IDENT & ORIENT ^Ni v..- J"'? Newsletter of the German Protestant Institute of Archaeology in Amman

Jutta Haser - the new director of the German Protestant Institute in Amman By: Dieter Vieweger, BAI, Wuppertal (Germany)

'"^ . • . .V*.* On the 1s' of April 2004, Dr. Jutta pervised by two distinguished pre- Haser started her new job as di­ historian archaeologists: Prof. H.- rector of the German Protestant J. Nissen and Prof. B. Hansel. Institute of Archaeology in Am­ Vol. 9, No. 1 & 2, 2004 During the last six years, Dr. Jutta man. She is an internationally re­ CONTENTS Haser was employed by the De­ spected scientist with a lot of ex­ Jutta Haser - the new director of the partment of Orient-Archaeology in perience in archaeological pro­ German Protestant Institute 1 the German Archaeological Insti­ jects in the Arab world. Her reputa­ Syrian-French-German Co-operation tute in Berlin. She was especially tion in the scientific world was ac­ in Training for the Preservation of engaged in the publishing of jour­ the Cultural Heritage 2 quired by a lot of successful exca­ nals and books of the German Ar­ vations and surveys in Sudan, Sy­ Ras Batahi: A caravan stop halfway chaeological Institute Berlin. between Petra and Sabra 3 ria, the United Arab Emirates, Isis in the East The Veneration of Oman and Jordan as well as in During this time her scientific in­ the Egyptian Deities in the Middle Germany and Italy. terest was directed to Oman. She East during the Graeco-Roman is the head of the archaeological Period 5 Dr. Jutta Haser was born in 1961. team of an interdisciplinary re­ Archaeological reconnaissance She studied Near Eastern ar­ search group focused on the ex­ at Izki and the Jebel Akhdar 6 chaeology, prehistory and cunei­ ,n ploration of the transformation pro­ Excavations at the 4 millenium form studies in Gottingen, Aarhus site of Tall Hujayrat al-Ghuzlan / cesses in oasis settlements in and Berlin. Her MA-thesis was Aqaba - New Results 2004 12 Oman. This project is financed by about stone artefacts of the Fellows in Residence and the German Research Founda­ second millennium B.C. in the Gulf Visitors 16 tion, the German Archaeological region. Her Ph.D.-research was Tall Zera'a in the Wadi al-'Arab, Institute and the University of Mus­ the 2003 and 2004 campaigns 16 entitled: „Archaeology of Settle­ cat. It will continue until 2006. Donors to the Institute 21 ment Patterns in the Jebel Marra Information 21 Region in Darfur (Sudan)". This A second special interest of Dr. work was based on remote sens­ Haser is the water management ing data in the Sahel region. Both in arid and semi-arid regions of the investigations were carried out at Near East. She worked especially Published twice a year by the German the Free University Berlin and su­ on irrigation and tunnel systems Protestant Institute of Archaeology in in Oman and Jordan. Amman. P.O.Box 183, Amman 11118, Jordan. Tel. 06/5342924, Fax 06/5336924. E-mail: [email protected]. Editor: Dr. Jutta Haser, Amman. Technical and editorial assistance: Susanne Helbig, DEI Hannover, Evan- gelische Kirche in Deutschland. Newsletter logo above by Samir Shray- deh. 2 OCCIDENT & ORIENT - 2004

Syrian-French-German Co-operation in Training for the Preser• vation of the Cultural Heritage New Missions in the National Museum of Damascus and in South Syria By: Felicia Meynersen, German Archaeological Institute, Orient Section, Damascus

