de vries 2010 on the way to bostra

8/16/2019 De Vries 2010 on the Way to Bostra

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Heureux qu comme Ulysses a fait u be u vo ge:

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Forew d

On he Way to Bos r : A ab Settlementin Sout S ia Befo e Islam

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I pr s h s pap r r o r c ra o o sa appr c o o s co a or vdu pe a d ha o d d s O r sso a o s ov r doz ars o h N F s m ars a B rz

v rs a d h G o a om s or s ops a B r v rs rv o s jo r o s a o c a s m a o h s cap s p d compa o sp r a sp r crma s ass m d rom ar cor rs o h o

Intr oduc ion: Muhammad and Bah r As o d a o s c a o d ro c r A

sh q 9 82) h mmad rs v s so S r as a war o w c v o s a op v r A a p o

1) Th ad ca p a h c o C r s o Ba r whor s o c d o o w o par a m a co rs

s x raord o s hosp a Ba r s d mm w s h pos o Go or o d oo s

p h c T s h s a a var d " as a m h op s ar p p r o A s a rad o w s

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Ph t graph 2 Basi ica Bahira " Bostra The struct re was iginal a R man bui inghe illing the a ch was part o its con ersi n to a Christian bas l ca an he i l ng o the

wind ws represent its r her re se l ke in te a lu peri ssociation wit Bahira ispar f l a tour g i e re but as n basis n s orical e i ence h ograp b Bert eVries

n c on s or s o c of n v rs of h d s os sh p

n of n ro of C r s n n nc n s m n SC r s n on o r n w s s o or r B

s n or n o o m s ss Gr ff ) n r s ow v r s n r v s c of s s or s

p r c r v s o S ro so w n 58 85w s nns nc n nn ro n ov n o oo s w n cc n

so h S r n s or c v n rs z s n o so rW a e u d n h B h , s B s ns s nc so s v n co on conv ons of osp o s no conv nc Y u neve e ed u a meal n any the p ev u eaampe he e, h

c s s or co n s o n w n s hc ms o cco d n o s c c s o s w n no mso s r h c ns rc v n n s o c r n o n n

o s nc v ro o The oc on o r s c v s n r n v ons n on

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s r B sr ( n s q 79) od s ssoc w o B r " n o r s c or of os ( o o r2) O rs v

ff rn v s n r Bos r n So n H r n Kr ), 1 o nor s or r B (Y n S

B zant um and the a Vo 2 118 ,n 15 ) Q s qo s so nd, f n s v of nf ( n 1 1)

w ch co d corr p on of f oss C s on f (r R s s) o h so s of o n r o s r

so rn H r n n v c of Bos r n w no o j c vof c oos n h corr c on n ow ds Q sr l s nfo s on6 k from J oc of rc o o c

s rc m m l Proj c ) s p s h s ch nc nv a n va t a a a, Ro n o fro sc s o Aq s jo rn so of Bos nd hr o f v d s from sc s

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ocation o a a el i not know a oo uc as t is o f t e con itions t eonk re i e ce uc e e an t e i i a n o tra t gr p Ber e


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Sett e ent in t e e ant )

C. A v l z g ssoIrfan Shah B za um a h A ab h x h C u y( o /1

o an che e cc ri oA ab h (2002)t e iew at the en e pop late an cape of town anthat the frontier one a ecome in he 6th cent r r r t

i tinc i el A ab Chri tian c lt re S ah tre e t e ofa ci i i e Ara re ence in the e ant thro gh the cce ion of threetri a fe eration e innin with the an khi in t e contin ngwit the Sal hi in t e 5t an c imaxing in the G a niof the 6th an ear 7th cent rie T i Ara Chri t an c lt re icharacteri e it mi itant C r tianit an energetic e enti m withr in king who ri a the Roman antine emperor in t e r patronageof on menta arc itec re P ciri o tant ate t i ict re with empha i on ch rche an other Ara Chri tian l ing i entifie a

G a ni in cription a l in to the na t an t e mart r c ltof St Sergi an on the centra ro e of the Chri tian i oof Ara ia T e e work maxima i t on the inf ence

of Ara in the fron ier zone in e t ree cen rie efore t e lamicconq e t a zone w ich Shah treat a a irt a Ara co ntr e tit e/ Gha n an

