Mark Beech | University of York (original) (raw)
Books by Mark Beech
Roger Alcàntara Fors, Maria Saña Seguí and Carlos Tornero Dacasa (eds.), Archaeozoology of Southwest Asia and Adjacent Areas XIV – Proceedings of the Fourteenth International Symposium, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, June 3-7, 2019. British Archaeological Reports BAR nu..., 2024
Recent excavations on Marawah Island (Abu Dhabi Emirate, UAE) have revealed a unique stone-built ... more Recent excavations on Marawah Island (Abu Dhabi Emirate, UAE) have revealed a unique stone-built architectural complex (site MR11), radiocarbon dated to the early sixth to mid-fifth millennium BC. A preliminary study of the faunal assemblage outlines an economy principally focused on the exploitation of marine life, including the food consumption of seashells, fish, marine turtles, and marine mammals such as dugongs and dolphins. The recent discovery of stone sinkers confirms the use of fishing nets by the ancient inhabitants of the site. The assemblage consists mainly of small coastal fish such as grunts (Haemulidae), seabreams (Sparidae), emperors (Lethrinidae), silversides (Atherinidae), anchovies (Engraulidae), as well as small sharks. These are all commonly associated with shallow seagrass bed environments suitable for using non-selective fishing techniques and small-mesh devices like barrier traps and beach seines. The range of marine shells consumed at the site and the coastal environments exploited are discussed. A modern survey of the island’s coastline reveals that most of the shells exploited could be collected in local shallow waters. These new data provide a fascinating insight into some of the earliest dated evidence of marine resource exploitation in the Arabian Gulf.
Geographic Inheritance (pp.22-35), & Human Journey (pp.80-91). Abu Dhabi Cartography: Historic Se... more Geographic Inheritance (pp.22-35), & Human Journey (pp.80-91). Abu Dhabi Cartography: Historic Sea Levels (pp.124-125), Palaeontological, Archaeological and Historical Areas - Site Density (pp.176-177), Archaeological Periods - Earliest Humans (pp.178-179), Historic Buildings - Architecture of the Past (pp.180-181), Late Miocene Fossil Sites - Ancient Fossils (pp.182-183).
An initiative of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), this remarkable book is a testament to Abu Dhabi’s rich environmental heritage, highlighting the past, present and future of human and cultural impact on the emirate. Packed with encyclopaedic information, case studies and statistics, absorbing anecdotes, detailed maps and spectacular images, this book is a true collector’s item.
Author: Various. Format: Hardback Pages: 200. Dimensions: 430mm(h) x 300mm(w). Language: English and Arabic. Publication Date: 2011. Publisher: Motivate Publishing. ISBN No: 978 1 86063 316 4 (English version). ISBN No: 978 1 86063 317 1 (Arabic version). Maps: 100+ Number Of Pictures: 120+ Price: 270 AED (74 USD). You can order this book via:
The sector paper presented here provides a synthesis of knowledge concerning the cultural heritag... more The sector paper presented here provides a synthesis of knowledge concerning the cultural heritage resources of Abu Dhabi Emirate. Descriptions of the key components, main chronological periods represented and key management issues are provided. The report also details the cultural, scientific, educational and economic value of cultural heritage to Abu Dhabi Emirate. Major issues discussed include legislation and infrastructure, the struggle for a balance between development vs. protection and management, and the importance of education and awareness. This work forms part of a suite of sector papers intended to contribute to the State of the Environment Report as part of the activities of the Abu Dhabi Global Environment Data Initiative (AGEDI).
In the 1980s work began on construction of the vast underground Castle Mall shopping centre in No... more In the 1980s work began on construction of the vast underground Castle Mall shopping centre in Norwich. The associated archaeological excavation was one of the largest of its kind in northern Europe, designed to investigate not only the castle bailey but also pre-Conquest settlement and, for the post-Conquest period, areas of the surrounding medieval city.
The report describes evidence for late Saxon streets, houses and graveyards; the developing fortifications of an urban castle established before 1100; gradual encroachment by the townspeople into the castle precinct after the 13th century; documentation relating to the ownership and development of properties within the Castle Fee; crafts and industries associated with these plots - notably bell-founding; a late medieval assemblage of great significance from the barbican well including ironwork, leather waste, bird and animal bone; and sizeable finds assemblages resulting from the steady infilling of castle ditches with domestic and commercial refuse.