Syria possesses one of the richest ral and Museums (DGAM) in areas tackled by the programme. archaeological and monumental carrying out sixteen missions of The project work was realised as heritages in the world. This cultural experts from different scientific a co-operation „hand in hand". heritage has been subject for stu• fields, e.g. archaeology, restora• From August 20,h to October 14th dies and research work since the tion, history etc in training about of 2003, the first Syrian-European beginning of the 20,hcentury. eighty Syrian specialists, selected project mission (No 4) carried out by the DGAM. Today, many sites and findings a training programme for archi• need conservation, documenta• tects in connection with a field re• tion and protection. In line with Campaigns of the Syrian- search about 85 km South of Da• these considerations, the estab• French-German Co-opera• mascus where the moonlike-land• lishment of different types of train• tion Projects scape is shaped by extinct volca- ing programmes for Syrian experts nos. Work concentrated on the so- is a priority for the preservation of Two of the sixteen training projects called Serail in Qanawat, an offi• Syria's cultural heritage, cultural are realising a bilateral co-opera• cial cult building, and on a house communication and exchange. tion in a double meaning: Those complex in Sweida, a typical ex• Therefore, the European Commis• Syrian-European projects in south ample of private domestic houses sion is financing the ..Preservation Syria includes both a co-operation (fig. 1). The training programme of Cultural Heritage Training Pro• between Europe and Syria as well included the work on different do• gramme" which is built into the as an Jnter-European" co-opera• cumentation methods depending overall framework of the Euro• tion between French and German. on the technical equipment and pean-Mediterranean Partnership The European members are the the special kind of building. It was and deals with an aspect that is German Institute of Archaeology, emphasised that drawings cannot fundamental in achieving long- Orient Department (= DAI) and the be the result of scientific research term sustainability: the capacity of Institut Francais du Proche-Orient and documentation. But the de• Syria to preserve its archaeologi• (IFPO). Those two partners were scription and the photo documen• cal and monumental heritage. This selected and appointed by the tation of buildings are essential to programme that started in 2001, DGAM due to their proven exper• understand ancient building pe• supports the Directorate of Gene• tise and high profile in the scientific riods and to document their dama• ges for further preservation activi• ties.

From September the 14"1 to De• cember the 7lh, German, French and Syrian archaeologists working on the second project (No 10), per• formed archaeological documen• tation and preservation work in the National Museum of Damascus, the heart of the Syrian museologi- cal landscape. Here, the mission initiated a scientific inventory of ar• tefacts, and preparation of a da• tabase. Qualified Syrian archaeo• logists of the museum were train• ed in computerised inventory cata• Fig. 1: Private domestic house in Sweida. logue and its maintenance. OCCIDENT & ORIENT - 2004 3

The objects presented in the so- Results and Outlook Furthermore, the outcome of the called Palmyra Collection set an two projects should also be mea• Syrian, French and German ex• interesting example for teaching sured by nonvisible indicators: perts have in all matters co-operat• description techniques according capacity building, transfer of know- ed successfully. The outcome of to scientific standards in archaeo• how, passion, ambitions and wil• the projects No 4 and No 10 can logy (fig. 2). The Palmyrenean art, lingness are also part of the results be measured by a great number cut in the soft creme-coloured li• of those co-operation. of visible structures: By documen• mestone, depicts a great wealth tation and research work as well As an investment into Syria's fu• of antiquarian details compelling as by giving several interviews on ture human capital, these young one to look carefully and formulate TV, newspaper and radio, where archaeologists and architects will exactly (fig. 3). the members of the projects pre• help to support the preservation of sented aims, methods and first re• their cultural heritage in Syria. sults of their missions.

Fig. 2: Sculpture in the so-called Palmyra Collection Ras Batahi: A caravan stop halfway between Petra and Sabra

By: Ulrich Hiibner (University of Kiel, Germany)