I a e mar e Shah ol mino work e ewhere eVrie yza um a h A aban ere wi imit i c ion to kepo nt Whi e t e arg ent i Ara o centric t e oint of iew i thatof the goo em ire mo el e cri e a o e e hi h tat of t i Ara c lt re i arg e t rning it into a mirror of ant ne i periac t re The G a ni ph arc e ecia Har th are e e ate fromchieftain to king heroic efen er of the zantine imperia orientw o e achie eme t mirror tho e of t e emperor tinian G a n ani a a tion of C ri tianit not im l of t e Monop te tof Chri tianit efen e an promote zea o in t e war

g in t pagan ra hi ag re i e promot on inc e theof ma i e i ing pro ect ro al re i ence ch rc ean mo a er e w ic t e e r er appear to a e con tr cte ingle

an e e ra h arc arep ok i o er of i ing " apa on roco i i Bu l i gattri te to h own inian

t e ame termeca e t e conte porar hi torian ro copi oe t e exact

re er e that portra t e G a ni r ler negati e co are totinian S a a e ote m ch of hi writing to critici ing the

hi torian for hi anti·Gha ni ence a i Ara ia e To e plainthe ph arc i ing Sha arg e t at the ai fromthe r ani e c t re of o th fro w ere t e ad

two cent rie efore To make t i oint e tre e repeate l t ate G a n tri a gro p wa o noma ic t came into t e K + L

E pire with an r an c t ral tra ition t at q a ifie t em a c t raeq a to their new i eria o t

h we ha e t e por ra al of a t nct C r tian Ara c t reW e S ah ha one m c to e on t e ro le of the e igmaticGha ni he ha a o een m ch critici e for tretc ing the e i encean il ing own ear ier h pot e e into ater work a fact W it74 8 ; Whittow Hi c ampioning more than har e i encecreate the impre on t at t e G a ni r er were irt a forer nnerof e Cr a er an a pear to promote an of mi itant mperiaC ri tianit Thi ortra a of the r er a a terf anfrenetic i er romote a cla ica gre man iew of i tor in w iccre itin agenc to a ng e per on o er h ow he e i ence a ai a leon t e c t re an ac ie ement of t e 6t cent r ociet e o lating

Gha nlan A tho gh the arg ent t at t e G a n are fa i iar wit

r an c t re fro their o t Ara ian ma a e ali it toet t i in xta o tion w t noma ic pre o e a fa e

c otom r ani m a ci i i e a no a m a ar aricT i approach nherite from c a ical i o t of to cwi mo ern ant ropolog an arc aeo o an oe not fo ow ear errecon tr ction of G a n c t ra econom In contra t rim ng amearlier con enien mmar of G a nid hi tor ortra t e ph arca preferring mo e encam ment o er fortified center t remainenoma mo ing accor ing to ea on 82)

ina to concentrate a c t ra ach e ement into t eer ona it an co rt of t e e r er re lt in a narrow efini ion of

Gha ni c t re a t at of the te an i in en ifiewi h name of he r in na t . Archaeo ogica l it i nece ar tocon i er the ncl ion of a l h an feat re in the an ca e inc ngthe owlie t a rarian farm tea an t e mo t mo e t pa toral camp

ite in or er to a fa r of the c ra an ca e of t eGha ni of contro . On t en can a fair mea re of t e e tent ofG a n in ence of that c t re e ma e Wit o t tha arc aeologicaper pecti e in Sha mit i e f to t e nter retat on ofl u

o rce for recon tr ction of t e materia c t reT e nee for the re o arc aeologica re earc to

ear on Irfan S a of t e ro e of ra in Chri tian Ara aocca ione the writing of the e ar icle i of an arc aeologof t e ro e of ra efore I lam wa rei erate Rao f ja erin a aper eli ere at t e E e e th onference on t e Hi or an Arc aeo og of or an in ne2010


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Ident ying Arabs s d st nct soc o-e hn c group mong thepo la ons of he Lev nt

geographic e e Ara are i or fro Ara i hgeo r p ic refere ce w a rea co p ex i I o e e e Ara ia i the a t tretch of terrai fro orth to e e i ha ite

o a I ter of po itica geograph however Ara ia wa theRo a fo e o the re ai of the N a atae po it i A