Although Parts I and II both contain summary accounts of the faunal remains, setting them into their wider context and including additional information on craft activities, the scale of the data made publication of a separate and more specialised report on the faunal remains desirable and this is published here as Part III.
The sector paper presented here provides a synthesis of knowledge concerning the palaeontology an... more The sector paper presented here provides a synthesis of knowledge concerning the palaeontology and archaeology of Abu Dhabi. Descriptions of the key components, main chronological periods represented and key management issues are provided. The report also details the cultural, scientific, educational and economic value of palaeontology and archaeology to Abu Dhabi emirate. Major issues which are discussed include legislation and infrastructure, the struggle for a balance between development vs. protection and management, and the importance of education and awareness. This work forms part of a suite of sector papers which are intended to contribute to the State of the Environment Report as part of the activities of the Abu Dhabi Global Environment Data Initiative (AGEDI).
The book features the following chapters: Foreword by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown ... more The book features the following chapters:
Foreword by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Patron, Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey (ADIAS); Chapter 1 - The impact of archaeology on the palaeontology of the Western Region of Abu Dhabi: the History of Palaeontological Research by Walid Yasin Al-Tikriti (pages 10-13); Chapter 2 - Miocene Geology and Fossils of Abu Dhabi by John R. Stewart (pages 14-20); Chapter 3 - The Late Miocene fossil site at Ruwais by Mark Beech (pages 21-33); Chapter 4 - Conservation of Late Miocene fossils from Abu Dhabi by Nigel Larkin (pages 34-36); Chapter 5 -The Fossil Trackway at Mleisa by Will Higgs (pages 37-41); Chapter 6 - Conclusion: the importance of Abu Dhabi's Late Miocene fossil sites by Mark Beech and Peter Hellyer (pages 42-43); Appendix 1 - Catalogue of the Fossils in the Exhibition "Abu Dhabi 8 Million Years Ago - Fossils from the western Region" by Mark Beech (pages 43-55); Appendix 2 - Constructing the scale model of Stegotetrabelodon syrticus by Abdul Hafeez, Izhar Hafeez and Mark Beech (pages 56-59); Appendix 3 - The reconstruction painting "Abu Dhabi 8 Million Years Ago" by Gemma Goodall and Nigel Larkin (pages 60-62); Appendix 4 - Details of the audio-visual presentations in the Exhibition, "Abu Dhabi 8 Million Years Ago - Fossils from the western Region" (pages 63-64); Appendix 5 - List of Contributors (page 65); Bibliography: Books, Websites & Scientific references (pages 66-68).
Fishing forms an important activity in many societies throughout the world today and played a sig... more Fishing forms an important activity in many societies throughout the world today and played a significant role in the life and subsistence of many prehistoric societies. Past archaeological research on fishing has often tended to concentrate on particular sites or chronological periods. This study aims to adopt an inter-disciplinary approach to model regional interactions between coastal communities and their environment. The geographical framework for this study is the Arabian Gulf/Gulf of Oman, with a particular focus on the southern Gulf region and present day coastline of the United Arab Emirates. The environmental and archaeological background to the region is considered first and modern fisheries data, as well as ethnographic data relating to traditional fisheries is presented. An evaluation is carried out of all the archaeological evidence for the adoption of particular fisheries technology. The principal data forming the basis for this study are 23 archaeological fish bone assemblages from sites located throughout the Arabian Gulf/Gulf of Oman. The chronological focus is from the 5th millennium BC to the Late Islamic period. In order to comprehend the regional variation in fisheries, sites were selected on the basis that they represented a variety of site types in different environments scattered throughout the region. This research provides for the first time a detailed insight into the status of past fisheries resources in the region as well as an insight into the fishing strategies utilised by the early coastal inhabitants of the Gulf during the course of the past 7000 years. The work’s special focus is on the use of biometrical techniques to enable size reconstruction of economically important fish groups. The overall aim of this research (the first in a planned series of Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey Monographs) is to consider the interactions between the goals of the coastal societies, their fishing strategies and environment; the work overall goes some way towards addressing some of the key questions of relevance to the archaeology of south-east Arabia.
