Fabien Lesguer | CNRS UMR 8167 (original) (raw)
Papers by Fabien Lesguer
IASA Seminar for Arabian Studies, Paris, 27th-29th June, 2024
This poster presents the results of the excavations of an urban district in ancient Dadan, in the... more This poster presents the results of the excavations of an urban district in ancient Dadan, in the al-ʿUlā valley (north-west Arabia), conducted by the team of the Dadan Archaeological Project (CNRS/RCU/ AFALULA) between 2020 and 2023. The excavation data were processed jointly with the ECOSeed archaeobotanical project. This multidisciplinary approach provides critical new insights into the development of one of the major ancient northwest Arabian oases. The excavations revealed the earliest safely dated domestic architectural remains in the oasis. The results also enable a reassessment of the earlier archaeological evidence, suggesting a first peak in the urban development of the oasis during the Bronze Age. This excavation then revealed a virtually continuous urban occupation through the Iron Age until the early 1st millennium AD, in particular with periods of reorganization of the district between the 8th and 5th centuries BC, and again between the 4th and 2nd centuries BC. Many evolutions in the material culture and lifestyle of the population can also be observed over more than 2,500 years of occupation, such as changes in the diet, agricultural practices, pottery production, and macro-lithic technology. (abstract: Fabien Lesguer)
Although it is one of the main archaeological sites in Oman, the medieval port of Qalhat, near Su... more Although it is one of the main archaeological sites in Oman, the medieval port of Qalhat, near Sur in Ash-Sharqiyah Governorate, has long remained poorly documented. The extensive research initiated in 2008 by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism (at the time, Heritage and Culture) shed striking light on the history of this famous harbour city, which was the twin capital of the Kingdom of Hormuz from the 13th to the 16th century. Surface surveys and excavations have revealed the plan and chronology of the city and its different districts. Mosques (including the Great Mosque built by Bibi Maryam around 1300) and other religious buildings, fortifications, and water supply systems have been identified and studied. The craft and economic activities of the city and the regional and international commercial links of the port have been reconstructed, as well as the daily life of its inhabitants, revealing the wealth and cosmopolitan character of this ancient Omani metropolis. All these results highlighted the Outstanding Universal Value of the site and eventually led to the inscription of Qalhat on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2018.
Revealing Cultural Landscapes in Northwest Arabia (Supplement to Volume 51 of the Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies), 2022
This article presents the results of a test excavation conducted by the team of the Dadan Archaeo... more This article presents the results of a test excavation conducted by the team of the Dadan Archaeological Project (CNRS/RCU/ AFALULA) in October/November 2019 at a peripheral site of ancient Dadan, in the al-ʿUlā valley (north-west Arabia). The excavation data were processed jointly with the ECOSeed archaeobotanical project and the ArcAgr-AU geo-archaeological project. This multidisciplinary approach provides critical new insights into the development of one of the major ancient northwest Arabian oases. The excavations revealed the earliest safely dated architectural remains in the oasis, associated to the earliest evidence of local date-palm cultivation, in the twelfth–eleventh century BC. The results also enable a reassessment of the earlier archaeological evidence, suggesting a peak in the development of the oasis in the eighth–fifth century BC, at the time of the first North Arabian kingdoms and the rise of long-distance aromatics trade.
Networked spaces : The spatiality of networks in the Red Sea and Western Indian Ocean, 2022
Until now, studies have been incomplete about the places where ceramics are produced on the Arabi... more Until now, studies have been incomplete about the places where ceramics are produced on the Arabian Peninsula and the tools used to produce them. However, new research opportunities have opened up in the region in recent years, facilitating access to sites housing pottery workshops. Workshops have been excavated in the caravan city of Thāj (4th century BC to 4th century AD) near the coast of the Persian Gulf, in the city of al‑Yamāma in the oasis of al‑Kharj (9th‑10th centuries AD) in central Saudi Arabia, or in the port site of Qalhāt (13th‑14th centuries AD) in the Sultanate of Oman. In addition, other production areas have been identified in Yemen, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. It is therefore necessary to make an initial inventory of the production areas on the Peninsula and the production technologies used there.