1 6 M S rtre i Picciri o At fir t t covere a area ro gheq iv e t to o er or a fro o tra i o er o th S ria to Aqa ai the o th t after oc eti the regio wa hr k to t ort er

a f w e the ectio o th of Wa i H a eca e the epar te provi cePa ae t a Tertia

A Arabs nd Ar b n anc ent so rces

1 The e s e Ar bs": H stor ca ex s nd den terg M ar a k ea g with the perio of Ro a o i atio f

there were o a or i a io which i a wa fore ha ow t e a icco q e t wa there o et e e tea pe etratio of ro p who

o e i e t f e a Ara i to the ett e o e 5 2 I hi exce ei c io he ke t e fo owi g poi t Tho gh carce e i ao rce the wor Ar a o t ever occ r i i criptio a a ter ofe f i e tif c tio are a wa oca or tri a e ig ate

Na ataea or It ria i ea ter e a o ) for ex p e a o ot eehe e e a a et of g o p The otio of co o ge ea og

wa attri te to who ke o eph e theter Ara for that t whe i t e r e g i ever c ear

e ce a t of h ae No a ic rai er Mi r 5 3 A eco d pro ei that Ro peria era e i t ct ve oca i e titie I the

co r e of the rep ace e t of er tate ike Na t e ) wit Romai u r c ike Ara ia oca expre o of c t re were ppre e a

a crea i for Greco Ro a rba c t re I theco r e of thi oth t e r a architect re a e tif g i criptio

eca e Greek a ati the e of t e 3r ce t r A Str ki g a ha ee poi te o t pecial t a writi gi at ve a age cr pt Na ataea Pa m re e

o e ta cr ptio a graff ti toppe raf Ara 1 ) the e o f Greek a ati prev i e

Two co c io ca e raw fro thi ir t i e tr ctioof oca c lt re o the e ert i c g th t of oca Ara t

ea that the e erge ce of ew gro p ike the Sa i a Gha ic e S ah a of arr va m gratio fro the

Ara a i to the ett e o e of S r a to fi th ac m O e i if c tcrip o a except o to t e deat of cript o i o a

i the fa o Na ara i cr ptio fro the ea ter Ha ra , whici e tifie the Ta kh I r ki g of a the Ara Mi ar5 4 521 ) T text tra tio a eca e the cr pt tra e Naa c a ica Arab c a the c a of po tica iver it for a tri afe eratio i tiate here fo t c ax t e Gh i ph archof the 6th ce t r Seco the eva ive e of e i e ceto a e e tia ro e for archaeo og A avi Ke e ha po teo t ar ge era at o a o t the o i a t e of reek a ati

tre e t e ro e of the e cate ocia trat t ece arithe ative peaker at i he ma orit of or i ar per o w o carro o t i e the p ere of peria o i at o To e tif the c t re of

arc eo og t m t i crea e the r foc o the tow / i age, at ( 1 T u c l ' D outside the mor e monument al ce nter of pow er (Kennedy,

� 'J Ro a a Nati e C t re 1 2)

he el s e Ar bs" Geography and Prej d cero the of o er atio i e tit we pre ppo e that

a peop e re ocate i a w th ef e or er i w ichthe r a g a e i poke . h Ar Ara ia wo d e coterm o

oth the geograp c a i g i tic e e the phra e ra i ei Ara ia wo e er too i tho e ter Ma rice Sartre a ec ear th t a cie t geographer i toria i ot pproac th thatwa b t took their tarti g poi t fro a peop e

r T 'U with o vag e refere ce to tte t oto ocatio He i ti e t ree wa i which t e term Ar bia wa

e i cie t o rce1 ) The geographic rea it i t e a to the

Ara a Pe i a ef e the a cie t a thor ot o ch froirect acq ai ta ce t a t e pe etra e e co pa e t e

Re Sea Per ia G f a I ia Ocea Whi e ha o e fam iariwith the coa t re t e terior re ai e arge k ow to t eTh Pto e g ve a etai e cata og e of peop e a tow i Ar ia

e ix w ich i iffic to reco r ct i geographic rea it eca e t waa pro ct of pora ic a e tha cce f t r exp oratorpe etratio of the fi tere o t off horei pre io fro Ro a i a i the Re Se Sartre 2 3)

