the 2010-2011 excavation season at al-zubārah, north-west qatar
TRANSCRIPT
The 2010–2011 excavation season at al-Zubārah, north-west Qatar (poster)
Tobias RichTeR, Faisal abdulla al-Naimi, lisa YeomaNs, michael house, Tom collie, PeRNille baNgsgaaRd JeNseN, saNdRa RoseNdahl, Paul WoRdsWoRTh & alaN WalmsleY
SummaryThis paper briefly summarizes the results of the 2010–2011 archaeological fieldwork at the late eighteenth–twentieth-century abandoned city of al-Zubārah in north-west Qatar. The excavations in five areas inside the town, covering courtyard houses, a suq, a palatial compound, and a midden are discussed.
Keywords: al-Zubārah, Islamic archaeology, pearl diving, pearl trade, urbanism
Introduction
From 1 November 2010 to 31 March 2011 the Qatar Islamic Archaeology and Heritage Project, under the auspices of the Qatar Museums Authority, returned to the eighteenth–twentieth-century settlement of al-Zubārah in north-west Qatar for its third major season of archaeological excavations. Al-Zubārah emerged as a major pearl fishing and trading port and settlement during the late eighteenth century and was, for a short period of time, Qatar’s largest and most important town. Occupied by followers of the Wahhābī movement during the early nineteenth century, and subsequently attacked and partially burnt to the ground by forces from the Sultanate of Muscat in 1811, the site was resettled but shrunk to about a third of its former size. It continued to be occupied in an increasingly sporadic fashion, until the early twentieth century (Richter & Walmsley 2011; Richter, Wordsworth & Walmsley 2011; Walmsley, Barnes & Macumber 2010; Rahman 2005; Abu-Hakima 1988; Warden 1985; Lorimer 1915). The site represents the best-preserved remains of an eighteenth–nineteenth-century pearl fishing and trading port in the Gulf region, with its entire urban plan and layout preserved. Following on from excavations by the Qatari authorities during the 1980s and the early 2000s (al-Khulaifi 1987), the present long-term, multi-disciplinary project, initiated by H.E. Shaykha al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifah al-Thani
and H.E. Shaykh Hassan bin Mohammed al-Thani, continued its extensive programme of excavations, surveys, and conservation work at Islamic sites in northern Qatar. Al-Zubārah forms the centrepiece of these investigations. In this brief report we summarize the main results from the 2010–2011 season at this regionally important early modern settlement.
Previous excavations have allowed for the identification of at least six distinct phases of settlement at the site (for details see Richter, Wordsworth & Walmsley 2011; Richter & Walmsley 2011), which will undoubtedly be further sub-divided and remain to be more precisely dated following detailed analysis of the material culture recovered from each. Briefly, the phases are:
• Phase 6: suspected pre-1760s phase of ephemeral settlement characterized by ovens (sg. Γābūnah, pl. Γābūnāt; sg. tannūr, pl. tanānīr), post holes, pit features, and occupation floors situated beneath the Phase 5 architecture.
• Phase 5: suspected to date to c.1760s–1811. Characterized by substantial, well-built architecture, covering 60 ha, defined by an outer town wall. The settlement was at its largest size during this phase.
• Phase 4: post-1811 intermediate phase characterized by ephemeral occupation consisting of post holes, ovens and occupation floors, probably representing the remains of tent camps
Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 42 (2012): 1–10
Figure 1. A plan of al-Zubārah showing the areas previously excavated by QMA and the QIAH excavation areas.
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or barastī (palm frond huts).• Phase 3: substantial reoccupation of the town
following the 1811 attack. The exact beginning of this phase is unclear, but the new settlement was in place by 1824. This phase continues until the late nineteenth or early twentieth century. Houses are of lower quality than those of Phase 5 and primarily constructed of beach stone.
• Phase 2: a phase dominated by the sporadic construction of ephemeral stone architecture consisting of windbreaks, curvilinear walls,
enclosures, and small isolated buildings. Probably relates to the early to mid-twentieth century. Al-Zubārah fort was constructed during this phase.
• Phase 1: post-1950s phase during which the settlement was in ruins and completely abandoned. Construction of a concrete pier and metalled road when the area became a closed military zone.