This booklet is about recent discoveries of the world our earliest ancestors inhabited more than ... more This booklet is about recent discoveries of the world our earliest ancestors inhabited more than a million years ago in Pakistan. Even if know nothing about archaeology, we hope you will find it fascinating. All the material shown here has been collected and studies by members of the British Archaeological Mission to Pakistan. This is a research group that is based in the Universities of Cambridge and Sheffield, and which has spent an average of three months in Pakistan each year over the last ten years or so. All our work takes place in conjunction with the Department of Archaeology and Museums of Pakistan, and with the Geological Survey of Pakistan: it is very much a joint project involving researchers from very different backgrounds, but with a similar interest in the remote past.
Papers by Mark Beech
The Baynunah Formation has produced a diverse assemblage of plant, invertebrate, and vertebrate f... more The Baynunah Formation has produced a diverse assemblage of plant, invertebrate, and vertebrate fossils that provides the only window onto the terrestrial late Miocene record of the Arabian Peninsula. This chapter reviews and revises the age, biogeography, environments, and ecology of the Baynunah fauna. Biochronological estimates indicate an age of between 8 and 6 Ma, with several indicators favoring the older end of this range. Paleomagnetostratigraphic correlation more precisely favors an age between ~7.7 and 7.0 Ma, and a maximum duration of less than 720 kyr. Rough estimates of sedimentation rate based on assumptions of precessional control of carbonate formation in the upper parts of the Baynunah Formation here tentatively suggest a duration of ~250 kyr. The most common body fossils found are remains of fish (catfish and cichlids), turtles, and crocodiles, indicating the presence of a large but shallow and slow-moving river. A diverse community of mammalian herbivores subsiste...
The story of the discovery of late Miocene fossils within the Baynunah geological formation in Ab... more The story of the discovery of late Miocene fossils within the Baynunah geological formation in Abu Dhabi’s western Al Dhafra region concerns a host of international paleontologists, many of whom have contributed to this volume, as well as the backing of their related scientific institutions. In particular, the first study of the Baynunah owes a lot to the late Peter Whybrow (1942-2004) and a co-editor of the present volume, the late Andrew Hill (1946-2015). The discovery of the majority of the important fossils described in this publication would have not happened without their personal contributions. From the early 1980s until today, the Abu Dhabi government has always been a supportive partner to this paleontological research and continues to document, research, and protect important fossil sites that are part of the late Miocene Baynunah Formation, as well as curate the important collection of fossil specimens resulting from this work. This present publication provides details of...
Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy
This paper represents a study of archaeological fish remains retrieved from the excavations condu... more This paper represents a study of archaeological fish remains retrieved from the excavations conducted by C. S. Phillips between 1993 and 2001 at Kalbāʾ 4 (Emirate of Sharjah, UAE). Kalbāʾ 4 is a major coastal site that was continuously occupied from the Umm an‐Nar period to the Iron Age (c. 2700–600 BCE). The site is of particular interest regarding monumental architecture, pottery studies and exchange networks across Arabia and its neighbouring regions from the Bronze Age onwards. A corpus of about 5500 fish remains provides information on fishing economies during the entire occupation of the site. Data regarding fish complement results previously obtained from the study of other fauna including marine molluscs, sea turtles, terrestrial and marine mammals. They allow us to document a fishing‐based economy at Kalbāʾ 4. The results highlight the exploitation of a quite limited range of fish taxa associated mostly with reef areas (groupers, trevallies, snappers, spangled emperors, King soldierbreams), brackish waters (mullets) and the open sea (scombrids). The techniques seem to have mainly involved the use of baited lines from boats, fishing nets and possibly cage traps. The discussion includes comparisons with the other main fish studies conducted for the Bronze Age and the Iron Age in Eastern Arabia.
The Coastal Heritage Initiative of the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) ai... more The Coastal Heritage Initiative of the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) aims to investigate the rich maritime history of Abu Dhabi Emirate. Since the establishment of TCA Abu Dhabi in February 2012, a new phase of archaeological research has been carried out. Systematic mapping of sites, their integration into the Abu Dhabi geographic information system (GIS geodatabase of archaeological sites for the Emirate), as well as further investigations of key sites by both geophysical prospection and excavation have been undertaken. Recent work has concentrated on the Ubaid- related coastal sites on both Dalma Island (Jazira Dalma) and Marawah Island (Jazirat Marawah). A combination of both magnetometry and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) geophysical surveys, as well as follow-up excavations are discussed. These shed new light on the structure of Ubaid-related coastal settlements between the mid-sixth and early fifth millennium BC.