2) The a i trative rea t i ore prec et eth ica g e for t co tit te the Ro a of Ara a

i itia o o exte t w th t e Na at ea ki g o it rep ace A 6 At it core thi t e regio of tra or a rep cate

the o er tate w th exte o o t to c e a oo a c e t Me a i Sa e i e ort er Hi a a we t to i c e t eS a pe a t exc g a a t e for er Na ataea port Sartre4 W i e t e a e ra a ref ecte t e pre e ce of a pop atio gro p


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' . . ' £ as Arab, it sho uld a so be co si ere d as n e xtensi on of the ringe ami iari with the real rab a o the described in the

previous point n whi e there ay have been arious cultural groupsperceive s Ar b b he Ro an occupiers espe ia he

he region inclu e the escen a s o Greek-Macedo ianpre- ellenis ic opulation groupsan b the 6th -cen ur oman ve er ns rom across theon heir re iremen plots and Greco Roman clerics an monks attracte oboth the b blica sacred si es a d he medi a ve soli ude o he deser

(3) The e h ic re ty, i which he cie authors en isioned Arabia as he local ies where rabs i ed, was ar i erent ro thegeographic and a minis rati e reali ies Sartre ide ti es hree regio s

escribed as such in the an ent sources (a) he eser region ro heN e in he wes o the r bian peninsu a in eas , s rad ng he e Se ;(b) he regio be ween he Mid le u hr es in the e s pamaeain the west (i e he ce tra yrian deser ) n (c) the sou h easto dessa e umatar rabesi ), rule r m here u der he bgaridd nasty 4 5 . Notice that o l a portio o the irs is actuall in the ra ia Peninsula! Sar re s interpretation o his a parent absur

geograph ser es as ine warning or equa in moder not ons o thegeo raphy o with ancien ones O peut s tonner cet usagea arra ent u e erme g ograp ique qui en en a perdre

ou e conti uit e o oria e n ce a e peu surprendre chez lesauteurs a ciens qui s int rassen a an a e aux peoples qu'auxnotions g ograph ques"

Who, then, re t e Arabs Sar re co clu es rom the abo e thatnei her loca ion or l n e was he ri ar curiosit a cie classical au ors as the ma be wi h us Iden i ca io o osewho in ac spoke Arabic or wrote in a certain script is ossi le n some

inst nces, but over ll ery i icult, ec use the a cien authors trea edla guage use or o at all On the o her han , others (he gi eshe turae s o eba on as example) were ca le Arabs even

they used erent u e mon he arious populat on groupsenco passe he term, so e are ore readi enti ie , especial

hose wh le t heir numerous and worshippe a is incpa theon o go s owever o hers were called r bs sim ly because

he came rom he pro i ce o Arab a i clu es in his hilip he Arab, who robab y descended rom R an but came rom avi la e i the auran.) This, added o the ack o iOtC .lea s Sar re (along with a others) o o c ude ha he er Ar bas use b ancien classical authors re ers to people with a com on w yo enomadism e pas ora e, re u e re accom ag n la upar t u

p ar Ie pr ique u brig a age Rares so t les pay sans en taires . u ._i ' ra bes e on c nn ait epe ant exa p l z iodor e

Sic le 5 Strik ngl r b i entity causes a h cen ur sourceto reinvent h s ori in s descended ro che de ri a ds 6)

hus, whi e li guisti and e initio s are illusi e ueo ac o ocus, cul ura e init on is ocused by pre u ce o rm an

econom c s ereotype om tent dwe ers given o plundering bornby a lack o a iari and a history o negat e experie ces strikes

e that these e a ive exper ences are ramed in a h story o manimperi l ilure o de eat an co quer the peop es o Ar b a t is y bepsycholo call simi r to the French o the word b

va abo d re erence to i s Nor h rican colonial sub ects Whatakes e ti icatio o r bs who set led in o he t wns and

the e ant especia ly i icu is ha those who did so los hester co rab i enti i ost a sources Archeology o rabSe lement can there ore not expec much help ro classical so rcesbu ins ea is ike o be isle by them