The 2010–2011 season focused on the excavation of five areas in al-Zubārah (Fig. 1): Zubarah Excavation Points 01, 02, 04, 05, and 06 (ZUBEP01–06). ZUEP05
Figure 2. An annotated aerial view of the northern courtyard house in ZUEP01 following excavation.
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and ZUEP06 were excavated for the first time during this season, whereas ZUEP01, ZUEP02, and ZUEP04 are continuations from the 2009–2010 season (Richter, Wordsworth & Walmsley 2011; Richter & Walmsley 2011; Walmsley, Barnes & Macumber 2010). While ZUEP01 and ZUEP02 targeted structures relating to domestic and economic activities (a group of courtyard houses or compounds and a suspected suq area), ZUEP04 continued the project’s excavations in a large fortified compound, dubbed the ‘palatial compound’. The new area of ZUEP05 targeted a large midden outside the north-eastern segment of the outer town wall, while ZUEP06 was excavated to evaluate the stratigraphy in an area of higher ground. We will now briefly discuss the work carried out in each of these areas in turn.
Excavations in ZUEP01 had previously revealed the remains of at least three Phase 5 courtyard houses, as well as a town wall and tower belonging to the Phase 3 inner town wall, and an east–west running alleyway. In 2010–2011 the focus was on the northernmost courtyard house, the outlines of which had previously been identified during the 2009–2010 excavations. It is separated from the southern courtyard house by an east–west running alley. This building was of particular interest, since its architecture and material culture could be studied in comparison to the previously excavated courtyard building to the south, thereby revealing differences and similarities in household composition, consumption, status, and economy. Excavations uncovered a fairly typical assortment of rooms, including a majlis (pl. majalis), ablution facilities, cooking/food preparation areas with multiple ovens, an entrance hallway, and living or domestic quarters with fine plastered walls and floors (Fig. 2). Study of the alignments and sequence of wall construction suggests that this building underwent significant change over the course of its complex life history. It appears to have shrunk and was realigned, with the westernmost part having been partially dismantled and rebuilt on a new alignment, and a new western wall was put in place. Two date presses (madābis, sg. madbasah) were dismantled and the area west of the new western wall was reused as an open courtyard. Why this change in building layout occurred is unknown.
To the north of the building an east–west running alleyway was found which was resurfaced and filled by accumulations of use/trample deposits. North of this alley was an area occupied by post holes and ovens, probably representing the remains of temporary buildings. These temporary buildings occupied an area defined by a robbed-out wall, marking the location of a previous stone
building. ZUEP01 provides an important insight into the typical domestic architecture of al-Zubārah, and material culture and other finds recovered from here provide a glimpse into the daily lives of people inhabiting these buildings. The regular alignment of houses and alleys is of particular interest, suggesting that a fairly organized system of streets and building blocks was in place.
The 2010–2011 excavations in ZUEP02 are at an intermediate stage of research. Stratigraphically and on account of the size of the open area exposure, this is arguably the most complex area under excavation. Excavations in 2009–2010 suggested that the northern part of ZUEP02 might be touching part of the suq area, which had been exposed further to the north by the previous Qatari excavations (al-Khulaifi 1987). This hypothesis was based on the unearthing of a dense spread of in situ broken ceramics in one of a series of three, regular aligned rooms, as well as the discovery of bright, orange-yellow stained sediment possibly indicative of some as yet unidentified production process (Richter, Wordsworth & Walmsley 2011). The spread of broken ceramics, in particular, suggested that this room might have served as a shop front or storeroom. To verify the idea that a part of the suq had been exposed, excavations in 2010–2011 aimed to link ZUEP02 with the previous Qatari excavation area of the suq to the north by extending the area northwards (Fig. 3).