"Geographic Inheritance (pp.22-35), & Human Journey (pp.80-91). Abu Dhabi Cartography: H... more "Geographic Inheritance (pp.22-35), & Human Journey (pp.80-91). Abu Dhabi Cartography: Historic Sea Levels (pp.124-125), Palaeontological, Archaeological and Historical Areas - Site Density (pp.176-177), Archaeological Periods - Earliest Humans (pp.178-179), Historic Buildings - Architecture of the Past (pp.180-181), Late Miocene Fossil Sites - Ancient Fossils (pp.182-183). An initiative of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), this remarkable book is a testament to Abu Dhabi’s rich environmental heritage, highlighting the past, present and future of human and cultural impact on the emirate. Packed with encyclopaedic information, case studies and statistics, absorbing anecdotes, detailed maps and spectacular images, this book is a true collector’s item. Author: Various. Format: Hardback Pages: 200. Dimensions: 430mm(h) x 300mm(w). Language: English and Arabic. Publication Date: 2011. Publisher: Motivate Publishing. ISBN No: 978 1 86063 316 4 (English version). ISBN No: 978 1 86063 317 1 (Arabic version). Maps: 100+ Number Of Pictures: 120+ Price: 270 AED (74 USD). You can order this book via: http://www.amazon.com/Environmental-Atlas-Abu-Dhabi-Emirate/dp/1860633161/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355850195&sr=8-1&keywords=environmental+atlas+of+abu+dhabi"
Roger Alcàntara Fors, Maria Saña Seguí and Carlos Tornero Dacasa (eds.), Archaeozoology of Southwest Asia and Adjacent Areas XIV – Proceedings of the Fourteenth International Symposium, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, June 3-7, 2019. British Archaeological Reports BAR nu..., 2024
Recent excavations on Marawah Island (Abu Dhabi Emirate, UAE) have revealed a unique stone-built ... more Recent excavations on Marawah Island (Abu Dhabi Emirate, UAE) have revealed a unique stone-built architectural complex (site MR11), radiocarbon dated to the early sixth to mid-fifth millennium BC. A preliminary study of the faunal assemblage outlines an economy principally focused on the exploitation of marine life, including the food consumption of seashells, fish, marine turtles, and marine mammals such as dugongs and dolphins. The recent discovery of stone sinkers confirms the use of fishing nets by the ancient inhabitants of the site. The assemblage consists mainly of small coastal fish such as grunts (Haemulidae), seabreams (Sparidae), emperors (Lethrinidae), silversides (Atherinidae), anchovies (Engraulidae), as well as small sharks. These are all commonly associated with shallow seagrass bed environments suitable for using non-selective fishing techniques and small-mesh devices like barrier traps and beach seines. The range of marine shells consumed at the site and the coastal environments exploited are discussed. A modern survey of the island’s coastline reveals that most of the shells exploited could be collected in local shallow waters. These new data provide a fascinating insight into some of the earliest dated evidence of marine resource exploitation in the Arabian Gulf.
Geographic Inheritance (pp.22-35), & Human Journey (pp.80-91). Abu Dhabi Cartography: Historic Se... more Geographic Inheritance (pp.22-35), & Human Journey (pp.80-91). Abu Dhabi Cartography: Historic Sea Levels (pp.124-125), Palaeontological, Archaeological and Historical Areas - Site Density (pp.176-177), Archaeological Periods - Earliest Humans (pp.178-179), Historic Buildings - Architecture of the Past (pp.180-181), Late Miocene Fossil Sites - Ancient Fossils (pp.182-183).
An initiative of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), this remarkable book is a testament to Abu Dhabi’s rich environmental heritage, highlighting the past, present and future of human and cultural impact on the emirate. Packed with encyclopaedic information, case studies and statistics, absorbing anecdotes, detailed maps and spectacular images, this book is a true collector’s item.