![Research paper thumbnail of 2020 - A ninth- to tenth-century pottery workshop at al-Yamāmah, Central Arabia, by F. Lesguer & J. Schiettecatte, in Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 50: 203-224 [PREPRINT]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/64290291/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies, 2020
No area of craft tradition has so far been documented in the Najd. In this respect, the fieldwork... more No area of craft tradition has so far been documented in the Najd. In this respect, the fieldwork conducted by the Saudi-French archaeological mission in the oasis of al-Kharj (Central Arabia, 2011–2017) filled a gap with the discovery and excavation of a pottery workshop at al-Yamāmah — ancient Jaw al-Khaḍārim, capital city of the historical region of al-Yamāmah. To the southwest of the Islamic city, a sounding revealed several pottery kilns in a courtyard connected to a building and several dumps from the ninth–tenth century AD. The content of the dumps made it possible to distinguish between local and regional productions. The stratigraphic sequence, architectural analysis, material study, chemical analysis, and AMS radiocarbon dating all contribute to clarify the pottery production in the Najd during the Abbasid period. Our aim is to present the spatial organization of the pottery workshop and to characterize its production.
The Journal of Oman Studies , 2019
Led since 2008, the archaeological researches at Qalhāt (Qalhāt Project/Qalhāt Development Projec... more Led since 2008, the archaeological researches at Qalhāt (Qalhāt Project/Qalhāt Development Project), in the South Sharqiyah Governorate of Oman, delivered the vestiges of a whole port city of the Middle Ages (13th-16th c. C.E.) with all its main features, its various quarters and street networks, the fortifications and gates, the great Friday Mosque and other religious buildings, a sūq and a warehouse, workshops and dwellings, and several administrative and public edifices. Among these is a hammām, the only building of this kind ever found in Oman, which was first discovered during preliminary excavations in 2003. The detailed architectural and technical study of the Qalhāt hammām delivered much information about its operation, its origin and its dating. It was most probably built, together with the north fortified gate of the ramparts, during the heyday of the city under the reign of the governor Sayf al-Dīn Ayāz and his wife Bībī Maryam, around 1280-1320; Qalhāt underwent at that time a main development as the second capital of the Hormuz kingdom, which was then developing as a leader of the Indian Ocean trade. Although this hammām is rather unique from an architectural point of view, its plan could be of Seljuq origin.
Sur les chemins d’Onagre Histoire et archéologie orientales Hommage à Monik Kervran, 2018
The extensive excavations recently held at a potter’s workshop in Qalhāt on the Omani coast allow... more The extensive excavations recently held at a potter’s workshop in Qalhāt on the Omani coast allowed us to follow the evolution of this ceramic production center between the end of the 13th century and the second half of the 14th century, and to bring to light three kilns among which two have a double chamber separated by a sole.
These excavations have also provided useful insights into the medieval ceramic production in Oman, the technics involved and the vessels produced. The assemblage of local ceramics, glazed and unglazed, covers all domestic forms: jars, jugs, bottles, basins, bowls and oil lamps. The typo-chronological study of this material was carried out in order to highlight the evolution of the assemblage during the 14th century.
by Olivier Henry, Christophe Bost, Ömür Dünya Çakmaklı, Felix Cederling, Angela Commito, Mélissa Cormier-Huguet, Arnaud Coutelas, Alexandra Dolea, Duygu Ergenç, Axel Frejman, Fabien Lesguer, Daniel Löwenborg, Frédérique Marchand-Beaulieu, and Anna M Sitz
Tourner autour du pot… Les ateliers de potiers médiévaux du Ve au XIIe siècle dans l’espace européen , 2015
La ville de Termez se trouve dans la république d'Ouzbékistan en Asie centrale. Elle se situe dan... more La ville de Termez se trouve dans la république d'Ouzbékistan en Asie centrale. Elle se situe dans la province du Surkhan Darya sur le bord du fleuve de l'Amou Daria. La localisation de Termez a évolué dans le temps. La première ville se trouve au bord de l'Amou Daria. Cette cité a connu un développement à partir de la période hellénistique (III e siècle av. J.-C.) jusqu'à l'invasion de Gengis Khan et le massacre de la population en 1220 ap. J.-C. La seconde ville post-mongole se trouve à l'est de la première ville, plus près de la rivière du Surkhan Darya. La ville actuelle a été créée en 1897 par les russes et elle se trouve à 8 kilomètres au sud de la première ville. Depuis les années 1920 des archéologues travaillent sur le site de la première Termez. Deux équipes d'archéologues, dont une partie de la problématique concerne les ateliers de potiers, travaillent actuellement sur ce site (fig. 1) : l'équipe franco-ouzbek codirigée par Pierre Leriche 1 et Chakirjan Pidaev 2 depuis 1993 et l'équipe catalano-ouzbek codirigée par Josep Maria Gurt Esparaguerra 3 et Chakirjan Pidaev depuis 2006. L'équipe catalano-ouzbek travaille sur des fours de la fin III ème siècle au V ème siècle ap. J.-C. 4 alors que l'équipe francoouzbek étudie ceux de la période islamique de la ville (VIII e J.-C. -XII e siècle ap. J.-C 5 ).
