Water Exploration
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Issue 17 Annual Magazine concerned with publication of the result of archaeological excavations and researches in the Emirate of Sharjah Sharjah Archaeology Authority - Govt. of Sharjah Chairman: Dr. Sabah Abood Jasim General Supervisor: Eisa Yousif Managing Editor: Fawzy Saleh CONTRIBUTIONS: R. Carita - R. Varela Gomes M. V. Gomes - E. A. Yousif K. D. Kamyab - F. Almeida M. T. Antunes - J. P. Henriques P. M. Callapez - P. A. Dinis Directorate of Archaeology Sharjah Archaeology Antherity (SAA) - U.A.E Portuguese Archaeological Mission NOVA University - Lisbon Designed & Printed by: Fairmont P.P.S. Copyright Reserved© for Sharjah Archaeology Authority First Edition - 2019 P.O. Box: 30300 - SHARJAH Tel.: +971 - 6 - 5668000 Fax:+971 - 6 - 5660334 Website: www.sharjaharchaeology.com E-mail: [email protected] Index Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 7 1. INTRODUCTION AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................ 9 2. MAIN ISSUES ................................................................................................................................................ 12 3. LOCATION AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT ................................................................... 16 4. HISTORY OF THE SITE ....................................................................................................................... 19 5. METHODOLOGY AND MEANS AVAILABLE ...................................................................... 28 6. STRATIGRAPHY AND STRUCTURAL EVIDENCES ...................................................... 31 6.1. LEVEL SEQUENCE ............................................................................................................................ 31 6.2. FORTIFICATION REMAINS ....................................................................................................... 33 6.3. POSTHOLES (A HOUSE?) ......................................................................................................... 36 6.4. BASIN ............................................................................................................................................................. 36 6.5. WELL 1........................................................................................................................................................ 42 6.6. FIREPLACES ........................................................................................................................................... 43 6.7. SHELL DEPOSIT (GU 101) ....................................................................................................... 45 7. MATERIAL CULTURE ........................................................................................................................... 46 7.1. STONE ARTEFACTS ......................................................................................................................... 47 7.2. SEASHELL ARTEFACTS ............................................................................................................ 55 7.3. GLASS ARTEFACTS ......................................................................................................................... 62 7.4. METAL ARTEFACTS ......................................................................................................................... 67 7. 5. CERAMIC ARTEFACTS .................................................................................................................. 68 CHINESE PORCELAIN (M. VARELA GOMES AND J. PEDRO HENRIQUES) KERMAN COBALT BLUE-ON-WHITE WARE ........................................................................ 77 UNDERGLAZE PAINTED WARE ......................................................................................................... 79 LIGHT BROWN GLAZED WARE ......................................................................................................... 84 BROWN AND DARK GREEN GLAZED WARE (BAHLĀ WARE) ............................... 85 INCISED LIGHT FINE WARE .................................................................................................................. 89 RED COARSE WARE .............................................................................................................................. 92 BLACK COARSE WARE .............................................................................................................................. 99 8. FAUNAL AND VEGETAL REMAINS .......................................................................................... 109 9. CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................................................................................... 115 9.1. ORIENT AND OCCIDENT ............................................................................................................ 115 9.2. REPRESENTATIONS OF THE ARABIAN GULF AND SEA ............................... 117 9.3. ABOUT THE LASCARIM ............................................................................................................ 119 9.4. MAIN ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESULTS ................................................................................ 120 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................................ 124 ANNEX I – ‘DOCUMENTOS REMETIDOS DA ÍNDIA, LIVRO 59, FOL. 88’ ............. 129 ANNEX II – ‘KHOR KALBA UAE MISSION – GEOPHYSICAL REPORT’ (Fernando Almeida) .................................................................................................................................................................. 137 ANNEX III – ‘A PRELIMINARY CHARACTERIZATION OF FOUR CERAMIC SHERDS FOUND IN A 17TH CENTURY DEPOSIT FROM THE SITE OF THE PRIMITIVE FORT OF QUELBA IN THE SHARJAH EMIRATE’ (L. F. Vieira Ferreira, I. Ferreira Machado, R. Carita, R. Varela Gomes, M. Varela Gomes, Kamyar Kamyab) .......................................................................................... 161 ANNEX IV – ‘PRELIMINARY REPORT OF THE PALAEOZOOLOGY’ (Miguel Telles Antunes) .............................................................................................................................................. 165 ANNEX V – ‘MOLLUSC REMAINS FROM THE QUELBA/KALBA FORTIFICATION (LATE 16TH TO 18TH CENTURIES, SHARJAH, UAE): TAXONOMIC, TAPHONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL AND CULTURAL IMPLICATIONS’ (P. M. Callapez; P. A. Dinis) .................................................................. 175 SITE INDEX .......................................................................................................................................................... 217 Issue 17 Introduction The Portuguese archaeological expedition joined the convoy of archaeological excavations working in the Emirate of Sharjah in early 2017. This expedition is from the University of Nova / Faculty of Social and Human Sciences in Lisbon, headed by Prof. Dr Rui Carita alongside specialists in archaeology, anthropology and other related disciplines. Based on its proposed program of work, the mission aims to achieve mutual benefit in the field of scientific and archaeological research, development, education and training and to ensure that the scientific and academic curriculum is of common interest to all relevant institutions. The Portuguese team has pledged its commitment to strengthening its role as a major archaeology body through its interaction with national and international research institutions, research centers and major units, as per the draft agreement approved by His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah. The Portuguese mission selected Kalba, located on the east coast of Sharjah, as the first station for archaeological excavations. The selection of Kalba is undoubtedly due to the historical information, documents and maps contained in the Portuguese National Archives concerning the period of influence and Portuguese presence in the East Coast during the 16th-18th centuries. One of the aims of the Portuguese mission is to find the remains of the Portuguese Forts that were constructed along the eastern coast, in particular, the search for the remains of an ancient fortification described in 17th-century Portuguese texts. The Portuguese began the first archaeological excavation campaign on 1st January 2017 and lasted for two weeks. The second season took place from 1st to 18th January 2018. Between the 21st and 29th of November of the same year, the expedition conducted a series of marine investigations to explore three areas which were on the east coast of Kalba, Khor Fakkan and Dibba Al Hisn. The maritime operations are part of the Sharjah Archaeology Authority›s interest in underwater exploration. Previous underwater explorations were carried out in 2002 in coordination with a specialized team from the University of Trondheim, Norway, where the results of preliminary investigations in both the Fasht area of Sharjah and Khor Fakkan showed important results. The Portuguese expedition has submitted reports for their work carried out 7 Issue 17 during the years 2017 and 2018 which included the results of the ground exploration and excavations in the Kalba area and underwater investigation work. The first report of 2017, addressed and reviewed some key issues. It explained that the main objective behind the selection of shores of the Sea of