relations are traditionally viewed as basic factors for the transfe... more Wandering movements and trade relations are traditionally viewed as basic factors for the transfer of culture and knowledge, the development of human populations and the emergence of new socio-cultural systems. With the beginning of the Sabaean migration to the northern Horn of Africa in the early 1st millennium BC cultural contacts between Sabaean immigrants and the indigenous population evolved. The manner and degree in which these contacts affected the participating groups and the results of these contacts are issues that are being investigated by the Ethiopian-German cooperation project. Comparison with models of migrations pertaining to historical times reveals that certain frequent mechanisms and movements can be presupposed for Sabaean migrations too, such as the composition of the emigrating groups, the motives for migration and the multiphased duration of these processes.
The Orient Department’s Sana‘a Branch is currently examining the migration movement of South Arab... more The Orient Department’s Sana‘a Branch is currently examining the migration movement of South Arabian groups of peoples to the northern Horn of Africa during the early 1st millennium BC. At this time, culture-related remains of South Arabian, in particular Sabaean, character emerged in the area of southeast Eritrea and the north of Ethiopia, leading to a cultural change in this region. This transformation process becomes evident in sectors of the political, social and religious life. The project is pursued within the larger context of the DAI cluster “Connecting Cultures”.
In addition to scientific work, the Ethiopian-German cooperation project in Yeha focuses on the i... more In addition to scientific work, the Ethiopian-German cooperation project in Yeha focuses on the infrastructural development of infrastructure for tourism. To follow this objective, various elements are jointly pursued [linked]: the elaboration of a site management plan; the restoration of the ruins; the renovation of a cafeteria; the erection of an information stand and appropriate signposting as well as the building of a site museum.
The present contribution deals with the concepts of marginal habitats in selected regions of the ... more The present contribution deals with the concepts of marginal habitats in selected regions of the ancient world, ranging from modern Spain to the Jordanian desert and from Turkey to the Ethiopian highlands. Central to this research is the hypothesis that the occupation of areas beyond the ‘normal’ settlement patterns corresponds to colonization processes which reflect specific social strategies and may have stimulated the development of new technological skills. A review of ‘marginality’ research in various disciplines indicates that there is no comprehensive definition of the concept, which can be approached from a multitude of perspectives and with manifold objectives. A survey of the eight case studies and two more in-depth discussions of the sites of Musawwarat (Sudan) and Ayamonte (Spain) highlight the potentials as well as the limits of the archaeological investigation into past marginalities. Patterns of spatial marginalization are the easiest to detect. The studies also show ...
NEW GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES ON ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROSPECTION , 2019
Yeha and the UNESCO world heritage site Aksum, both situated in the Ethiopian highlands, was the ... more Yeha and the UNESCO world heritage site Aksum, both situated in the Ethiopian highlands, was the centre of the ancient kingdoms of Di’amat and Aksumite. The ruins of these kingdoms spread all over the Tigray Plateau, show the wealth and influence of these civilisations. Both kingdoms achieved economic and political importance since there were focal points for the trade routes of ancient Egypt, South-Arabia and the Roman Empire to Africa and the Indian Ocean (D’Andrea et al. 2008: 152-154). Yeha is deemed to be the capital of Di’amat formed in the early first millennium BC (Gerlach 2014: 5-7). It shows a strong influence of Sabean culture, which might be connected to their dominance of the Red Sea region. However, the Ethio-Sabaean culture disappeared towards the mid-first millennium BC by unknown cause and was succeeded by the Aksumite kingdom. The area of Yeha has remained inhabited through the millenniums to present day and is today known for its ruins of the monumental structure Grat Be’al Gebri as well as the Great Temple. The motivation of the geophysical survey was to obtain more information about the existence of surrounding settlement structures and their organisation. The selection of the different prospecting areas was predetermined by the accessibility and the requirement for areal magnetometer prospection. The total Earth’s magnetic field measurements and the subsequent interpretations are complicated by the shallow magnetic inclination of 15°.
The project is an Ethiopian-German cooperation project (ARCCH and TCTB ) and supported and financed by the DFG (DFG-Projekt Yeha).
The GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Fachgruppe Paläoumwelt of the University of Erlangen in cooperation wi... more The GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Fachgruppe Paläoumwelt of the University of Erlangen in cooperation with the DAI has conducted sedimentological and ecological investigations in Yeha and its surroundings. These studies are concerned with accumulations of fluvial sediments along recent wadis, which provide data on the climate history during the Holocene. In addition, research focused on the use of natural resources as well as the provenance of building materials employed in the monumental architecture in Yeha. In the case of the latter the wood used to build the palace-like Grat Beʿal Gebri stemmed from the juniper and African olive trees. The stones included phonolite and sandstone from the vicinity of Yeha, limestone quarried at Wuqro, located 80 km from Yeha, and slate from the region of Adua, some 30 km away.
Different phenomena of Sabaean cults are being examined by the Sana'a Branch as part of clust... more Different phenomena of Sabaean cults are being examined by the Sana'a Branch as part of cluster 4 "Sanctuaries. Cult topography and forms of communication in sacral context". As in many other cultures, a communication can be assumed in both directions in South Arabia, too: Besides the purely religious messages to the gods, political and economic messages were conveyed through various media in the sanctuaries. Questions on the cultural topography are explained using the example of the Sabaean city of Sirwāh.
The ancient cultures of Southern Arabia are increasingly recognised as playing as major a role in... more The ancient cultures of Southern Arabia are increasingly recognised as playing as major a role in the heritage of mankind as the early cultures of Egypt, Mesopotamia or the Indus Valley. The beginning of the widely known Sabaean culture dates back to the end of the second millennium bc. Whereas, undoubtedly, its wealth came mainly from the trade along the Incense Road, the backbone of its economy was irrigated agriculture. Since agriculture is based on soil and water resources and, hence, land availability, the buried soils and sediments of the area surrounding the Ma’rib Oasis have been investigated, both as an archive of Holocene soil development in Pre-Sabaean times and as ‘natural treasures’, as, for example, ores or alabaster are defined. The natural buried Holocene soils around Ma’rib are rich in phosphate, organic material and volcanic ashes. In a few places they demonstrate cultivation before the Great Dam of Ma’rib was built in the first millennium bc. Most important are th...
I he most famous town of ancient Yemen was Marib the capital of the Kingdom of Saba. Marib is div... more I he most famous town of ancient Yemen was Marib the capital of the Kingdom of Saba. Marib is divided by the Wadi Dhana into a northern and southern oasis. The most important temples of Marib are the Ba'ran-Temple and the Awam-Temple. Both were dedicated to the moon God Almquah. The Awam-Temple is located in the southern oasis. 3.5 km to the south-east of the ancient city of Marib. The oldest inscription on the oval wall of the temple can be assigned in time to the middle of the 7" century B.C., the youngest inscriptions date to the end of the 4'" century A. D. The Awam-Temple was partly excavated by an American expedition in 1951/52, but is now again completely covered by the sand. The necropolis remained long undiscovered. This expedition 1951/52 were the first who recognized the cemetery. The cemetery is located adjacent to the Awam-Temple like an 80-100 meter wide band around the southern half of the temple oval. Beginning in the south of the West Gate it ends ...
Dans l’etude des relations interculturelles entre l’Arabie du Sud et la region syro-palestinienne... more Dans l’etude des relations interculturelles entre l’Arabie du Sud et la region syro-palestinienne d’une part, la Mesopotamie d’autre part, l’examen du trace des voies commerciales et l’exploitation des sources assyriennes mentionnant les royaumes sudarabiques ou leurs monarques apparaissaient jusqu’ici comme essentiels. Par ailleurs, une etude approfondie des ecrits des auteurs classiques a egalement ete entreprise. Herodote (Histoire, III, 107), Strabon (Geographie, XVI, 765 sq.) et Pline l’...
The ancient cultures of Southern Arabia are increasingly recognised as playing as major a role in... more The ancient cultures of Southern Arabia are increasingly recognised as playing as major a role in the heritage of mankind as the early cultures of Egypt, Mesopotamia or the Indus Valley. The beginning of the widely known Sabaean culture dates back to the end of the second millennium bc. Whereas, undoubtedly, its wealth came mainly from the trade along the Incense Road, the backbone of its economy was irrigated agriculture. Since agriculture is based on soil and water resources and, hence, land availability, the buried soils and sediments of the area surrounding the Ma’rib Oasis have been investigated, both as an archive of Holocene soil development in Pre-Sabaean times and as ‘natural treasures’, as, for example, ores or alabaster are defined. The natural buried Holocene soils around Ma’rib are rich in phosphate, organic material and volcanic ashes. In a few places they demonstrate cultivation before the Great Dam of Ma’rib was built in the first millennium bc. Most important are th...