Ar bs nd S r censn he rupture caused b the oman o ocal i en i y inhe 3r centur , the word Arab vir ua l disappe red ro the sourcesescr bin this nomad threat an is by o her erms most

co monl Sarace s ( ets 5 5 525 Re s took the extreme posi ionthat this ean tha ra s he sel es ac ually disa peare rom rthern

evant) his no ion is n with his n e ons rablethesis ha rabs o er the ce t ries ro o s a were ca elbree in w rrior cu who isap eare ro he Roma ront ers at

he end o he 3rd cen ur an ima e he erive rom Herodo usBowerso k or a searing critique ) O hers ore com onl see the ter

racen as si i ar to Arab as a esi a ion o a ic r iders( arker R m n h r n) his s a gerous, bec use

en s itsel to he rab- as- om d- hrea stereot pe (Gra ,R m heAr b n Fron )ignores t e o s biosis discussed abo e,an would disquali y he agrarian nd rba ized populat o s o eme rabia, an S ria who might be considere rabs r a Sh h use the

erm rab n a uch broader way, as in Sar re s work (2) but ma e theistinction e w Ro a ize Ar bs, hose whose i enti had

erged with the other e hn c p pulatio s o he cities o S r a, nd hearri a s i to S ria a ter the 3rd cen ury, he a kh , a hid,

and Ghass id tribal ederat ons ( hah By nt um n h A bVol 1;2 1)

O he ar ous ramewor s or ide t y ng cu ures an roleso eop e rom r bia, the one leas la en with modern i eo og a

re udice is he sy b osis mo el or u erstan in he roles o nomads inrecen a t ro o gy s o ser ed in the behavior re en living cult regroups, the e ste ce o o a s an se e ists i semi arid


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h g a h4 Mu d Thamud " gra f ah g f La " WadRum, J da wh cam s h s b k' c k d - fami u2008

h g aph b d V

e s m d s c e hengue du e d s y e us he e d f w f u b n d z n he es

f s s d c m g s c se y d u h s he ke h s s s s s f he ge g h c e f Yeme he s h Sy he

h e e y J h s f ex m e, use k w ed e Bed u n cu u e f1 h ce u y O h s y she gh he e Is m c ec my As d scus e ch e g s s h ve e s ed he e y f such

sym c ec y he cen Negev

B Arabs as Arab speakers tat on of relat ng language anethn c t

he s m " f e- s duce by e d s hn he f e d ch e cd Ref ec ns" 28 77 see s y

200- 0 ) ese s he e h f e e s n u ges n sc s wh ch O d c," he f e u e f c ss c A c, s e f m nyO c w s f he h A n u f es wh ch

ex s e w h c s e f c en N h b " c e n u esc u ng h se s ke he ses nd h se ke S f c sm c,

h ud c n wn f ff he s e e n s f n he n ( h g h ) hese e s nc f m s u h A u es

O A c A c e N h A e e e gh h s e ke sf hese w u d h ve ee b e mu c e w h e ch he

c Ref ec s" 6)O seems h ve e e u e y s en e

u he f h/ e y s x h ce u es A h ch e ns h n s ec f csc w s ss c ed w h " ( c d, Ref ec ns" 36) he e sf h s s h O d A b c s he e cu u e y

e e wh m sed he es e n es sc s f he

e f w e c mmu c On he e cc s s h Ow s w e he w e s es e he sc s f he e ge

he es ec ve e s h s me s h e y w e O d Aex s e sc e ed c me s w e he f w s s

, A c e h n ( cd d Re ec s" 3 fN b e A c d e e en n G ee s e

s s ces wh c c e h A b ex s h e e e e s A c m xed M cd d c s hese S f e A c N ee c I h y w hund ed such m e ex s e k w

Ref e s" 37) On y u d zen d c e s ccu u e" O A c se cd Ref ec s" 0 h ugh w new h e bee f s ce cd s u c n (G f eIde y")

c d s ys s e y mee s he je h he e y n d cumen y e e ce f he ex s e ce f s

um e s n G e e Sy he e Is m c e d d sc ssed ve Bu che 28 -288) es ec y Re s s s s e ce hwe e A bs n he he e n f e he 3 d cen u y bec use

e A " w s se s u ces 0 ) O d A c ccufew u w e y sc e e ex s u s c e s ng

he s u h f he e s l ce y s g he nw s he es e e e f he d e e e s f hd ve se y c ed u s cd n c c u es h e e

med e y ef e s m e ed ve cu s e es we e e e e e wh h w e he gu es" cRef ec s" 5 ) h s s c e , f c se whe e c s de s he

d e f A m c G eek he eg n bu s c ee s de s he dese ff f S f c nd Th u c n m ds w e h ve m ume d cu e y we d es

