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Medieval times as Zafar. Placed in a strategic position for its geographical location, climate, availability of water and abundance of fodder, its long history dates back to the Bronze Age. The settlement reached its peak in Mediaeval times when it was a (a hub?) of international trade along the Indian Ocean. Many commodities were exported from the region or passed through the port. Among them a number of regional products such as: myrrh, dragon’s blood, aloe and madder, the most important being, however, frankincense and Arabian horses. Frankincense trade in Mediaeval times is barely studied despite its importance and great incomes generated by this trade during the period. The paper will present a general overview of the site of Al Baleed and its importance in the trade of frankincense, mainly in relation with the Far-eastern market with an overview of the coveted treasures from the region of Dhofar.
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Since the beginning of the investigations in the area of Khor Rori and at the site of Sumhuram, the easternmost outpost of the caravan kingdoms along the southern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, cultural material and architectural evidence seemed to exclude frequentation, both permanent and seasonal, during the Islamic period. Indeed, it was assumed that any form of occupation, which had begun in the second century BC, ceased in the fifth century AD, consistent with the historical, economic and cultural scenario that marked the end of the caravan kingdoms. However, discoveries made during more recent fieldwork, along with a critical reinterpretation of previously collected data, have clearly demonstrated the existence of a late occupation of the area, which can be tentatively dated to the Late Antique period in the case of the burials located nearby and to the Islamic period in the case of the reoccupation of the site. This paper will discuss the preliminary results of the re-analysis of the late evidence, focusing on the last architectural structures, the small finds and some of the pottery.
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Abstract This contribution aims to present the results of a brief survey conducted on some ports in the Dhofar region, along the southernmost coast of the Sultanate of Oman, dated to the medieval Islamic period. The research carried out by the University of Naples L’Orientale at the site of al-Balīd and more broadly in the Dhofar region aims not only to advance new study and research activities but also to reinterpret and analyze existing materials, with the goal of developing a more complete understanding of the region’s role during the Islamic era. During this time, the port of al-Balīd, along with Ṣuḥār and Qalhāt in the northern part of the country, was one of the key centres in the trade networks of the western Indian Ocean. However, there were several satellite ports involved in long- medium and short distance trade networks which may have played an important role in communications with the interior where the frankincense resin was collected. The paper will focus on two of these ports: Sūq al-Ḥāsik and Ḥāsik Qadīm.
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The importance of the medieval city of al-Balīd and its harbour was mentioned in many different sources, and mirrored by a large number of finds and pottery that confirm a primary role of the port as a pivotal hub in Indian Ocean trade during the pre-modern Islamic period (tenth–fifteenth century AD). This paper will examine maritime activities at al-Balīd from a different perspective, combining recent data from the study of ship timbers discovered at the site with the archaeological record, along with evidence of possible harbour facilities. The study of the ship timbers has provided invaluable information about the technology, size, material, type, and function of the watercraft involved in the trade at al-Balīd. The reuse of these timbers in a terrestrial context also alludes to a variety of activities carried out at the site, such as boatbuilding, maintenance, repair, and salvaging. Collectively, this data yields useful insights into the relationship between the different vessels operating at al-Balīd and the structure of the site itself, mainly in connection with one of the most lucrative commercial activities at the port city — the trade of Arabian horses.
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The aim of this paper is to analyse the dynamics related to the pottery production in Sumhuram, the easternmost port of call between the Red Sea and the Indian continent along the southern coast of Arabia (second century BC–fifth century AD). Being a rich hub of international trade, receiving and redistributing local products and goods from many different areas, Sumhuram was able to provide for its needs through its own agriculture and a number of local activities, as attested by the presence of kilns and furnaces. Previous studies on the topic have suggested a possible connection between local pottery manufacturing in Sumhuram, and the Hadrami tradition, although kilns have not been found until recently. In 2015 archaeological investigations unveiled the first evidence of such a connection with the discovery of a pottery kiln and some production waste inside the city wall, along with the identification of pottery sherds in the area of the kiln. In order to identify their mineralogical and petrographic composition, thin-section analyses were made on a number of selected sherds. The preliminary results demonstrate that the raw materials used are compatible with a local production. This allows us to describe the different phases of the pottery cycle in Sumhuram as well as the structure of the pottery kiln, which represents an uncommon find in the pre-Islamic archaeology of southern Arabia.
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- Archéologie -- Oman (3)
- Botanique -- Oman (1)
- Navigation -- Oman (1)