In this northern extension the remains of a series of rectangular rooms, preserved to a low height above ground, were revealed. These can be confidently assigned to Phase 3 based on the associated finds and the character of the architecture. Phase 5 walls appeared beneath these structures and future excavations will expose and examine these more closely. They appear to align well with the known architecture from the suq to the north and are therefore probably contemporary. Elsewhere in ZUEP02 excavations dealt with the removal of the previously exposed and documented Phases 3 and 4, especially a large compound near the beachfront. This time-consuming work continued throughout the season and will carry on into the 2011–2012 season, as there are many discreet features to be dealt with individually. Nevertheless, our aim of exposing the Phase 5 architecture in the southern half of ZUEP02 moved closer into our sights, as the tops of walls and a suite of rooms belonging to this phase were excavated. In addition to the Phase 5 rooms and east–west-running streets exposed in 2009–2010, three further contemporary rooms were excavated this season. One of these rooms contains three large jars and may have been used as a storeroom. Initial study of the tops
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of walls and their alignments suggests not only that they belong to Phase 5, but also that this may be a large facility dominated by a central courtyard with regularly shaped rooms arranged around the outside. Given the proximity of the suq to the north there is the distinct possibility that this may be a warehouse. Further excavations in 2011–2012 will seek to clarify this hypothesis.
The fortified ‘palatial compound’ is the single largest extant structure in al-Zubārah. It is situated in the south-eastern corner of the outer settlement along the outer town wall, and very likely dates to Phase 5 (Fig. 4).
This square structure measures about 100 x 110 m in extent, with each of its four corners reinforced by circular towers. There appear to be nine major courtyard areas in the fortified ‘palatial compound’, as can be glimpsed from aerial photos and survey data. During the 2009–2010 season the southern corner tower, a suite of adjacent rooms, a midden, and a segment of the outer
town wall were excavated to gain an initial understanding of the character of the building (Richter, Wordsworth & Walmsley 2011; Richter & Walmsley 2011). Although it is not known whether this building ever functioned as an official palace or palatial residence, its scale, architecture, and fortified character at least suggest that it had some of the qualities of a palace. The 2010–2011 excavations aimed to reveal one of the internal courtyard areas and rooms adjacent to it, the better to understand the function of this building. Our excavations revealed a series of rooms of variable function, one smaller satellite courtyard area, as well as the main (internal) entrance to this complex (Fig. 5).
There is evidence for elaborate wall decorations in the form of geometric patterns in wall plaster, and for the presence of upper storeys as evidenced by a staircase that would have provided upper-level access. A kitchen/cooking area with multiple ovens was found, as was a
Figure 3. An aerial view of ZUEP02. The area excavated by al-Khulaifi (1987) is visible at the right edge of the picture, with the northern extension connecting this area with the main ZUEP02 area in the centre of the image.
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storage room, bath-houses (sg. Ήammām, pl. Ήammāmāt), a date press, and rooms with well-made plaster walls and floors, which may have been reception areas, dining rooms, and living and sleeping quarters. The range of rooms and functions do not differ radically from those in the courtyard houses, which suggests that we are also dealing with domestic living quarters in the fortified ‘palatial compound’. This reinforces the idea that this part of the building may represent the living quarters of an important, extended family that played a pivotal role in managing al-Zubārah’s affairs.
Small-scale excavations were also carried out in two further areas in 2010–2011. ZUEP05 is located to the north-east of the settlement, outside the outer town wall, and targeted a large midden mound (Fig. 6). This is the second midden to be excavated in al-Zubārah by QIAH (see above), and excavations here revealed a characteristic sequence of refuse deposits, which were very dense in material culture, faunal remains, and
other finds, including wood and hair. It is likely that this midden, similar to all other middens outside the outer town wall, dates to the main phase (5) of the settlement. Future analysis of the remains and samples obtained from this midden will provide valuable insights into the economy, subsistence, consumption, and cultural aspects of al-Zubārah’s urban society.
Excavations in a 5 x 5 m area north of ZUEP01 targeted an area of high ground where we reasonably suspected a long stratigraphic sequence to be preserved and thus presented a chance to detail the full sequence of settlement at al-Zubārah down to the earliest occupation. The excavations in ZUEP06 did not, however, produce a particularly long sequence. While evidence for possible production (bitumen) and several dumping events was found, the trench showed most importantly that the original land surface on which al-Zubārah was erected was undulating and consisted of silt and sand dunes, not all of which were levelled out prior to the construction
Figure 4. An aerial view of the fortified ‘palatial compound’ and ZUEP04. Also clearly visible is the Phase 5 outer town wall.
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Figure 5. A post-excavation kite photograph of ZUEP04, showing the central courtyard and the rooms arranged around the outside.
of buildings. The sequences in ZUEP01 and ZUEP02 therefore continue to preserve the fullest stratigraphic phasing yet identified.
