Settlement patterns in Qatar during the early Islamic period (7th–10th century) — house, mosque, and complex in the North Qatar Region
Keywords:
Early Islamic period, Habitat, Mosque, Qasr, ComplexAbstract
This paper presents an ongoing study of selected human occupations during the early Islamic period (seventh–tenth century) in the north-western region of Qatar. Taking into account the excavations at Murwab and Yoghbi, which are our only stratigraphic references in Qatar for this period, this is an examination of the organization of the occupation of territories, from single isolated cells to larger complexes. Through the study of architecture and spatial organization we aim to complement the surface data that has been collected over the past decades, up to the high-resolution kite survey carried out in 2018 by Carter and Stremke (2021). In addition to the houses and villages for which we have a large sample both in excavation and in survey, we have focused on the study of a fort and large complexes whose interpretation and function remain to be defined.
References
Beaucamp J. & Robin C. 1981. Le christianisme dans la péninsule Arabique d’après l’épigraphie et l’archéologie. Hommages à Paul Lemerle. Paris: De Boccard.
Bonnéric J. 2016. Les établissements chrétiens du golfe Arabo-Persique au tournant de l’Islam à la lumière du site archéologique d’al-Qusur (île de Faïlaka, Koweït). Parole de l’Orient 41: 103–123.
Bonnéric J. 2019. Al-Qusur: Latest results from the French-Kuwaiti Archaeological Mission in Failaka. Pages 127–134 in M. Ruttkay, B. Kovár & K. Pieta (eds), Archaeology of Failaka and Kuwaiti Coast – current research. Nitra: VEDA.
Bonnéric J. 2020. Overview of the pottery discovered by the French Mission in Kuwait in 1988–1989 & 2007–2009 at al-Qusur, a monastery from the early Islamic period. Journal of Islamic Archaeology 7/1: 21–38.
Bonnéric J. 2021. Archaeological evidence of an early Islamic monastery in the centre of al-Qusur (Failaka Island, Kuwait). Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy 32: 50–61.
Briquel-Chatonnet F. 2010. L’expansion du christianisme en Arabie: L’apport des sources syriaques. Semitica et Classica 3/1: 177–187.
Carter R.A. 2013. Christianity in the Gulf after the coming of Islam: Redating the churches and monasteries of Bet Qatraye. Pages 311–330 in C. Robin & J. Schiettecatte (eds), Les Préludes de l’Islam. Paris: De Boccard.
Carter R. & Stremke F. with Petersen A., Sakal F. & Nasr H. 2021. Landscapes of faith, aerial survey of 7th–9th century sites of North Qatar 2018. [Unpublished internal report for Qatar Museum.]
Carvajal López J., Guérin A. & Georgakopoulou M. (this volume). Petrographic analysis of ceramics from Murwab, an early Islamic site in Qatar. Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 51: 55–71.
Carvajal López J., Roberts K., Morabito L., Rees G., Stremke F., Marsh A. … Al Na’imi F. 2020. The dawn of the Islamic era: The excavation of Yughbi in the Crowded Desert of Qatar. Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 50: 53–69.
Creswell K.A.C. 1989. A Short account of early Muslim architecture, Cairo. (Revised and supplemented by James Allan). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
de Cardi B. 1978. Qatar archaeological report: Excavations 1973. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Eddisford D. 2012. ‘Regional survey’ in Qatar Islamic Archaeology and Heritage Project, 2011–2012 end of season report. [Unpublished circulated report for Qatar Museums.]
Elders J. 2001. The lost churches of the Arabian Gulf: Recent discoveries on the islands of Sir Bani Yas and Marawah, Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates. Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 31: 47–58.
Elders J. 2003. The Nestorians in the Gulf: Just passing through? Recent discoveries on the Island of Sir Bani Yas, Abu Dhabi Emirates, U.A.E. Pages 229–236 in D.T. Potts, H. Naboodah & P. Hellyer (eds), Archaeology of the United Arab Emirates. Proceedings of the First International Conference on the Archaeology of the UAE. London: Trident Press.
Fiey J-M. 1969. Diocèses syriens orientaux du Golfe Persique. Pages 177–219 in F. Graffin (ed.), Mémorial Mgr Gabriel Khouri-Sarkis. Louvain: Imprimerie orientaliste.
Frifelt K. 1974. Murwab. Aarhus: Moesgaard. [Unpublished circulated report.]
Gachet-Bizollon J. (ed.). 2011. Le Tell d’Akkaz au Koweit/Tell Akkaz in Kuwait. (Travaux de la Maison de l’Orient et de la Méditerranée Jean Pouilloux, 57). Lyon: Maison de l’Orient et de la Méditerranée.
Guérin A. 1989. Murwab 9e siècle–Al-Uqdah 20e siècle, Étude ethnoarchéologique au Qatar. MA thesis, Université Lyon 2, Maison de l’Orient et de la Méditerranée-Jean Pouilloux, Lyon. (2 volumes). [Unpublished.]
Guérin A. 1994. Majlis et processus de sédentarisation. Étude ethnoarchéologique au Qatar. Archéologie Islamique 4: 177–197.
Guérin A. 2017. Study of the Danish 1959 excavation material for the museography of Gallery 3 Archaeology – NMoQ. [Unpublished report Qatar Museums and National Museum of Qatar.]
Guérin A. 2021. HAC 453, ‘Ain Mohammed Survey, North Qatar, Survey 23rd–29th March 2021, Study 4th–13th April 2021. [Unpublished report Qatar Museums and National Museum of Qatar.]
