Table des matières

Foreword

List of Figures

List of Tables

Jérémie Schiettecatte

Introduction

• 1. Funding
• 2. Programme of the third (2013) and fourth (2015) seasons
• 2.1. Environmental research
• 2.2. Prehistoric survey of the al-Kharj region
• 2.3. The protohistoric period: excavation of Bronze Age necropolises
• 2.4. The late pre-Islamic and early Islamic periods: excavation at the site of al-Yamāma
• 2.5. Complementary documentation
• 3. Recording system
• 4. The team
• 5. Acknowledgements

The Oasis of al-Kharj

Antoine Chabrol, Michèle Dinies et Éric Fouache

Chapter 1: Holocene environmental studies in the region of al-Kharj

• 1. Geomorphological investigations on the palaeolake at al-Hayāthim
• 1.1. The general context
• 1.2. The studied area: location and methodology
• 1.3. Preliminary remarks
• 2. Vegetation in the region of al-Kharj
• 2.1. Introduction
• 2.1.1. Recent vegetation
• 2.1.2. Holocene vegetation records of the Arabian Peninsula
• 2.2. Fieldwork
• 2.2.1. Sampling
• 2.2.2. Preliminary event stratigraphy
• 2.2.3. Investigations and perspectives

Rémy Crassard et Yamandú Hieronymus Hilbert

Chapter 2: Middle Palaeolithic sites from the Rufāʿ graben

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Methodology: survey and lithic analyses
• 3. Geomorphological observation of the al-Kharj area and the Rufāʿ graben
• 4. Survey results
• 4.1. List of discovered sites
• 4.2. Description of sites and associated lithic industries
• 4.2.1. AK-30
• 4.2.2. AK-31
• 4.2.3. AK-32
• 4.2.4. AK-33
• 4.2.5. AK-34
• 4.2.6. AK-35
• 4.2.7. AK-36
• 4.2.8. AK-37
• 4.2.9. AK-38
• 4.2.10. AK-39
• 4.2.11. AK-40
• 4.2.12. AK-41
• 4.2.13. AK-42
• 4.2.14. AK-43
• 4.2.15. AK-44
• 4.2.16. AK-45
• 4.2.17. AK-46
• 4.2.18. AK-47
• 4.3. Observations
• 5. Excavations at Umm al-Shaʿal (AK-31), a stratified Middle Palaeolithic occurrence in central Arabia
• 6. Perspectives

Jérémie Schiettecatte, Anaïs Chevalier, Laetitia Munduteguy et al.

Chapter 3: The Bronze Age necropolis of ʿAyn al-Dilaʿ 1

• 1. History of research
• 2. Survey and map of the site
• 3. Choice of the excavated area
• 4. Methodology
• 5. Map and DEM of the investigated area
• 6. Grave AD1-01
• 6.1. Location
• 6.2. Architecture and stratigraphy (figs. 3.5–3.7)
• 6.2.1. Structure
• 6.2.1.1. The south-eastern quarter
• 6.2.1.2. The north-western quarter
• 6.2.1.3. The north-eastern quarter
• 6.2.1.4. The south-western quarter
• 6.2.2. The funerary chamber (R. 1023)
• 6.2.2.1. The lower burial SR.1023.2
• 6.2.2.2. The upper burial SR.1023.1
• 7. Grave AD1-02
• 7.1. Location
• 7.2. Architecture and stratigraphy (figs. 3.18–3.23)
• 7.2.1. The structure
• 7.2.2. The funerary chamber (R. 1024)
• 8. Graves AD1-03 and AD1-04
• 8.1. Location
• 8.2. Architecture and stratigraphy (figs. 3.24–3.34)
• 8.2.1. The structures of AD1-03 and AD1-04
• 8.2.2. The funerary chamber of AD1-03 (R. 1021)
• 8.2.3. The funerary chamber of AD1-04 (R. 1022)
• 9. Grave AD1-05
• 9.1. Location
• 9.2. Architecture and stratigraphy
• 9.2.1. The structure
• 9.2.2. The funerary chamber (R. 1028)
• 9.2.2.1. Burial S.R1028.1
• 9.2.2.2. The collapse layers
• 10. Discussion
• 10.1. Funerary practices
• 10.2. Dating
• 10.2.1. Artefacts
• 10.2.2. Radiocarbon dating
• 10.3. Location