Posters/ Blogs by Fabien Lesguer
The 57th Seminar for Arabian Studies, 2024
This poster presents the results of the excavations of an urban district in ancient Dadan, in the... more This poster presents the results of the excavations of an urban district in ancient Dadan, in the al-ʿUlā valley (north-west Arabia), conducted by the team of the Dadan Archaeological Project (CNRS/RCU/ AFALULA) between 2020 and 2023. The excavation data were processed jointly with the ECOSeed archaeobotanical project. This multidisciplinary approach provides critical new insights into the development of one of the major ancient northwest Arabian oases. The excavations revealed the earliest safely dated domestic architectural remains in the oasis. The results also enable a reassessment of the earlier archaeological evidence, suggesting a first peak in the urban development of the oasis during the Bronze Age. This excavation then revealed a virtually continuous urban occupation through the Iron Age until the early 1st millennium AD, in particular with periods of reorganization of the district between the 8th and 5th centuries BC, and again between the 4th and 2nd centuries BC. Many evolutions in the material culture and lifestyle of the population can also be observed over more than 2,500 years of occupation, such as changes in the diet, agricultural practices, pottery production, and macro-lithic technology.
Le carnet de la MAFKF. Recherches archéologiques franco-koweïtiennes de l’île de Faïlaka (Koweït), Sep 10, 2018
Publié sur https://mafkf.hypotheses.org/1791
La production de céramique est une activité ancienne et durable dans l'histoire de de la ville de... more La production de céramique est une activité ancienne et durable dans l'histoire de de la ville de Termez, qui se situe au sud de l’Ouzbékistan au bord de l’Amou Daria. En effet les recherches effectuées depuis les années 1980 par différentes équipes d’archéologues ont permis pour l’instant d’identifier sur l’ensemble du site dix zones d’ateliers de potiers datant du IIIe siècle après J.-C. au XIIe siècle après J.-C. La localisation de ceux-ci a changé en fonction de l’expansion de la ville et son développement au cours de son histoire. A ce jour, onze fours ont été mis à jour dont sept ont été fouillés toutes périodes confondues sur le site de Termez. Ce corpus a déjà pu permettre l’observation d’une évolution dans l’architecture des fours entre la période préislamique (IIIe siècle après J.-C. au VIIe siècle après J.-C.) et la période islamique (VIIIe siècle après J.-C. au XIIe siècle après J.-C.) caractérisée par la maitrise de nouvelles techniques et habitudes dans la cuisson de la céramique
Reports by Fabien Lesguer
The Dadan Archaeological Project (DAP) is a five-year program launched in April 2019 to carry out... more The Dadan Archaeological Project (DAP) is a five-year program launched in April 2019 to carry out a comprehensive archaeological investigation of the heritage site of Dadan, build local capacities in the field of archaeology and heritage, raise awareness about the site among the local population, the global public, and the scientific community, and support the site’s development. The project is carried out by the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS, UMR 8167 Orient & Méditerranée) on behalf of the French Agency for the Development of AlUla (AFALULA) and the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU). It is codirected by Dr Jérôme Rohmer (CNRS) and Dr Abdulrahman Alsuhaibani (RCU).
by Fabien Lesguer, Bigot-Démereau Louise, Paul Cervantes, Chloé Girardi, Brahim M'Barek, Julie Monchamp, Ali Othman, Sasha Peignot, Alexia Rosak, Irene Rossi, Shadi SHABO, and Francelin Tourtet
IASA Seminar for Arabian Studies, Paris, 27th-29th June, 2024
This poster presents the results of the excavations of an urban district in ancient Dadan, in the... more This poster presents the results of the excavations of an urban district in ancient Dadan, in the al-ʿUlā valley (north-west Arabia), conducted by the team of the Dadan Archaeological Project (CNRS/RCU/ AFALULA) between 2020 and 2023. The excavation data were processed jointly with the ECOSeed archaeobotanical project. This multidisciplinary approach provides critical new insights into the development of one of the major ancient northwest Arabian oases. The excavations revealed the earliest safely dated domestic architectural remains in the oasis. The results also enable a reassessment of the earlier archaeological evidence, suggesting a first peak in the urban development of the oasis during the Bronze Age. This excavation then revealed a virtually continuous urban occupation through the Iron Age until the early 1st millennium AD, in particular with periods of reorganization of the district between the 8th and 5th centuries BC, and again between the 4th and 2nd centuries BC. Many evolutions in the material culture and lifestyle of the population can also be observed over more than 2,500 years of occupation, such as changes in the diet, agricultural practices, pottery production, and macro-lithic technology. (abstract: Fabien Lesguer)
Although it is one of the main archaeological sites in Oman, the medieval port of Qalhat, near Su... more Although it is one of the main archaeological sites in Oman, the medieval port of Qalhat, near Sur in Ash-Sharqiyah Governorate, has long remained poorly documented. The extensive research initiated in 2008 by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism (at the time, Heritage and Culture) shed striking light on the history of this famous harbour city, which was the twin capital of the Kingdom of Hormuz from the 13th to the 16th century. Surface surveys and excavations have revealed the plan and chronology of the city and its different districts. Mosques (including the Great Mosque built by Bibi Maryam around 1300) and other religious buildings, fortifications, and water supply systems have been identified and studied. The craft and economic activities of the city and the regional and international commercial links of the port have been reconstructed, as well as the daily life of its inhabitants, revealing the wealth and cosmopolitan character of this ancient Omani metropolis. All these results highlighted the Outstanding Universal Value of the site and eventually led to the inscription of Qalhat on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2018.