Ras Batahi is situated just 3.5 km through the middle of the Wadi Sa• Lindner (Naturhistorische Gesell- south of Petra and about 3 km bra down to the small Nabataean schaft Nurn-berg) occupied north of Sabra, in the place where town Sabra (about 800 m above himself in 1983, 1984 and 1990 the plateau south of Petra falls sea level). The ancient place with the place. It was explored in straight down into the wide valley name is unknown. The town, more detail by Ulrich Hubner of Sabra (fig. 1). Situated halfway which Leon de Laborde (1807- (University of Kiel) in 2002 and between Petra and Sabra, it forms 1869) and Louis Maurice A. Linant 2003. a small caravan stop on the way de Bellefonds (1799-1883) came As the pottery proves, the place into the Araba. From here, about to in 1828 on their way to Sabra, was first built on in Nabataean 990-1010 m above sea level, runs was visited several times time (1s' century B.C.) and used a well built ancient road which lead afterwards, but never received as a caravan stop at least into the through the wadi of the same further atten-tion or was referred 2n0 century A.D. Later, because of name, Wadi Batahi, and after 2 km to by name. Much later Manfred 4 OCCIDENT & ORIENT - 2004 its convenient location, the place then in large, fortified windings 2). At its top, to which lead 12 was used as a transit station up to down the steep slope towards stairs, and at its northeast base the present, without being chang• Sabra. The slope was terraced are two graves in the rock that ed by new buildings or being used and seems to have had a few scat• have been plundered and are part• to live in. tered buildings on it. But their floor ly filled with sand: plans cannot be seen on the sur• The area with ruins stretches Tomb IA on the top of the rock face any more because of the far mainly across the terraced slope peak is a rectangular grave cut in advanced erosion and apparently south of the edge of the plateau. the rock, 185 cm long and 75 cm stones have also been stolen. Pro• There were contemporaneous wide, and orientated to the south• bably the small habitation was no buildings on the plateau, too, but west (fig. 3). In a depth of circa 40 complete village, but rather a sort they are almost completely des• cm the mummy-shaped contour of of checkpoint and customs post troyed by the intensive farming on a human figure is carved out of the for the passenger traffic and transit the adjoining fields. Apart from the rock, in which a body could be de• trade of the passing caravans. It little pottery found there, only one posited. The rock left to both sides was a prominent marker for the rectangular building, about 70 m could be used as an abutment, on road and the landscape that could north of the buildings on the slope, which stone slabs could rest, be seen from far away, even as was preserved. It is about 6.50 m which would cover the lower grave far as Sabra. Among the Naba• long and 5.40 m wide with walls in the mummy-shaped hole. The taean remnants of architecture that are about 0.45 m strong and entombment in form of the contour made of reddish sandstone which was probably orientated to the of a human body is the first and have lasted through erosion and west with its entrance in the east. so far the only example of such a stealing are e.g. pillar drums, frag• In size and orientation it is reminis• form in the Nabataean tomb ar• ments of a pilaster of a public cent of a small Nabataean temple chitecture. Only on Sela north of building (or a sandstone fragment, on Ras Hamra near Petra. The Petra a tomb of the same type and which probably belongs to a sun• size of the built-on area on the pla• time can be found. dial. teau is unknown, it was obviously It is not known if this peculiar bu• populated only thinly and with scat• Remnants of a small necropolis rial form is a local characteristic, tered buildings. nearby, which stand out because goes back to effects of pre-Naba- of their prominent and exposed The buildings on the slope seem taean traditions or foreign influen• position, indicate a small popula• to have stood more closely to• ces, for example from Egypt. In tion of Ras Batahi: Around 120 m gether. The built-on area extended any case, it certainly proves that southwest of the buildings on the on both sides of a well-built road, the Nabataeans practised the ban• slope, a rock peak of reddish which began at the edge of the pla• daging of the body with special sandstone rises up out of the teau. At first it runs over a distance wrapping, as we know it for ex• steep slope of the Wadi Batahi (fig. of almost 30 m straight down and ample from the New Testament for the burial of Jesus (Matthew 27,59; Luke 24,12; Mark 15,46, John 19,39-40; 20, 5-7) in Roman Jerusalem and of Lazarus (John 11,44) in Bethany in the same pe• riod. Maybe this practice is record• ed epigraphically in Nabataean in a Nabataean inscription in tomb 64A in the Siq opposite the Khazne in Petra (Nabataean 'srt' .^rapp• ing"). However, the shaft graves of the cemetery of Khirbet Qazone west of Bab edh-Dhra close to the Dead Sea from the 1s'-2nd century A.D. show that bandages were not customary everywhere in the Na• bataean empire: There the dead were laid into their graves with covers of leather or used clothes. Fig. 1: Ras Batahi from East with the ancient Road (Photo U. Hiibner 2003). OCCIDENT & ORIENT - 2004 5

At the head of Tomb IA, to the northeast, is another double-deck• ed, but much smaller tomb IB, lying at right angles (fig. 3). It is probably a burial place for children of the family circle of the adults bu• ried in Tomb IA.