The ancient cultures of Southern Arabia are increasingly recognised as playing as major a role in... more The ancient cultures of Southern Arabia are increasingly recognised as playing as major a role in the heritage of mankind as the early cultures of Egypt, Mesopotamia or the Indus Valley. The beginning of the widely known Sabaean culture dates back to the end of the second millennium BC. Whereas, undoubtedly, its wealth came mainly from the trade along the Incense Road, the backbone of its economy was irrigated agriculture. Since agriculture is based on soil and water resources and, hence, land availability, the buried soils and sediments of the area surrounding the Ma’rib Oasis have been investigated, both as an archive of Holocene soil development in Pre-Sabaean times and as ‘natural treasures’, as, for example, ores or alabaster are defined. The natural buried Holocene soils around Ma’rib are rich in phosphate, organic material and volcanic ashes. In a few places they demonstrate cultivation before the Great Dam of Ma’rib was built in the first millennium BC. Most important are th...
Archaeopedological analyses in the oasis of Ma'rib (Yemen) y... more Archaeopedological analyses in the oasis of Ma'rib (Yemen) yield new information of Neolithic land use, Bronze Age soil formation, and Sabaean irrigation. The AMS radiocarbon age of a Neolithic fireplace buried under Sabaean irrigation sediments in the Southern oasis indicates Pre-Sabaean human activities in Wadi Dhana about 5600 years ago. The associated Mid-Holocene palaeosol, developed in fluvial sediments of Wadi
Tan'im is regarded as the most important urban centre in the Khawlan, a closed mountainous re... more Tan'im is regarded as the most important urban centre in the Khawlan, a closed mountainous region east of Sana'a, the capital of Yemen. The Khawlan covers a surface area of more than 2500 km2 with mountains reaching a height of over 3000 m and with a transforming area between the mountains and the desert. Tan'im is the single urban complex in the Khawlan that was founded in the 1st millennium BC. The branch office of the DAI in Sana'a is studying continuity and disruption in the city's history, particularly during the transition from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age.
Wandering movements and trade relations are traditionally viewed as basic factors for the transfe... more Wandering movements and trade relations are traditionally viewed as basic factors for the transfer of culture and knowledge, the development of human populations and the emergence of new socio-cultural systems. With the beginning of the Sabaean migration to the northern Horn of Africa in the early 1st millennium BC cultural contacts between Sabaean immigrants and the indigenous population evolved. The manner and degree in which these contacts affected the participating groups and the results of these contacts are issues that are being investigated by the Ethiopian-German cooperation project. Comparison with models of migrations pertaining to historical times reveals that certain frequent mechanisms and movements can be presupposed for Sabaean migrations too, such as the composition of the emigrating groups, the motives for migration and the multiphased duration of these processes.
The Orient Department’s Sana‘a Branch is currently examining the migration movement of South Arab... more The Orient Department’s Sana‘a Branch is currently examining the migration movement of South Arabian groups of peoples to the northern Horn of Africa during the early 1st millennium BC. At this time, culture-related remains of South Arabian, in particular Sabaean, character emerged in the area of southeast Eritrea and the north of Ethiopia, leading to a cultural change in this region. This transformation process becomes evident in sectors of the political, social and religious life. The project is pursued within the larger context of the DAI cluster “Connecting Cultures”.
In addition to scientific work, the Ethiopian-German cooperation project in Yeha focuses on the i... more In addition to scientific work, the Ethiopian-German cooperation project in Yeha focuses on the infrastructural development of infrastructure for tourism. To follow this objective, various elements are jointly pursued [linked]: the elaboration of a site management plan; the restoration of the ruins; the renovation of a cafeteria; the erection of an information stand and appropriate signposting as well as the building of a site museum.
The present contribution deals with the concepts of marginal habitats in selected regions of the ... more The present contribution deals with the concepts of marginal habitats in selected regions of the ancient world, ranging from modern Spain to the Jordanian desert and from Turkey to the Ethiopian highlands. Central to this research is the hypothesis that the occupation of areas beyond the ‘normal’ settlement patterns corresponds to colonization processes which reflect specific social strategies and may have stimulated the development of new technological skills. A review of ‘marginality’ research in various disciplines indicates that there is no comprehensive definition of the concept, which can be approached from a multitude of perspectives and with manifold objectives. A survey of the eight case studies and two more in-depth discussions of the sites of Musawwarat (Sudan) and Ayamonte (Spain) highlight the potentials as well as the limits of the archaeological investigation into past marginalities. Patterns of spatial marginalization are the easiest to detect. The studies also show ...