fu c s ( cd d Ref ec s" 8) h he d sc ve y f newm ume O d e s e by e d Dh s b ec ed h ex s h s gu ge m y hemse es m y es( N e I e y") e e he, seems ce n h he ws e se f e es wh we e s e ke s f O A c es e he

eg n f m he Assy he s e dshe b e s h e e s c n nu y e wee he

A c e h A n dese sc s he c ss c b c sce e he 6 h ce u y d c d Is m c cu u e One

f h s s h w he ese sc s w s d sc ue we e n he R m c ush f c e y cd d s c e

e s uc f he e f c ss c b w sc c ed cess e ues h when he e s e e ged s

s u h , hey ch se he he e sc A c e h u e wh ch he sees s c e ys c


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fro m O ld Ara b cand the n cient N ort h Arab ian langua ges . w en Ara fede rat ons e by c e ta ns (' King o f t e Ta n k ," at U mm elJimal of all the Arabs" at Na mar a) were o rme from t e late 3rdcent ry on , th e a op te t e Na bata ean-Ara ma ic w c ev lve

nto curs ive Ara b c b t e t me of uh am ma ( acd onald, Ref ections"is e u n s raceable r ug several r m e

la te 3rd to the 6t cent urie s ( r ng a m 226-228). The f nal t s ma t r ng nto t e c rs ve Kuf c Arab c rest ge scri t (an languag e). � . n L r at the L ak m d court in t e 6t century. T o g evidenc e sslim, ne w res me ha h s ap ene n parallel a e G ass n c r , w ere he name e grea es a h arks back egrea es Naba aean ru er, and w ere he am s pre-Is am c Arab c e spr vide en er ainmen

Wh le h s l ng is c en i ca i n reassuring wi ness epresence Arab c d es n m ch r e ass gnmen

Arab s ec c g s kn wn ers ns hiscau t on extends parti cu arl to the ro e of na mes in ancie nt tex ts, many

w ch are em ng Arab c n rm ( acd nal , e ec ns38 47), so t at t s tem t ng to over in terp ret name s fo r t e r m.a nan (Mac onal , Persona Names"). Tha t s for see Arabs where ere were real Sa ai c S m lar Arabs nd ng names ccur acr ss man hese lang ages, en w usl nl [IC n l erar c n ex s s a an speci c name can bec ass ed as be ng ng e gr p wr ng n a spec c lang ageH wever e ac ha ne a b is e bene ciar an elab ra e

nerar wr en n e Ol rab c language n abaeana Qar a al-Faw n hes cen r C (H land 2 , 2 3, p 33), and

a an er ab b wr ng n Greek anguage an scr , e ca e anal ar a mm e -J ma n he 2n 3r ( e Vries e ween

e Cul s 184) , as s me s gn cance r a c mm n cul uralbas n s re ch ng r m n a he s he Ha ran n he n r h verseveral cen ur es. wever spara e uhammad and ah r s spec ico nt r ma ave been, his s e c mm n c l ral basin in wh c hec l have been able c mmun ca e e ec vel w h u he nee an

n erpre er

C S mm y Wh t c n nd c nnot be known o t Ar be ore l mT e numer us e r s en i Ara s an he r s r c presence e reIslam r m c men ar s urces ave n been s ccess beca se es urces ave en e be ver unclear as den , ge rap andagenc One c l sa ha a h s r he Arabs be re Is am ca n( e ?) be en Reas ns r h s are n mer s here s nam ng a c en au h rs n wh he ra s are s l he erm rab

s use b u si ers l k g in e b au rs r w he ar

env r nmen s m s er s s s espec a l r e Grec - man au h rs S me hese, earl er nes ke er us an

sep us re er hese pe p e w u nega e b as H wever es ec c n rma i a Arabs see s s er cal and s er icia

s hers es ec all la er au h rs like mm anus and r c p us,have dec e l nega ve b ases an en see Arabs as s n n m s w

barbarians (F wden 6 -6 ) A er e man s press n d s nccul ures he erm Saracens became c m n as a s bs u e r Arabs

and ap ears carr he n ma ic ra er hese b ases a eende carr er n m ern s r gra an als ccur am ng

a O (g S Sus ng ex al c men a n n er re he r ma er aev ence

eba e ver ese b ases as cc rred m s l w n e s here Ql CuSS g e nerpre a n hese class cal s urces a n as re lec eb e e g ca isagreemen s ern sch lars an erences