The Site of al-Yamama

Jérémie Schiettecatte, Pierre Siméon et Alexia Rosak

Chapter 4: Al-Yamāma (Area N6): the Great Mosque (Buildings 1 and 3) and its immediate surroundings

• 1. Al-Yamāma: description of the site
• 2. Building 1: a late Islamic mosque above an early Islamic mosque
• 2.2. Building 1-I
• 2.2.1. Plan and architecture (fig. 4.10)
• 2.2.2. Stratigraphy (fig. 4.7)
• 2.3. Building 1-II
• 2.3.1. Plan and architecture
• 2.3.1.1. Floor F. 014
• 2.3.1.2. The peristyle (riwāq)
• 2.3.2. Stratigraphy (fig. 4.7)
• 2.3.2.1. The prayer hall
• 2.3.2.2. The peristyle
• 2.4. Building 1-III
• 2.4.1. Plan and architecture
• 2.4.2. Stratigraphy (fig. 4.7)
• 2.4.2.1. The prayer hall
• 2.4.2.2. Northern part of the courtyard
• 2.4.2.3. The southern part of the courtyard
• 2.5. Building 1-IV
• 2.5.1. Plan and architecture
• 2.5.2. Stratigraphy (fig. 4.7)
• 3. Building 3: an early Islamic mosque
• 4. Pits in the prayer hall (P. 185, P. 186, P. 187)
• 4.1. Pit P. 185
• 4.2. Pit P. 186
• 4.3. Pit P. 187
• 5. Trench A: the southern sounding in the prayer hall
• 6. Trench B: the northern sounding in the prayer hall
• 7. Trench C: the north-western corner of the courtyard
• 8. Trench D: a pre-Islamic dwelling prior to the mosque
• 9. Trench E: behind the miḥrāb
• 10. Trench F: behind the northern wall of the mosque
• 11. Chronology
• 11.1. Phase 1: the late Islamic mosque (16th–18th century)
• 11.2. Phase 2: the early Islamic mosque (8th–10th century)
• 11.3. Phase 3: a 1000-year-long hiatus?
• 11.4. Phase 4: the pre-Islamic occupation (4th–3rd century BC)
• 12. Pottery assemblage
• 12.1. Distribution
• 12.2. The late Islamic pottery (16th–18th century AD)
• 12.3. The early Islamic pottery (8th–10th century AD)
• 12.4. The pre-Islamic pottery (4th–3rd century BC)
• 13. Restoration