Revealing Cultural Landscapes in Northwest Arabia (Supplement to Volume 51 of the Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies), 2022
This article presents the results of a test excavation conducted by the team of the Dadan Archaeo... more This article presents the results of a test excavation conducted by the team of the Dadan Archaeological Project (CNRS/RCU/ AFALULA) in October/November 2019 at a peripheral site of ancient Dadan, in the al-ʿUlā valley (north-west Arabia). The excavation data were processed jointly with the ECOSeed archaeobotanical project and the ArcAgr-AU geo-archaeological project. This multidisciplinary approach provides critical new insights into the development of one of the major ancient northwest Arabian oases. The excavations revealed the earliest safely dated architectural remains in the oasis, associated to the earliest evidence of local date-palm cultivation, in the twelfth–eleventh century BC. The results also enable a reassessment of the earlier archaeological evidence, suggesting a peak in the development of the oasis in the eighth–fifth century BC, at the time of the first North Arabian kingdoms and the rise of long-distance aromatics trade.
Networked spaces : The spatiality of networks in the Red Sea and Western Indian Ocean, 2022
Until now, studies have been incomplete about the places where ceramics are produced on the Arabi... more Until now, studies have been incomplete about the places where ceramics are produced on the Arabian Peninsula and the tools used to produce them. However, new research opportunities have opened up in the region in recent years, facilitating access to sites housing pottery workshops. Workshops have been excavated in the caravan city of Thāj (4th century BC to 4th century AD) near the coast of the Persian Gulf, in the city of al‑Yamāma in the oasis of al‑Kharj (9th‑10th centuries AD) in central Saudi Arabia, or in the port site of Qalhāt (13th‑14th centuries AD) in the Sultanate of Oman. In addition, other production areas have been identified in Yemen, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. It is therefore necessary to make an initial inventory of the production areas on the Peninsula and the production technologies used there.
Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies, 2020
No area of craft tradition has so far been documented in the Najd. In this respect, the fieldwork... more No area of craft tradition has so far been documented in the Najd. In this respect, the fieldwork conducted by the Saudi-French archaeological mission in the oasis of al-Kharj (Central Arabia, 2011–2017) filled a gap with the discovery and excavation of a pottery workshop at al-Yamāmah — ancient Jaw al-Khaḍārim, capital city of the historical region of al-Yamāmah. To the southwest of the Islamic city, a sounding revealed several pottery kilns in a courtyard connected to a building and several dumps from the ninth–tenth century AD. The content of the dumps made it possible to distinguish between local and regional productions. The stratigraphic sequence, architectural analysis, material study, chemical analysis, and AMS radiocarbon dating all contribute to clarify the pottery production in the Najd during the Abbasid period. Our aim is to present the spatial organization of the pottery workshop and to characterize its production.
The Journal of Oman Studies , 2019
Led since 2008, the archaeological researches at Qalhāt (Qalhāt Project/Qalhāt Development Projec... more Led since 2008, the archaeological researches at Qalhāt (Qalhāt Project/Qalhāt Development Project), in the South Sharqiyah Governorate of Oman, delivered the vestiges of a whole port city of the Middle Ages (13th-16th c. C.E.) with all its main features, its various quarters and street networks, the fortifications and gates, the great Friday Mosque and other religious buildings, a sūq and a warehouse, workshops and dwellings, and several administrative and public edifices. Among these is a hammām, the only building of this kind ever found in Oman, which was first discovered during preliminary excavations in 2003. The detailed architectural and technical study of the Qalhāt hammām delivered much information about its operation, its origin and its dating. It was most probably built, together with the north fortified gate of the ramparts, during the heyday of the city under the reign of the governor Sayf al-Dīn Ayāz and his wife Bībī Maryam, around 1280-1320; Qalhāt underwent at that time a main development as the second capital of the Hormuz kingdom, which was then developing as a leader of the Indian Ocean trade. Although this hammām is rather unique from an architectural point of view, its plan could be of Seljuq origin.