e ween c ass c s and an r gis anal ca ers ec ves Oned c l s ha e\ sch lars ave e ling s c raining expan

rea men s urc r m e Grec - man nes e Near as ernSem c nes w c range r m anc en re recen S r ac

w use w rks r dg ng s iv e are e mag s er a un versalrea men s rabs n all s urces r m e e pre Islam c

per s e s an land O an s s m re balancedan rea able b deal w h bu ne her s ve e c nun r m

e e sive Ara he l ke reas n r s, as ic ael ac naan hers c nclude s ha r ug u e r ng s r ra sre aine s de e wer s ruc ure, an en be re erred as Ara s nc den all n s urces wr en r m p in s v ew e cen e

wer n and lang ages er an he r wn n singleanswer he ques n rab den i emerge , an aur ce Sar re

nea l summe p he vers n s ree ca eg ries and e n c real esWarw ck all sums up he wa s in w ic he reg n was seen as

Ara w he l s (32)

rab- rama c p p la ns as s eakers l cal Semi c asOD s m eria reek/ a in

me s ra clien s a es mesa-" U . , aba aea ' .",alm ra ( p ca. )

rab r bal c n ederacies ak m, anuk Sa and G ass n(a er ca 0)

e erences rab a n e man s rces Arabia ese a anFeli ov n A

N a s rabs aracens.


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Ba l h mse f does no dwe l on he d s nc eness of abs as as b-g o p b a he s esses he d s nc eness o he conglome a ecul e of ea e Sy a o e aga ns ha o eco oman mpe alcul e. H s hes s s a he s b ec popula ons d d mo e o

ansfo m" e c l e of Rome han he o he way a o nd. e Islam c abs ce a n y p aye a ole n s pa adox cal asse on of oca c l apowe o he anq he o e he conq e o e e a a o o

owe ")den f ca on o abs by lang age as p o en o be complex an

nea y as en gma c as den ca on n h s o ca so ces. Ne e he esse del nea on of Old ab c on he l ng s c map c ea es a conc e e

mage of e oca ons of ab c speake s o e me and helps exp a n an s b l y n h s o cal so ces d d no mean absence n ac . Whe he

abs an ab speake s we e one and he same s no c ea howe e .In fac he eq a on of ng s c and na onal den es as he meansof de e m n ng he e hn cal y pu e' o g n o a peop e' was a pseudosc en c a ce o n ne een h c na onal s eology Gea y 2 3 ) The

ac ng of he eme gence o ab c as a p es ge ang age by schola s keMacdonal and af s n a way he doc men ng o e eme gence ose -consc o s den y and se -awa eness of he h s o cal o e o hosewho be a o ca hemse es abs Beca se h s was happen ng n e6 h cen y on he e e o s am co ld be a w ng a h s o y o absbefo e e 6 cen y may no be poss ble

second bene of e l ng s c app oac s he ea a on hahe cong ome a e o bes ncl d ng ose speak ng he o he ab an

languages ke he nc en No h ab an g o p co ld eas ly nde s andone ano he hus a a e pa o a la ge c l u al g oup one m g cal

ab an peoples d s nc say om he ama c c l u al g o ps ofno he n Sy a. In h s oose sense he ab p esence n e p e Islam c

pe o may be nde s ood n e ms of he n e play be ween seden smand noma sm n he andscape o he e an l ho gh he e we eundo b e ly n -d ec ona bal m g a ons l ke ha of he hass n ds

he cul a p oce e we ha e been e c b n a e le e e m neby s ch a el han by he symb o c coex s ence and he s a ng o acommon c l e w ong s o cal oo s and n e es ng local a an s

ho gh he Ghass n d cen e o g a y was ns de he dese nge nhe ag cul al one be ween he olan and amasc s hey s l e a nedhe pas o al ad ons o bo h econom c and s a eg c easons; af e a l

e m a y se lness h nged on mob y n he dese (Fowden 4 ) Th s e en on ncl ded cu u a k nsh p and a el sk s es ng

f om be n a home n he eg on be ween he ese and he sown a oneof fam a c es ac oss wh ch one cou a e eely unless a f c alba e s we e p up by n a ng ex e o emp es

s one nclu e ea c es a cul u a a eas an dese s n

w ch bo h nomads and seden s s belonged he nomad c s de has beenwel -d sc ssed an nc eas nglynde s ood h o gh m l -d sc p na yanal of l e a y sou ces n he cou seof he eba es o e he oleof nomads on he on e o he oman mp e n ecen ly he

ole o abs n he c l alan po ca eco om es of e ag c l ase emen s o he eg on has ece e less spec f c foc s owe e

uch c s ons ha e ecen y aken nc ea n ly ood ad an age oa chaeolog cal f el wo k and analys s.