Guérin A. & Al-Naʾimi F. 2009. Settlement patterns during the Abbasid period in Qatar: The case of Murwab site. Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 39: 181–196.
Guérin A. & Al-Naʾimi F. 2010. Preliminary pottery study: Murwab horizon in progress, ninth century AD, Qatar. Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 40: 17–34.
Haddad N.A., Jalboosh F.Y., Fakhoury L.A. & Ghrayb R. 2016. Urban and rural Umayyad house architecture in Jordan: A comprehensive typological analysis at al-Hallabat. Archnet-IJAR 10: 87–112.
Hardy-Guilbert Cl. 1984. Fouilles archéologiques a Murwab, Qatar. Pages 169–188 in J-F. Salles & R. Boucharlat (eds), Arabie orientale, Mésopotamie et Iran méridional de l’Age du Fer au début de la période islamique. Paris: Recherche sur les Civilisations.
Hardy-Guilbert Cl. 1991. Dix ans de recherche archéologique sur la période islamique dans le Golfe (1977–1987), bilans et perspectives. Pages 131–192 in Y. Ragib (ed.), Documents de l’Islam mediéval. Nouvelles perspectives. (Textes arabes et études islamiques, 29). Cairo: Institut français d’archéologie orientale.
Hardy-Guilbert Cl. & Saint-Aubin J-P. 1988. Relevé photogrammétrique du site abbasside de Murwab. Pages 199–206 in International Symposium on photogrammetry applied to Islamic architecture. Tunis: ICOMOS.
Insoll T., Carter R., Almahari S. & MacLean R. 2021. Excavations at Samahij, Bahrain, and the implications for Christianity, Islamisation and settlement in Bahrain. Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy 00:1–27. https://doi.org/10.1111/aae.12173
Al-Khulaifi M.J. 1987. Report on excavation and restoration at al-Zubarah and Murwab, 1st, 2nd, 3rd seasons 1983–1984. Doha: Ministry of Information, Department of Tourism and Archaeology. [In Arabic.]
Khulayfi M.J. 2003. Historical sites – architectural heritage – museums. Doha: Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage, Department of Museums and Antiquities.
King G.R.D. 1997. A Nestorian monastic settlement on the Island of Ṣīr Banī Yās, Abu Dhabi: A preliminary report. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 60: 221–235.
Knuth E. 2017. An Early Islamic fort and settlement at Murwab. Pages 83–89 in F. Højlund (ed.), Danish archaeological investigations in Qatar 1956–1974. (Jutland Archaeological Society Publications, 97). Aarhus: Jutland Archaeological Society and Moesgaard Museum in cooperation with Qatar Museum Authority.
Langfeldt J.A. 1994. Recently discovered early Christianity monuments in north-eastern Arabia. Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy 5: 32–60.
Mackie D. 2013. Field survey. Pages 39–44 in Qatar Islamic Archaeology and Heritage Project. [Unpublished report prepared for Qatar Museums Authority.]
Mackie D. 2014. Geomatic and regional survey. Pages 163–169 in Qatar Islamic Archaeology and Heritage Project. [Unpublished report prepared for Qatar Museums Authority.]
Mackie D. & Eddisford D. 2011. Regional survey and mapping. Pages 115–122 in Qatar Islamic Archaeology and Heritage Project. [Unpublished report prepared for Qatar Museums Authority.]
McPhillips S., Rosendahl S. & Morgan V. 2015. Abbasid rural settlement in northern Qatar: Seasonal tribal exploitation of an arid environment? Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 45: 185–198.
Macumber P.G. 2011. A geomorphological and hydrological underpinning for archaeological research in northern Qatar. Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 41: 187–200.
Montigny A. 1979. Espace rural, espace pastoral au Qatar. Techniques et Culture 4: 96–124.
O’Kane B. 2014. Residential architecture of the Darb Zubayda. Beitrage zur Islamischen Kunst und Archaologie 4: 202–219.
Perrogon R. & Bonnéric J. 2021. A consideration on the interest of a pottery typology adapted to the late Sasanian and early Islamic monastery at al Qusur (Kuwait). Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy 32/1. doi: 10.1111/aae.12190
Petersen A. 2011. A Report on the survey of forts in northwestern Qatar. Doha: Qatar National Day Celebration Committee.
Salles J-F. 2011. Chronologies du monachisme dans le Golfe arabo-persique. Pages 97–111 in F. Jullien & M-J. Pierre (eds), Monachisme d’Orient: Images, échanges, influences. Hommage à Antoine Guillaumont, cinquantenaire de la chaire des ‘Christianismes orientaux’. Turnhout: Brepols.
Salles J-F. & Callot O. 2013. Les églises antiques de Koweït et du golfe Persique. Pages 237–268 in F. Briquel-Chatonnet (ed.), Les églises en monde syriaque. Paris: Geuthner.
Steve M-J. 2003. L’île de Kharg: Une page de l’histoire du Golfe Persique et du monachisme oriental. (Civilisations du Proche-Orient, 1). (Archéologie et environnement, 1). Neuchâtel: Hermann Gasche, Recherche et Publications.
Al-Thani H. 2014. An archaeological survey of Beth Qatraye. Pages 23–36 in M. Kozah, A. Abu-Husayn, S. Al-Murikhi & H. Al Thani (eds), The Syriac writers of Qatar in the seventh century. Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press.
Al-Thani H., Taha M.T. & Petersen A. 2013. Forts, strongholds and towers, a documentary study of historical and heritage sites in Qatar. Doha: Katara Publishing House.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Archaeopress Publishing, Oxford, UK