Overall, excavations in al-Zubārah in 2010–2011 have reinforced many of our findings from the previous seasons of excavations, and continue to provide a fascinating insight into the urban organization, economy, daily lives, and culture of one of Qatar’s most prominent historical sites. Our work shows that al-Zubārah was a well-
organized, hierarchical settlement, which shared many features with other urban centres throughout the Gulf and Arabian Peninsula. Urban archaeology adds much to our understanding of al-Zubārah’s origins, development, and demise. The 2010–2011 season addressed many open questions, in particular about the function of the fortified ‘palatial compound’, but also posed new questions, which we hope to address in our forthcoming fieldwork at this important early modern urban site.
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Figure 6. A trench cut into the extra-mural midden mound in ZUEP05.
Acknowledgements
The Qatar Islamic Archaeology and Heritage Project is a research partnership between the Qatar Museums Authority (QMA) and the University of Copenhagen, and aims to study the Islamic history, archaeology, and heritage of northern Qatar focusing especially on al-Zubārah. We are grateful to H.E. Shaykha al-Mayassa
bint Hamad bin Khalifah al-Thani, Chairperson of the QMA, and H.E. Shaykh Hassan bin Mohammed al-Thani, Vice-Chairperson of the QMA, for their ongoing support of this project. We also extend our thanks to Professor Sultan Muhesen, Director of Archaeology and Heritage at QMA, and the staff of the Antiquities Department at QMA for their help and support.
References
Abu-Hakima A.M. 1988. History of Eastern Arabia: 1750–1800. London: Probsthain.al-Khulaifi M.J. 1987. Zubara and Merwab Monuments, report 1983. Doha: Qatar Museums Authority. [In Arabic.]Lorimer J.G. 1915. Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, ΚOmān and Central Arabia. i. Historical. Calcutta: Superintendent
Government Printing.Rahman H.U. 2005. The Emergence of Qatar. The Turbulent years 1627–1916. London/New York: Kegan Paul.Richter T. & Walmsley A. 2011. Qatar Islamic Archaeology and Heritage Project. End of Season Report Stage 2, Season 1. Copenhagen:
Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, University of Copenhagen.
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Richter T., Wordsworth P. & Walmsley A. 2011. Pearl fishers, townsfolk, Bedouin, and shaykhs: economic and social relations in Islamic al-Zubārah.
Proceedings of the Seminar of Arabian Studies 41: 317–332.Walmsley A., Barnes H. & Macumber P. 2010. Al-Zubārah and its hinterland, north Qatar: excavations and surveys, spring 2009. Proceedings of the
Seminar of Arabian Studies 40: 55–68.Warden F. 1985. Historical Sketch of the Utoobee Tribe of Arabs (Bahrein)/From the Year 1716 to the Year 1817. Pages
362–382 in R.H. Thomas (ed.), Arabian Gulf Intelligence. Selections from the Records of the Bombay Government. Cambridge: Oleander Press.
Authors’ addressesTobias Richter, Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, University of Copenhagen, 17–19 Snorresgade, 2300 København S, Denmark.e-mail [email protected]
Faisal Abdulla al-Naimi, Head of Antiquities, Qatar Museums Authority, PO Box 2777, Doha, Qatar.e-mail [email protected]
Lisa Yeomans, Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, University of Copenhagen, 17–19 Snorresgade, 2300 København S, Denmark.e-mail - [email protected]
Michael House, Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, University of Copenhagen, 17–19 Snorresgade, 2300 København S, Denmark.e-mail [email protected]
Tom Collie, Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, University of Copenhagen, 17–19 Snorresgade, 2300 København S, Denmark.e-mail [email protected]
Pernille Bangsgaard Jensen, Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, University of Copenhagen, 17–19 Snorresgade, 2300 København S, Denmark.e-mail [email protected] Rosendahl, Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, University of Copenhagen, 17–19 Snorresgade, 2300 København S, Denmark.e-mail [email protected]
Paul Wordsworth, Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, University of Copenhagen, 17–19 Snorresgade, 2300 København S, Denmark.e-mail [email protected]
Alan Walmsley, Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, University of Copenhagen, 17–19 Snorresgade, 2300 København S, Denmark.e-mail [email protected]
The 2010–2011 excavation season at al-Zubārah, north-west Qatar 9