NEW GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES ON ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROSPECTION , 2019
Yeha and the UNESCO world heritage site Aksum, both situated in the Ethiopian highlands, was the ... more Yeha and the UNESCO world heritage site Aksum, both situated in the Ethiopian highlands, was the centre of the ancient kingdoms of Di’amat and Aksumite. The ruins of these kingdoms spread all over the Tigray Plateau, show the wealth and influence of these civilisations. Both kingdoms achieved economic and political importance since there were focal points for the trade routes of ancient Egypt, South-Arabia and the Roman Empire to Africa and the Indian Ocean (D’Andrea et al. 2008: 152-154). Yeha is deemed to be the capital of Di’amat formed in the early first millennium BC (Gerlach 2014: 5-7). It shows a strong influence of Sabean culture, which might be connected to their dominance of the Red Sea region. However, the Ethio-Sabaean culture disappeared towards the mid-first millennium BC by unknown cause and was succeeded by the Aksumite kingdom. The area of Yeha has remained inhabited through the millenniums to present day and is today known for its ruins of the monumental structure Grat Be’al Gebri as well as the Great Temple. The motivation of the geophysical survey was to obtain more information about the existence of surrounding settlement structures and their organisation. The selection of the different prospecting areas was predetermined by the accessibility and the requirement for areal magnetometer prospection. The total Earth’s magnetic field measurements and the subsequent interpretations are complicated by the shallow magnetic inclination of 15°.
The project is an Ethiopian-German cooperation project (ARCCH and TCTB ) and supported and financed by the DFG (DFG-Projekt Yeha).
Die Broschüre "Archäologische Forschungen des DAI in Afrika 2018" informiert auf Deutsch und Engl... more Die Broschüre "Archäologische Forschungen des DAI in Afrika 2018" informiert auf Deutsch und Englisch über alle aktuellen Projekte von Marokko und Tunesien über Ägypten, Sudan und Äthiopien bis nach Südafrika im Rahmen des TransArea Network Africa.
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Plateau, show the wealth and influence of these civilisations. Both kingdoms achieved economic and political importance since there were focal points for the trade routes of ancient Egypt, South-Arabia and the Roman Empire to Africa and the Indian Ocean (D’Andrea et al. 2008: 152-154). Yeha is deemed to be the capital of Di’amat formed in the early first millennium BC (Gerlach 2014: 5-7). It shows a strong influence of Sabean culture, which might be connected to their dominance of the Red Sea region. However, the Ethio-Sabaean culture disappeared towards the mid-first millennium BC by unknown cause and was succeeded by the Aksumite kingdom. The area of Yeha has remained inhabited through the millenniums to present day and is today known for its ruins of the monumental structure Grat Be’al Gebri as well as the Great Temple.
The motivation of the geophysical survey was to obtain more information about the existence of surrounding settlement structures and their organisation. The selection of the different prospecting areas was predetermined by the accessibility and the requirement for areal magnetometer prospection. The total Earth’s magnetic field measurements and the subsequent interpretations are complicated by the shallow magnetic inclination of 15°.
The project is an Ethiopian-German cooperation project (ARCCH and TCTB ) and supported and financed by the DFG (DFG-Projekt Yeha).
Plateau, show the wealth and influence of these civilisations. Both kingdoms achieved economic and political importance since there were focal points for the trade routes of ancient Egypt, South-Arabia and the Roman Empire to Africa and the Indian Ocean (D’Andrea et al. 2008: 152-154). Yeha is deemed to be the capital of Di’amat formed in the early first millennium BC (Gerlach 2014: 5-7). It shows a strong influence of Sabean culture, which might be connected to their dominance of the Red Sea region. However, the Ethio-Sabaean culture disappeared towards the mid-first millennium BC by unknown cause and was succeeded by the Aksumite kingdom. The area of Yeha has remained inhabited through the millenniums to present day and is today known for its ruins of the monumental structure Grat Be’al Gebri as well as the Great Temple.
The motivation of the geophysical survey was to obtain more information about the existence of surrounding settlement structures and their organisation. The selection of the different prospecting areas was predetermined by the accessibility and the requirement for areal magnetometer prospection. The total Earth’s magnetic field measurements and the subsequent interpretations are complicated by the shallow magnetic inclination of 15°.
The project is an Ethiopian-German cooperation project (ARCCH and TCTB ) and supported and financed by the DFG (DFG-Projekt Yeha).