Elodie Wermuth

Chapter 5: Al-Yamāma (Area N6): burial S.P.094.1

• 1. Méthodologie
• 2. La sépulture S.P.094.1
• 3. Données anthropologiques

Julien Cuny et Jérémie Schiettecatte

Chapter 6: Al-Yamāma (Area K17): Sounding 4

• 1. Location and aim of the sounding
• 2. General stratigraphy and phases
• 2.1. Phase 1: a dwelling area
• 2.1.1. The north-western quarter: an open-air area with pits (figs. 6.11–6.17)
• 2.2. Phase 2
• 2.3. Phase 3 (figs. 6.21–6.24)
• 2.4. Phase 4
• 3. Artefacts
• 4. Chronology
• 4.1. Phase 1: a late Islamic occupation (17th–18th century)
• 4.2. Phase 2: a hiatus (12th–16th century)
• 4.3. Phase 3: an early Islamic occupation
• 4.4. Phase 4: a pre-Islamic occupation (4th–3rd century BC)
• 5. Pottery assemblage
• 5.1. Distribution
• 5.2. Phase 1: late Islamic pottery (figs. 6.28–6.30)
• 5.2.1. Cat. 1–2 — Common buff (cat. 1) or reddish (cat. 2) ware with medium to thick grits
• 5.2.2. Cat. 21 & 41 — Blue/green and white glazed Islamic ware
• 5.2.3. Cat. 22 — Porcelain
• 5.2.4. Cat. 46 — Underglaze-painted ware
• 5.3. Phase 2
• 5.4. Phase 3: early Islamic pottery (fig. 6.31)
• 5.4.1. Cat. 1–2 — Common buff (cat. 1) or reddish (cat. 2) ware with medium to thick grits
• 5.4.2. Cat. 21 & 41 — Blue/green and white glazed Islamic ware
• 5.4.3. Cat. 35 — Medium reddish buff ware with cream slip
• 5.5. Phase 4: pre-Islamic pottery (4th–3rd century BC) (fig. 6.32)
• 5.5.1. Cat. 15 — Red ware with grey-black core and abundant chaff temper
• 5.5.2. Cat. 19 — Thick buff to green chaff-tempered ware
• 5.5.3. Cat. 33 — Fine reddish buff ware with cream slip
• 5.5.4. Cat. 52 — Handmade/moulded/slow-wheel-turned reddish buff ware with cream slip

Charlène Bouchaud

Chapter 7: Al-Yamāma: archaeobotanical study

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Methodology
• 2.1. Sampling strategy
• 2.2. Samples processing
• 2.3. Identification
• 3. Preliminary results
• 3.1. Richness, diversity, and future sampling strategy
• 3.2. Preliminary carpological study
• 3.2.1. Fruit trees
• 3.2.2. Cereals
• 3.2.3. Textile/oil plants
• 3.2.4. Absence of pulses
• 3.2.5. Wild plants
• 3.3. Two observations relating to archaeological contexts
• 3.3.1. Area K17, Sounding 4, the residential area (table 7.4)
• 3.3.2. Area N6, the mosque (table 7.5)
• 4. Conclusion

Hervé Monchot

Chapter 8: Al-Yamāma: archaeozoological study

• 1. Association of camel and caprine
• 2. Gazelle (Gazella sp.)
• 3. Spiny-tailed lizard (Uromastyx aegyptia)
• 4. Ostrich (Struthio camelus)
• 5. Domestic fowl (Gallus gallus)
• 6. Other species already attested during previous seasons
• 7. New species
• 7.1. Serranidae
• 7.2. Clupeidae
• 7.3. Cape hare
• 7.4. Rodents
• 7.5. Golden eagle and unidentified birds

Bruno Gavazzi

Chapter 9: Al-Yamāma: magnetic cartography

• 1. Process
• 1.1. Objectives of geomagnetic measurements
• 1.2. Devices
• 1.3. Methodology
• 1.4. Data processing
• 2. Results
• 3. Conclusion

^Appendices

Appendices 1–2 – Al-Kharj 2013 and 2015 team members and field workers

Appendix 3 – ʿAyn al-Dilaʿ 1: structures

Appendix 4 – ʿAyn al-Dilaʿ 1: stratigraphic units (Uf)

Appendix 5 – ʿAyn al-Dilaʿ 1: artefacts

Appendix 6 – ʿAyn al-Dilaʿ 1: recorded human bones

Appendix 7 – Al-Yamāma: Buildings 1 and 3: structures

Appendix 8 – Al-Yamāma: Buildings 1 and 3: stratigraphic units (Uf)

Appendix 9 – Al-Yamāma: Buildings 1 and 3: artefacts

Appendix 10 – Al-Yamāma (area K17): Sounding 4: structures

Appendix 11 –Al-Yamāma (area K17): Sounding 4: stratigraphic units (Uf)

Appendix 12 – Al-Yamāma (area K17): Sounding 4: artefacts

List of references