Sur les chemins d’Onagre Histoire et archéologie orientales Hommage à Monik Kervran, 2018
The extensive excavations recently held at a potter’s workshop in Qalhāt on the Omani coast allow... more The extensive excavations recently held at a potter’s workshop in Qalhāt on the Omani coast allowed us to follow the evolution of this ceramic production center between the end of the 13th century and the second half of the 14th century, and to bring to light three kilns among which two have a double chamber separated by a sole.
These excavations have also provided useful insights into the medieval ceramic production in Oman, the technics involved and the vessels produced. The assemblage of local ceramics, glazed and unglazed, covers all domestic forms: jars, jugs, bottles, basins, bowls and oil lamps. The typo-chronological study of this material was carried out in order to highlight the evolution of the assemblage during the 14th century.
by Olivier Henry, Christophe Bost, Ömür Dünya Çakmaklı, Felix Cederling, Angela Commito, Mélissa Cormier-Huguet, Arnaud Coutelas, Alexandra Dolea, Duygu Ergenç, Axel Frejman, Fabien Lesguer, Daniel Löwenborg, Frédérique Marchand-Beaulieu, and Anna M Sitz
Tourner autour du pot… Les ateliers de potiers médiévaux du Ve au XIIe siècle dans l’espace européen , 2015
La ville de Termez se trouve dans la république d'Ouzbékistan en Asie centrale. Elle se situe dan... more La ville de Termez se trouve dans la république d'Ouzbékistan en Asie centrale. Elle se situe dans la province du Surkhan Darya sur le bord du fleuve de l'Amou Daria. La localisation de Termez a évolué dans le temps. La première ville se trouve au bord de l'Amou Daria. Cette cité a connu un développement à partir de la période hellénistique (III e siècle av. J.-C.) jusqu'à l'invasion de Gengis Khan et le massacre de la population en 1220 ap. J.-C. La seconde ville post-mongole se trouve à l'est de la première ville, plus près de la rivière du Surkhan Darya. La ville actuelle a été créée en 1897 par les russes et elle se trouve à 8 kilomètres au sud de la première ville. Depuis les années 1920 des archéologues travaillent sur le site de la première Termez. Deux équipes d'archéologues, dont une partie de la problématique concerne les ateliers de potiers, travaillent actuellement sur ce site (fig. 1) : l'équipe franco-ouzbek codirigée par Pierre Leriche 1 et Chakirjan Pidaev 2 depuis 1993 et l'équipe catalano-ouzbek codirigée par Josep Maria Gurt Esparaguerra 3 et Chakirjan Pidaev depuis 2006. L'équipe catalano-ouzbek travaille sur des fours de la fin III ème siècle au V ème siècle ap. J.-C. 4 alors que l'équipe francoouzbek étudie ceux de la période islamique de la ville (VIII e J.-C. -XII e siècle ap. J.-C 5 ).
The 57th Seminar for Arabian Studies, 2024
This poster presents the results of the excavations of an urban district in ancient Dadan, in the... more This poster presents the results of the excavations of an urban district in ancient Dadan, in the al-ʿUlā valley (north-west Arabia), conducted by the team of the Dadan Archaeological Project (CNRS/RCU/ AFALULA) between 2020 and 2023. The excavation data were processed jointly with the ECOSeed archaeobotanical project. This multidisciplinary approach provides critical new insights into the development of one of the major ancient northwest Arabian oases. The excavations revealed the earliest safely dated domestic architectural remains in the oasis. The results also enable a reassessment of the earlier archaeological evidence, suggesting a first peak in the urban development of the oasis during the Bronze Age. This excavation then revealed a virtually continuous urban occupation through the Iron Age until the early 1st millennium AD, in particular with periods of reorganization of the district between the 8th and 5th centuries BC, and again between the 4th and 2nd centuries BC. Many evolutions in the material culture and lifestyle of the population can also be observed over more than 2,500 years of occupation, such as changes in the diet, agricultural practices, pottery production, and macro-lithic technology.