Selected Bibliography:

Hubner U., „Archaologische For- schungen der Universitat Kiel und der Naturhistorischen Gesellschaft Niim- berg in Sudjordanien 2002", in: Nurn- berger Blatter zur Archaologie 18 (2001-2002) 205-207.

Hubner, U., „Die archaologische Ex• pedition 2002 in die Region um Petra", in: Natur und Mensch. Jahres- mitteilungen der Naturhistorischen Gesellschaft Nurnberg 2002, 63-66. Fig. 2: The Rock with the tombs Fi9- 3: Grab IA-B from south-west Hubner U., „Archaologische Ent- south-west of Ras Batahi (Photo U. (Photo U. Hubner 2003). deckungen und Forschungen in Sud• Hubner 2002). jordanien", in: Christiana Albertina 56 (2003) 22-34. Isis in the East. The Veneration of the Egyptian Deities in the Middle East during the Graeco-Roman Period

By: Veit Vaelske

Tacitus was surprised: „pars Sue- Middle East during the Graeco- with objects in European and Am• borum et Isidi sacrificat' (Germa- Roman periods. This topic was erican collections, questions arose nia 9, 2). So there in the middle of chosen by the author as subject about possible centres of venera• wild, unexplored Germania the of a thesis at the Winckelmann- tion. There are known places like great and exotic goddess from Institut at Humboldt-University of in Petra or Gerasa, but an indica• Egypt should have been worshipp• Berlin. tion to an architectural context are ed? That the historian judged this also three monumental reliefs of The most important foundation message as curious but also as basalt from the citadel of Amman for this work is all accessible ma• believable can be explained by the (2). At the same time there are ob• terial that is partly known but also fame of Isis in the Greco-Roman jects from Gadara and Pella, very often lies unknown in Near World. This admiration continues: whose evidence of the Egyptian Eastern museums and their store• around the Egyptian deities a spe• cults has to be proven. Some of rooms (1). A scholarship gene• cific field of research has been this material was imported in Anti• rously given by the German Aca• created. Using all archaeological quity - possibly a quantity of frag• demic Exchange Service (DAAD) and historical methods, its first mented terracotta-figurines in the enables the author to search for subject is the spread of Egyptian museum of Madaba - but other and to study statues, figurines, re• cults and cultures in the Mediter• pieces were clearly produced in lo• liefs, inscriptions etc. first in Jor• ranean world. An ending of this cal workshops, for example terra• dan, then in Syria from October work is not visible, but one ex• cotta-figurines from Gerasa or the 2003 onwards. ample of many gaps in our know• above mentioned reliefs in Am• ledge is the lack of a general work Soon, during cataloguing the man. The iconographies may rely about the Egyptian impact on the found material and comparing it in foreign (Hellenistic or Egyptian) 6 OCCIDENT & ORIENT - 2004 prototypes but there are also sty• ful study was the German Protes• tadel (Jabal al-Qal'a) of Amman, Jor• listic features that can only be un• tant Institute at Amman (DEI), that dan, Levant 35, 2003, 117-122. derstood regarding local contexts. served as home over three (3) L Bricault, Isis dolente, Bu letin The most prominent example for months and whose members de I'lnstitut francais d'archeologie this is the so called Isis dolente (3), gave countless advices and en• orientale 92, 1992, 37-49; L el- whose cult picture is represented couragements. The author had a Khouri, The Nabataean Terracotta in many Nabataean and Roman great and very successful time in Figurines (2002). copies and were of greatest impor• Jordan, because of which he can (4) M. Lindner, Eine al-Uzza-lsis- tance in Petra at least since the look optimistically into the future. Stele und andere neu aufgefundene first century BC. Zeugnisse der al-Uzza-Verehrung in Notes Petra, Zeitschrift des Deutschen Pa- This leads to the question to what lastina-Vereins 104, 1988, 84-91. extent there were links with local (1) Compare Th. Weber, Gadara de- panthea and theologies. Again, in capolitana (2002). Petra this became evident with a (2) Recently presented by T. M. Nabataean votive stela adorned Atiat, An Egyptianizing Cult at the Ci- with the Basileion, the Isis crown (4). A Roman terracotta from Pella showing a mother goddess nur• sing her child proves the resem• Archaeological reconnaissance at Izki blance between local ideas and the iconography of Isis lactans by and the Jebel Akhdar depicting the baby with the typical lock of Horus. The search for so Transformation processes of oasis settle• called syncretism widens the fo• cus for elder relations between ment in Oman 2004 - third stage. A preli• Egypt and the Middle East. Both minary report. areas were continuously connect• ed over millennia under changing By: Jurgen Schreiber, German Archaeological Institute, circumstances, but it would be cu• rious if such a proximity should be Orient Department, Berlin totally shaken off. A cultic worship in later times could be accrued Introduction Research Foundation, the Sultan from this. It is at least highly un• Qaboos University and the Ger• likely, that in such a wealthy and An interdisciplinary German- man Institute of Archaeology fi• multifaceted world like the Middle Omani cooperation project .Trans• nanced this second project phase, East the knowledge about Isis and formation processes in oasis set• which lasted two years and saw her companions was only motivat• tlements in Oman" started in 1999. archaeological surveys at Tiwi at ed by Hellenistic and Roman influ• It was conducted by members of the coast (Kom et al. in press, ences. the Sultan Qaboos University at al- Schreiber/ Haser in 2004) across