Author: Various. Format: Hardback Pages: 200. Dimensions: 430mm(h) x 300mm(w). Language: English and Arabic. Publication Date: 2011. Publisher: Motivate Publishing. ISBN No: 978 1 86063 316 4 (English version). ISBN No: 978 1 86063 317 1 (Arabic version). Maps: 100+ Number Of Pictures: 120+ Price: 270 AED (74 USD). You can order this book via:
The sector paper presented here provides a synthesis of knowledge concerning the cultural heritag... more The sector paper presented here provides a synthesis of knowledge concerning the cultural heritage resources of Abu Dhabi Emirate. Descriptions of the key components, main chronological periods represented and key management issues are provided. The report also details the cultural, scientific, educational and economic value of cultural heritage to Abu Dhabi Emirate. Major issues discussed include legislation and infrastructure, the struggle for a balance between development vs. protection and management, and the importance of education and awareness. This work forms part of a suite of sector papers intended to contribute to the State of the Environment Report as part of the activities of the Abu Dhabi Global Environment Data Initiative (AGEDI).
In the 1980s work began on construction of the vast underground Castle Mall shopping centre in No... more In the 1980s work began on construction of the vast underground Castle Mall shopping centre in Norwich. The associated archaeological excavation was one of the largest of its kind in northern Europe, designed to investigate not only the castle bailey but also pre-Conquest settlement and, for the post-Conquest period, areas of the surrounding medieval city.
The report describes evidence for late Saxon streets, houses and graveyards; the developing fortifications of an urban castle established before 1100; gradual encroachment by the townspeople into the castle precinct after the 13th century; documentation relating to the ownership and development of properties within the Castle Fee; crafts and industries associated with these plots - notably bell-founding; a late medieval assemblage of great significance from the barbican well including ironwork, leather waste, bird and animal bone; and sizeable finds assemblages resulting from the steady infilling of castle ditches with domestic and commercial refuse.
Although Parts I and II both contain summary accounts of the faunal remains, setting them into their wider context and including additional information on craft activities, the scale of the data made publication of a separate and more specialised report on the faunal remains desirable and this is published here as Part III.
The sector paper presented here provides a synthesis of knowledge concerning the palaeontology an... more The sector paper presented here provides a synthesis of knowledge concerning the palaeontology and archaeology of Abu Dhabi. Descriptions of the key components, main chronological periods represented and key management issues are provided. The report also details the cultural, scientific, educational and economic value of palaeontology and archaeology to Abu Dhabi emirate. Major issues which are discussed include legislation and infrastructure, the struggle for a balance between development vs. protection and management, and the importance of education and awareness. This work forms part of a suite of sector papers which are intended to contribute to the State of the Environment Report as part of the activities of the Abu Dhabi Global Environment Data Initiative (AGEDI).
The book features the following chapters: Foreword by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown ... more The book features the following chapters:
Foreword by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Patron, Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey (ADIAS); Chapter 1 - The impact of archaeology on the palaeontology of the Western Region of Abu Dhabi: the History of Palaeontological Research by Walid Yasin Al-Tikriti (pages 10-13); Chapter 2 - Miocene Geology and Fossils of Abu Dhabi by John R. Stewart (pages 14-20); Chapter 3 - The Late Miocene fossil site at Ruwais by Mark Beech (pages 21-33); Chapter 4 - Conservation of Late Miocene fossils from Abu Dhabi by Nigel Larkin (pages 34-36); Chapter 5 -The Fossil Trackway at Mleisa by Will Higgs (pages 37-41); Chapter 6 - Conclusion: the importance of Abu Dhabi's Late Miocene fossil sites by Mark Beech and Peter Hellyer (pages 42-43); Appendix 1 - Catalogue of the Fossils in the Exhibition "Abu Dhabi 8 Million Years Ago - Fossils from the western Region" by Mark Beech (pages 43-55); Appendix 2 - Constructing the scale model of Stegotetrabelodon syrticus by Abdul Hafeez, Izhar Hafeez and Mark Beech (pages 56-59); Appendix 3 - The reconstruction painting "Abu Dhabi 8 Million Years Ago" by Gemma Goodall and Nigel Larkin (pages 60-62); Appendix 4 - Details of the audio-visual presentations in the Exhibition, "Abu Dhabi 8 Million Years Ago - Fossils from the western Region" (pages 63-64); Appendix 5 - List of Contributors (page 65); Bibliography: Books, Websites & Scientific references (pages 66-68).