Le carnet de la MAFKF. Recherches archéologiques franco-koweïtiennes de l’île de Faïlaka (Koweït), Sep 10, 2018
Publié sur https://mafkf.hypotheses.org/1791
La production de céramique est une activité ancienne et durable dans l'histoire de de la ville de... more La production de céramique est une activité ancienne et durable dans l'histoire de de la ville de Termez, qui se situe au sud de l’Ouzbékistan au bord de l’Amou Daria. En effet les recherches effectuées depuis les années 1980 par différentes équipes d’archéologues ont permis pour l’instant d’identifier sur l’ensemble du site dix zones d’ateliers de potiers datant du IIIe siècle après J.-C. au XIIe siècle après J.-C. La localisation de ceux-ci a changé en fonction de l’expansion de la ville et son développement au cours de son histoire. A ce jour, onze fours ont été mis à jour dont sept ont été fouillés toutes périodes confondues sur le site de Termez. Ce corpus a déjà pu permettre l’observation d’une évolution dans l’architecture des fours entre la période préislamique (IIIe siècle après J.-C. au VIIe siècle après J.-C.) et la période islamique (VIIIe siècle après J.-C. au XIIe siècle après J.-C.) caractérisée par la maitrise de nouvelles techniques et habitudes dans la cuisson de la céramique
The Dadan Archaeological Project (DAP) is a five-year program launched in April 2019 to carry out... more The Dadan Archaeological Project (DAP) is a five-year program launched in April 2019 to carry out a comprehensive archaeological investigation of the heritage site of Dadan, build local capacities in the field of archaeology and heritage, raise awareness about the site among the local population, the global public, and the scientific community, and support the site’s development. The project is carried out by the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS, UMR 8167 Orient & Méditerranée) on behalf of the French Agency for the Development of AlUla (AFALULA) and the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU). It is codirected by Dr Jérôme Rohmer (CNRS) and Dr Abdulrahman Alsuhaibani (RCU).
by Fabien Lesguer, Bigot-Démereau Louise, Paul Cervantes, Chloé Girardi, Brahim M'Barek, Julie Monchamp, Ali Othman, Sasha Peignot, Alexia Rosak, Irene Rossi, Shadi SHABO, and Francelin Tourtet
During the previous field seasons (2011-2015), the aim has been to provide a comprehensive view o... more During the previous field seasons (2011-2015), the aim has been to provide a comprehensive view of the evolution of regional occupation from the Palaeolithic to the Islamic era. This has been achieved through the creation of archaeological and geomorphological maps of the oasis, the study of significant sites: AK-22, AK-31 (Palaeolithic); ʿAyn al-Ḍilaʿ, Umm al-Shaʿal (protohistoric necropolis), and al-Yamāma (Late Pre-Islamic / Early Islamic settlement); and environmental studies (geomorphology, sedimentology, palynology, anthracology and faunal remains) in the site of al-Yamāma and on the palaeolake of al-Hayāthim. The fifth season resumed the exploration of two of these sites: ʿAyn al-Ḍilaʿ (protohistoric necropolis) and al-Yamāma (Late Pre-Islamic / Early Islamic settlement), the aim being: - To start the excavation of tapered structures and tumuli south of the protohistoric necropolise at ʿAyn al-Ḍilaʿ : 8 dry-stone graves ascribed to the Bronze and Iron age have been excavated on the north-western edge of the limestone plateau of Jabal al-Qusayʿa, at ʿAyn al-Ḍilaʿ. - To continue the excavation at al-Yamāma in areas N6 (the mosque and its surrounding) and G17 (pottery workshop) : The excavation of the dwelling area west of the mosque partly unearthed during the fourth season was resumed and achieved: enlargment of Trench D, soundging under the Islamic occupation, uncovering of pre-Islamic dwellings. To the south of the site (area G17), Sounding 3 initiated in 2012 was resumed and widened. - To realize the architectural study of the Great Mosque (Building 1) at al-Yamāma (area N6) : It revealed at least 5 architectural phases each corresponding to a different mosque superimposed one above the other, from the Umayyad/Abbasid period until the 18th century.
and Archaeological Studies; their deep involvement in the project and their friendly backing in t... more and Archaeological Studies; their deep involvement in the project and their friendly backing in the various practical problems the project encountered this season were of a great importance. We also want to express our warmest appreciation to Mr Khamis Nasser Al 'Amri, representative of the Department in the Sur region, for his very efficient and friendly help and support all along the expedition, to Mr Mohamed Al Waili, in charge of the Qalhât Development Project in the Department in Muscat, and to Mr Adel Al Araimi, manager of the Heritage and Culture at Sûr. We also wish to thank here warmly the French National Center for Scientific Research for its deep scientific and financial involvement in the Project. And the Eveha Agency, Julien Denis and Jerôme Monteil, its directors thanks to whom the Qalhât Development Project is going on with confidence and scientific rigor, and all the logistic staff of the agency in France who makes the life of the archaeological team much easier,
One of the most famous characters in the history of Qalhât was Ayâz, the governor of the city who... more One of the most famous characters in the history of Qalhât was Ayâz, the governor of the city who became the ruler of the Hormuz kingdom at the end of the 13th century. He conducted many naval battles and was the one who decided in 1300 to move Hormuz from the Mînâb mainland (old Hormuz) to the Jarun island (new Hormuz), a stroke of genius which made the fortune of Hormuz. His wife Maryam, who ruled Qalhât in his absence, built a mausoleum which is the only edifice still standing on the site, one of the most famous tourist spots in the region (fig.3).