Khod (Department of Archaeology This work would be impossible the Eastern al-Hajar mountains to and Department of Agriculture), to carry out without the support of Ibra' (Schreiber in prep.) in the in• the University of Tubingen (Orien• many persons and institutions. terior at the edge of the Wahiba tal Institute), the University of Stutt• Firstly to be named is the Depart• sands. gart (Institute for Urban Planning), ment of Antiquities of Jordan the University of Kassel (Institute In December 2003 this project whose staff cooperated in the of Crop Sciences) and the Ger• was extended for another two most generous and liberal man• man Institute of Archaeology in years by generously financial ner. Jordanian colleagues of the Berlin (Orient Department). grants of the institutions mention• Department, of museums and uni• ed above. Archaeological re• versities were helping everywhere After three survey campaigns in search will concentrate on surveys and were giving very helpful ad• Wadi Bani 'Awf and in the al-Ham- in Izki in 20041 and Nizwa in 2005, vices. The authc owes also a ra' region in the years 1999 and and on a minor level, on the Jebel great debt to many members of 2000(Haser 2000,2003)and one Akhdarand Bahla. foreign missions who gave access campaign for studying the finds in to excavations and their scientific 2001, a second phase of the pro• results. The basis for this success• ject started in 2002. The German 6 OCCIDENT & ORIENT - 2004 prototypes but there are also sty• ful study was the German Protes• tadel (Jabal al-Qal'a) of Amman, Jor• listic features that can only be un• tant Institute at Amman (DEI), that dan, Levant 35, 2003, 117-122. derstood regarding local contexts. served as home over three (3) L. Bricault, Isis dolente, Bulletin The most prominent example for months and whose members de I'lnstitut frangais d'archeologie this is the so called Isis dolente (3), gave countless advices and en• orientale 92, 1992, 37-49; L. el- whose cult picture is represented couragements. The author had a Khouri, The Nabataean Terracotta in many Nabataean and Roman great and very successful time in Figurines (2002). copies and were of greatest impor• Jordan, because of which he can (4) M. Lindner, Eine al-Uzza-lsis- tance in Petra at least since the look optimistically into the future. Stele und andere neu aufgefundene first century BC. Zeugnisse der al-Uzza-Verehrung in Notes Petra, Zeitschrift des Deutschen Pa- This leads to the question to what lastina-Vereins 104, 1988, 84-91. extent there were links with local (1) CompareTh. Weber, Gadarade- panthea and theologies. Again, in capolitana (2002). Petra this became evident with a (2) Recently presented by T. M. Nabataean votive stela adorned Atiat, An Egyptianizing Cult at the Ci- with the Basileion, the Isis crown (4). A Roman terracotta from Pella showing a mother goddess nur• sing her child proves the resem• Archaeological reconnaissance at Izki blance between local ideas and the iconography of Isis lactans by and the Jebel Akhdar depicting the baby with the typical lock of Horus. The search for so Transformation processes of oasis settle• called syncretism widens the fo• cus for elder relations between ment in Oman 2004 - third stage. A preli• Egypt and the Middle East. Both minary report. areas were continuously connect• ed over millennia under changing By: Jurgen Schreiber, German Archaeological Institute, circumstances, but it would be cu• rious if such a proximity should be Orient Department, Berlin totally shaken off. Acultic worship in later times could be accrued Introduction Research Foundation, the Sultan from this. It is at least highly un• Qaboos University and the Ger• likely, that in such a wealthy and An interdisciplinary German- man Institute of Archaeology fi• multifaceted world like the Middle Omani cooperation project .Trans• nanced this second project phase, East the knowledge about Isis and formation processes in oasis set• which lasted two years and saw her companions was only motivat• tlements in Oman" started in 1999. archaeological surveys at Tiwi at ed by Hellenistic and Roman influ• It was conducted by members of the coast (Kom et al. in press, ences. the Sultan Qaboos University at al- Schreiber / Haser in 2004) across Khod (Department of Archaeology This work would be impossible the Eastern al-Hajar mountains to and Department of Agriculture), to carry out without the support of Ibra' (Schreiber in prep.) in the in• the University of Tubingen (Orien• many persons and institutions. terior at the edge of the Wahiba tal Institute), the University of Stutt• Firstly to be named is the Depart• sands. gart (Institute for Urban Planning), ment of Antiquities of Jordan the University of Kassel (Institute In December 2003 this project whose staff cooperated in the of Crop Sciences) and the Ger• was extended for another two most generous and liberal man• man Institute of Archaeology in years by generously financial ner. Jordanian colleagues of the Berlin (Orient Department). grants of the institutions mention• Department, of museums and uni• ed above. Archaeological re• versities were helping everywhere After three survey campaigns in search will concentrate on surveys and were giving very helpful ad• Wadi Bani 'Awf and in the al-Ham- in Izki in 20041 and Nizwa in 2005, vices. The author owes also a ra' region in the years 1999 and and on a minor level, on the Jebel great debt to many members of 2000 (Haser 2000,2003) and one Akhdar and Bahla. foreign missions who gave access campaign for studying the finds in to excavations and their scientific 2001, a second phase of the pro• results. The basis for this success• ject started in 2002. The German OCCIDENT & ORIENT - 2004 7