Fishing forms an important activity in many societies throughout the world today and played a sig... more Fishing forms an important activity in many societies throughout the world today and played a significant role in the life and subsistence of many prehistoric societies. Past archaeological research on fishing has often tended to concentrate on particular sites or chronological periods. This study aims to adopt an inter-disciplinary approach to model regional interactions between coastal communities and their environment. The geographical framework for this study is the Arabian Gulf/Gulf of Oman, with a particular focus on the southern Gulf region and present day coastline of the United Arab Emirates. The environmental and archaeological background to the region is considered first and modern fisheries data, as well as ethnographic data relating to traditional fisheries is presented. An evaluation is carried out of all the archaeological evidence for the adoption of particular fisheries technology. The principal data forming the basis for this study are 23 archaeological fish bone assemblages from sites located throughout the Arabian Gulf/Gulf of Oman. The chronological focus is from the 5th millennium BC to the Late Islamic period. In order to comprehend the regional variation in fisheries, sites were selected on the basis that they represented a variety of site types in different environments scattered throughout the region. This research provides for the first time a detailed insight into the status of past fisheries resources in the region as well as an insight into the fishing strategies utilised by the early coastal inhabitants of the Gulf during the course of the past 7000 years. The work’s special focus is on the use of biometrical techniques to enable size reconstruction of economically important fish groups. The overall aim of this research (the first in a planned series of Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey Monographs) is to consider the interactions between the goals of the coastal societies, their fishing strategies and environment; the work overall goes some way towards addressing some of the key questions of relevance to the archaeology of south-east Arabia.
This booklet is about recent discoveries of the world our earliest ancestors inhabited more than ... more This booklet is about recent discoveries of the world our earliest ancestors inhabited more than a million years ago in Pakistan. Even if know nothing about archaeology, we hope you will find it fascinating. All the material shown here has been collected and studies by members of the British Archaeological Mission to Pakistan. This is a research group that is based in the Universities of Cambridge and Sheffield, and which has spent an average of three months in Pakistan each year over the last ten years or so. All our work takes place in conjunction with the Department of Archaeology and Museums of Pakistan, and with the Geological Survey of Pakistan: it is very much a joint project involving researchers from very different backgrounds, but with a similar interest in the remote past.
The Baynunah Formation has produced a diverse assemblage of plant, invertebrate, and vertebrate f... more The Baynunah Formation has produced a diverse assemblage of plant, invertebrate, and vertebrate fossils that provides the only window onto the terrestrial late Miocene record of the Arabian Peninsula. This chapter reviews and revises the age, biogeography, environments, and ecology of the Baynunah fauna. Biochronological estimates indicate an age of between 8 and 6 Ma, with several indicators favoring the older end of this range. Paleomagnetostratigraphic correlation more precisely favors an age between ~7.7 and 7.0 Ma, and a maximum duration of less than 720 kyr. Rough estimates of sedimentation rate based on assumptions of precessional control of carbonate formation in the upper parts of the Baynunah Formation here tentatively suggest a duration of ~250 kyr. The most common body fossils found are remains of fish (catfish and cichlids), turtles, and crocodiles, indicating the presence of a large but shallow and slow-moving river. A diverse community of mammalian herbivores subsiste...
The story of the discovery of late Miocene fossils within the Baynunah geological formation in Ab... more The story of the discovery of late Miocene fossils within the Baynunah geological formation in Abu Dhabi’s western Al Dhafra region concerns a host of international paleontologists, many of whom have contributed to this volume, as well as the backing of their related scientific institutions. In particular, the first study of the Baynunah owes a lot to the late Peter Whybrow (1942-2004) and a co-editor of the present volume, the late Andrew Hill (1946-2015). The discovery of the majority of the important fossils described in this publication would have not happened without their personal contributions. From the early 1980s until today, the Abu Dhabi government has always been a supportive partner to this paleontological research and continues to document, research, and protect important fossil sites that are part of the late Miocene Baynunah Formation, as well as curate the important collection of fossil specimens resulting from this work. This present publication provides details of...
Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy
This paper represents a study of archaeological fish remains retrieved from the excavations condu... more This paper represents a study of archaeological fish remains retrieved from the excavations conducted by C. S. Phillips between 1993 and 2001 at Kalbāʾ 4 (Emirate of Sharjah, UAE). Kalbāʾ 4 is a major coastal site that was continuously occupied from the Umm an‐Nar period to the Iron Age (c. 2700–600 BCE). The site is of particular interest regarding monumental architecture, pottery studies and exchange networks across Arabia and its neighbouring regions from the Bronze Age onwards. A corpus of about 5500 fish remains provides information on fishing economies during the entire occupation of the site. Data regarding fish complement results previously obtained from the study of other fauna including marine molluscs, sea turtles, terrestrial and marine mammals. They allow us to document a fishing‐based economy at Kalbāʾ 4. The results highlight the exploitation of a quite limited range of fish taxa associated mostly with reef areas (groupers, trevallies, snappers, spangled emperors, King soldierbreams), brackish waters (mullets) and the open sea (scombrids). The techniques seem to have mainly involved the use of baited lines from boats, fishing nets and possibly cage traps. The discussion includes comparisons with the other main fish studies conducted for the Bronze Age and the Iron Age in Eastern Arabia.
The Coastal Heritage Initiative of the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) ai... more The Coastal Heritage Initiative of the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) aims to investigate the rich maritime history of Abu Dhabi Emirate. Since the establishment of TCA Abu Dhabi in February 2012, a new phase of archaeological research has been carried out. Systematic mapping of sites, their integration into the Abu Dhabi geographic information system (GIS geodatabase of archaeological sites for the Emirate), as well as further investigations of key sites by both geophysical prospection and excavation have been undertaken. Recent work has concentrated on the Ubaid- related coastal sites on both Dalma Island (Jazira Dalma) and Marawah Island (Jazirat Marawah). A combination of both magnetometry and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) geophysical surveys, as well as follow-up excavations are discussed. These shed new light on the structure of Ubaid-related coastal settlements between the mid-sixth and early fifth millennium BC.
"Geographic Inheritance (pp.22-35), & Human Journey (pp.80-91). Abu Dhabi Cartography: H... more "Geographic Inheritance (pp.22-35), & Human Journey (pp.80-91). Abu Dhabi Cartography: Historic Sea Levels (pp.124-125), Palaeontological, Archaeological and Historical Areas - Site Density (pp.176-177), Archaeological Periods - Earliest Humans (pp.178-179), Historic Buildings - Architecture of the Past (pp.180-181), Late Miocene Fossil Sites - Ancient Fossils (pp.182-183). An initiative of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), this remarkable book is a testament to Abu Dhabi’s rich environmental heritage, highlighting the past, present and future of human and cultural impact on the emirate. Packed with encyclopaedic information, case studies and statistics, absorbing anecdotes, detailed maps and spectacular images, this book is a true collector’s item. Author: Various. Format: Hardback Pages: 200. Dimensions: 430mm(h) x 300mm(w). Language: English and Arabic. Publication Date: 2011. Publisher: Motivate Publishing. ISBN No: 978 1 86063 316 4 (English version). ISBN No: 978 1 86063 317 1 (Arabic version). Maps: 100+ Number Of Pictures: 120+ Price: 270 AED (74 USD). You can order this book via: http://www.amazon.com/Environmental-Atlas-Abu-Dhabi-Emirate/dp/1860633161/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355850195&sr=8-1&keywords=environmental+atlas+of+abu+dhabi"
Nicopolis ad Istrum III, 2007
Pamatky Archeologicke
This report is concerned with the analysis of a small collection of animal bones retrieved from t... more This report is concerned with the analysis of a small collection of animal bones retrieved from the La Tene period site of Srbec, located in NW Central Bohemia. An archaeological excavation was carried out at the locality by Natalie Venclova of the Institute of Archaeology (Prague) in 1991-1992. The site dates to the La Tene period, chronological phase LT B2-Cl, and is situated in a region which was an important industrial area with developed craft production. Local deposits of sapropelite were extensively mined as well as iron ore (cf. Venclova 1999, this issue of Pamatky Archeologicke). Several sites in this region have revealed traces of both iron production and sapropelite working (Venclova 1991; 1992; 1994; 1995; Neustupny-Venclova 1996; Venclova et al. 1998). The analysis of the Srbec faunal assemblage complements the author's recent study of animal bones from the nearby contemporary site of Msecke Zehrovice (Beech 1998), and provides valuable new data concerning animal hu...
South Asian Archaeology …, 1991
Inaugural Museums in Arabia conference held at The British Museum, London as part of the 2012 Ara... more Inaugural Museums in Arabia conference held at The British Museum, London as part of the 2012 Arabian Seminar.