Rapport final d'opération archéologique, fouille préventive, Mar 2018
Dans le cadre d'un projet d'aménagement d'un nouveau lotissement en périphérie du centre bourg de... more Dans le cadre d'un projet d'aménagement d'un nouveau lotissement en périphérie du centre bourg de Saint-Folquin, des fouilles archéologiques ont été réalisées au printemps 2016 par une équipe d'Éveha. Sur une superficie légèrement inférieure à 1 hectare, ont été mises au jour des occupations humaines allant de la période antique au bas Moyen Âge. Elles s'insèrent dans un cadre géologique extrêmement mouvant, celui de la Plaine Maritime Flamande, et plus particulièrement de l'estuaire littoral de l'Aa.
Les occupations antiques : Trois occupations antiques successives ont été distinguées. La première se situe aux alentours du I er siècle et est définie par un habitat composé de plusieurs bâtiments sur poteaux installés sur un promontoire sableux. Des activités agropastorales telles que l'élevage d'animaux lui sont associées. Le site d'habitat est abandonné au profit du développement de multiples activités artisanales dont le travail du cuir, la pêche ou encore l'élevage dans le courant des II e -III e siècles. À cette même période, se met également en place un petit espace funéraire. La dernière occupation datant du IV e siècle est représentée par une batterie de fosses de stockage de grandes dimensions livrant un très abondant mobilier carpologique.
Les occupations médiévales : Après un hiatus pour la période mérovingienne, le site est de nouveau occupé au détour des IX e -X e siècles. Cette période est principalement marquée par la mise en place d'un parcellaire délimitant divers espaces. Au total, ce sont trois réseaux fossoyés successifs qui ont été distingués. De rares structures se rapprochent de cette phase d'occupation mais ne permettent pas de les définir. Le tracé du dernier enclos observé perdure jusqu'au bas Moyen Âge. Après l'abandon de ce dernier dans le courant du XV e siècle, le site est utilisé en terrain agricole. La fouille réalisée à Saint-Folquin a permis d'acquérir de nouvelles données sur les occupations anciennes du littoral du Nord de la France. Elle a pu mettre en avant la continuité des occupations humaines durant toute la période antique suggérant un environnement propice. La bonne conservation des structures et du mobilier archéologique a permis d'observer des activités diverses tournant autour de l'élevage d'animaux et de l'exploitation des ressources naturelles. Les occupations médiévales mettent en avant la transformation du paysage avec la mise en place de parcellaires ayant comme fonction le drainage des parcelles d'occupation.
Couverture Vue aérienne d'une partie du site © Flying movie, 2016.
Rapport final d'opération archéologique, fouille préventive, Jan 2018
Dates : du 15 janvier 2015 au 27 février 2015 Maître d'ouvrage : Agence Foncière et Technique de... more Dates : du 15 janvier 2015 au 27 février 2015
Maître d'ouvrage : Agence Foncière et Technique de la Région Parisienne Opérateur d'archéologie : sas Éveha, bureau d'études archéologiques, 31, rue Soyouz – ESTER Technopole, 87068 Limoges Cedex
Responsable d'opération : Rémi BLONDEAU
L'opération de fouille de la ZAC Sud Charles-de-Gaulle, phase 2, secteur 2, à Tremblay-en-France a permis la mise au jour d'un établissement rural de La Tène finale qui perdure au début de la période romaine, ainsi que des occupations romaines qui s'étalent du II e s. au V e s. de notre ère.
À La Tène finale, l'occupation est représentée par une occupation rurale enclose. Les limites septentrionales d'un enclos quadrangulaire, orienté est-ouest se développant vers le sud, ont été observées. Son emprise est supérieure à 6000 m². Les fossés qui composent l'enclos sont relativement modestes. Trois bâtiments sur poteaux ont été repérés sur la partie orientale de l'enclos, ainsi qu'un petit édifice sur quatre poteaux en partie axiale. Il s'agit probablement d'édifice de stockage. Des structures de stockage excavées ont également été mises au jour, mais elles ont livré très peu de carporestes. Le mobilier est peu abondant, il se compose de restes de céramique modelée, de faune et de fragments de parois en torchis.