Co cl o W at d d M ammad ee a d w om d d e meet o t to t e a ra ?Sec on I abo eed o s q es on Wha can

a chaeo o y con b e o annde s and ngof ab den y and olen e p e Islam c e an h o ghou h sa c e h n s we e g en ohe ole a chaeo o y has played an cou play o f he enhance o

unde s and ng an co n e balance o e y en s as c n e p e a onsof w en ocumen s. eques on w beanswe ed sys ema ca ly n asecond a cle ab Se lemen ne e an be o e Islam a c aeolog cada a and n e p e a ons.I Th sconc s on w l nd ca e b efly how hea c aeo og cal ma e als ay o may no change o s s an a e heh o ca n o a on d c sed abo e by e n ng o he mee n

ha mad an Bah .When M amma on h s ca a an jo neys a ed n e so he

a an n e 8 s and a e he en e ed a h n an scape ha noonge looked l ke he class cal Roman mpe al wo ld o mon men -f l

cen al c e he g o ous c es o Ro an cons c on ke h(Amman) Ge asa e as ) an Bos a we e a ess pop la ed heNaba aean ( ab ) c y ofe a wh ch hepassed by b kely nosee was on he o n o o a aban onmen ho g a e y he sea of b shop ns ea he asem -a ddese f nge he may ha e seen s

n he so he n a an ( o ayNo he n o dan) was a h ng eg onof ag cul u al llagescons c e o s u yno-nonsense s one ousesBo h he o de c es ke Bos a andh adelph a whe e pa an empleslay n n an he newly ng la e ha n me ous ch ched spe sed h ough he s dy ne ghbo hoods. ke y h s ncle buTal b an la e M hamma mself s ll followed hev a va traiana

he old Roman m a y oa om qaba o os a wh ch ha s eds n an s emob a on o he on e s hus a day befo e e

Bos a he co ld ha e seen Umm el- ma he p ospe o s u al llageI' e s d e loca ed only 6 km eas of he oad w c has eno g t amu open spaces fo he safe encampmen of se e a l ca a ans de

es Towa s a H s o y ). Had he ac ally campe he e he couldha e ooked p w h awe a he g easqua e owe on he o ca edba ack nhab e y monks an s uncle m h ha e commen ed

hese o e s e nd e o San a n emen" see ce 0 3) a


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c uld ha se was a ble d Naba a a a h a ds u h A a a a d l cal bu ld g ch u s s c als uc u es h was a l a w h h A ab a cul u e slam ca u

W k w h g a h c a al s s d sc b d a hauha ad c uld ha c e s d e w h h l m

al wh w sa l u as s c al h s c llhad b e a l l 6 k awa As ag cul u al a pas al

as h s la dsca was s l w cl a l Muha ad's cul u ala l a s h ugh we c uld k w ad g h s a cha l g c l

la dsc e wh h h w s c c ll A ab c uld w k w l k g a h wh h a h chu ch s a Um l J al wM h s O h d x es a h l g wh he h wwas Ghass d e a a such s h cIdE v h l cal ul g au h es ca b d d

ad l a al bu us c l a s u c sa d sc p s l ke h s he hal d Ghass bu ld gs)

la g u h c bu a cha l g ca ak a sw g hu s h l h A a s b sla w w l l b s as uch

b bs g wha ca as w l l b l a g wha ca d As w l a uham ad a h s eal w h ah w ca

a c a e ha a chae l g se w ll uch m l d d ga sw s h s cal qu s s u uch us ul la g

u h s ec cs h cul u al la dsca wh ch h sla c A bs d a d n wh ch h b ca m a d s l awa e as A abs h c u b sla Much s b g acc sh d la g

h s cul u al la dsca a as l k Da d K d ha eu ged (Ge nd the De uch e l w k ugh

d a h ac b w llag h la d a d d s h s

pl c wh e Muha mad ah

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