Work at Izki ing to an inscription of the so-cal• The main feature at Saruj is a led „lshtar-slab" in Nineveh (c. 640 large circular structure (Iz0005) The town of Izki is located in the BC), a king named Pade came (diam. 20 m), built of very large upper part of Wadi Halfayn, direct• from his land Qade after a half a un-worked boulders, which pro• ly at the southern end of the Su- years journey to the royal court of bably formed the foundation of a mail-gap (Fig. 1), which is one of Nineveh, to pay tribute to Ashur- platform, incorporating a natural the most important passages banipal, King of Assyria. The name rocky outcrop (Fig. 2). While the through the al-Hajar mountains, of Pade's town can be transcribed northern part of the structure is connecting the interior of Central- as Is /S / z - ki / qi-e, which fits founded on top of the plateau, its Oman with the coastal areas of the strikingly well with the modern walls run down the eastern slope Batinah since prehistoric times. name Izki (Potts 1985a, 1985b). towards the wadi. This means, that The spacious oasis of Izki is di• the eastern side of the structure Furthermore, according to local vided into several quarters or set• must have been of enormous tradition Izki is the oldest town of tlement areas. The oldest and height to achieve an even level for Oman and one of the places, most important centres of the the platform. There is no doubt where the Azd-tribes under Malik oasis are the quarters of al-Yaman that this structure dates to the 3rd bin Fahm settled after their immi• and al-Nizar, separated by a c. millennium BC. This date is con• gration from Yemen (Wilkinson 200-year-old fort, located between firmed by comparisons to similar 1977,1983). And another oral tra• the quarters of the formerly two ri• buildings (cf. 'Amlah, Firq, Wihi al- dition mentions Izki as an impor• val tribes. Situated to the north are Murr etc. [Schreiber 1998]) and tant place in pre-lslamic times, the settlements of Seddi, Maghi- Umm an-Nar potsherds, which where an idol named Jurnan was uth, and Harat al-Raha, and locat• were found in and around the worshipped in a cave (Wilkinson ed to the west are the small villa• structure. Generally these structu• 1977).3 ges of Wuddai and Harat Bani Hu- res occur never as single build• sain. To the south, a few small set• We started our fieldwork in Izki at ings, but are always accompanied tlements and fields extend in the an area locally known as „Saruj". by at least a second one, if not direction of Zukait.2 This area is formed by some low more (cf. Bat, Firq, Hili etc.). Unfor• plateaus, which border the tunately, no second circular struc• In every respect, Izki has to be southern part of the main oasis to ture was found until now, but it may considered as one of the most im• the west for some kilometres. P. have been located on the opposite portant places in Omani history. Costa already shortly described wadi-bank and may have been va• So is Izki the only town in Oman, this part of the Izki oasis in the late nished today beneath the old and which is mentioned in sources of 1980ies (Costa 1988). modern parts of the quarter of al- the neo-assyrian period. Accord• Nizar.