L'occupation enclose perdure au début de l'époque romaine. Elle est marquée par une reprise et une réfection des fossés d'enclos. Le système d'enclos est conservé jusqu'à la fin du I er s. voire au début du II e s. de notre ère.
Dans le courant du II e s. et durant le III e s. de notre ère, l'occupation romaine est caractérisée par la présence de celliers sur une surface de 325 m² dans un espace ouvert dont les limites ne sont pas perceptibles. Ces derniers ont livré la plus importante quantité de mobilier céramique du site.
Du III e s. au début du V e s., l'occupation romaine est principalement axée autour d'une grande dépression qui correspond à une carrière située dans l'axe central de l'emprise des fouilles. Elle est par la suite aménagée en espace de travail et présente divers foyers et fours en couronne creusés dans les parois, un puits et un petit sol aménagé d'un cailloutis. L'activité perdure dans le temps, puisque l'étude de la stratigraphie révèle une succession de ces aménagements. Par la suite le site est abandonné et retrouve probablement une fonction de zone de mise en culture.
Les fouilles menées au lieu-dit Le Pré de la Cour, sur la commune de Fay-de-Bretagne (44), ont ét... more Les fouilles menées au lieu-dit Le Pré de la Cour, sur la commune de Fay-de-Bretagne (44), ont été réalisées en 2015 par le bureau d'études Éveha sous la responsabilité d'Aurélie Mayer. Elles interviennent dans le cadre du projet de déviation du bourg de Bouvron mis en place par la DREAL. Les investigations archéologiques ont permis de mettre au jour un petit ensemble de structures secondaires de crémation, éléments particulièrement mal connus dans la région, ainsi qu'un four destiné à un artisanat indéfini, d'un type local et composé de quatre chambres de chauffe. Le fonctionnement de ces deux ensembles est daté entre le I er siècle av. et le II e siècle ap. J-C. Au haut Moyen Âge, trois bâtiments s'implantent en lisière d'une limite parcellaire persistant probablement depuis l'Antiquité jusqu'à la période moderne.
Rapport final d'opération archéologique, fouille préventive., Jul 2015
Les fouilles menées sur le site de Courcelles-lès-Lens, « ZAC de La Marlière, tranche 6 » ont été... more Les fouilles menées sur le site de Courcelles-lès-Lens, « ZAC de La Marlière, tranche 6 » ont été réalisées par le bureau d'études éveha. Elles interviennent dans le cadre du projet d'aménagement de Nexity pour la tranche 6 de l'Éco-quartier de La Marlière.
Les investigations archéologiques ont permis de mettre au jour quatre enclos circulaires de l'âge du Bronze dont l'un d'eux a livré les résidus d'une crémation sous urne inversée. Les cercles s'installent de part et d'autre d'un talweg en bas de versant. L'étude géoarchéologique des niveaux de décarbonatation des loess a permis de dresser un modèle de restitution d'un tertre central et de deux talus, l'un interne et l'autre externe, pour le cercle situé le plus au nord.
Les traces fugaces d'une occupation attribuable au Néolithique ont été détectées aux abords de l'un des cercles. Un premier parcellaire est mis en place au second âge du Fer. Il vient découper le secteur en parcelles quadrangulaires dont l'une délimite l'espace de deux des quatre cercles de l'âge du Bronze. Ces derniers marquaient probablement le paysage par leur tumulus. Le parcellaire est remplacé à la fin du second âge du Fer par l'installation de trois enclos quadrangulaires emboîtés de 110 m de longueur sur 85 m de largeur présentant une seule entrée au nord. Durant la période augustéenne quelques remaniements semblent intervenir sur l'enceinte, en particulier sur l'entrée nord. À cette période, l'enceinte abrite une dizaine de petits bâtiments sur quatre ou cinq poteaux, des puits et des silos.
Plusieurs espaces funéraires ont été découverts sur l'emprise du site. Deux zones principales ont été identifiées au nord‑est et au sud. Elles livrent une cinquantaine de tombes et couvrent une chronologie étendue de la fin de la période laténienne au IIe siècle de notre ère. Trois autres espaces funéraires ont été découverts sur le site : au sud-ouest, au sud-est et au nord-ouest. Ils se composent respectivement d'une, deux et trois structures funéraires attribuables au IIe siècle de notre ère. La triple enceinte est par la suite abandonnée au profit d'un développement en aire ouverte dans le courant du IIe siècle.
Cinq « pôles » de bâtiments excavés se répartissent sur l'ensemble de l'emprise des fouilles. Plusieurs puits et des grands fours culinaires leurs sont associés. L'occupation perdure jusqu'au début du IVe siècle.