South of Iz0005, down the slope several structures (a retaining wall, terraces, house foundations), also build of relatively large boul• ders were visible, which probably belonged to a 3'° millennijm BC settlement. These were re-used during the Early Iron Age (Iz0118). This is shown by the remains of structures build of smaller stones set between the larger Umm an- lift Nar structures, as well as by a dense scatter of local Iron Age pot• tery. The actual size of this settle• ment site is around 1 ha, but may have originally been larger, as the eastern part of the site towards the wadi is heavily eroded today. In our days, this area is also used partly as a cemetery and around two dozen Islamic graves are located Fig. 1: Map of Southeastern Arabia with areas of research 1999 - 2004. there. OCCIDENT & ORIENT - 2004

Yule (2001). Pottery of Hafit-tombs, as well as some cir• this period was at least cular crater-like structures with found at the surface of some Early Iron Age pottery, which the main cemetery bet• may be remains of a campsite of ween these tombs as this period. It is also possible, that well as at the surface of some of the badly disturbed tombs Iz0406 (among the pot• may have been of Early Iron Age sherds were also two origin. A handful of Late Iron Age fragmented clay camel- potsherds as well as some tombs figurines). It seems with a stone-set underground striking that some of the chamber, which were partly exca• older Islamic cemeteries vated by grave robbers, can be were founded at sites, seen as a hint of Late Iron Age oc• where Izki-tombs have cupation." While no traces of the Fig. 2: Monumental 3,d millennium Early Islamic period were found, BC circular building (Iz0005) seen already been built - this speaks from the east. for a long continuity in use of burial the Middle and especially the Late places. Islamic period is well represented Situated immediately to the west by the watchtower, the house-ruin On the southern part of the pla• of the circular building Iz0005, are and probably the wall. Scatters of teau at Saruj an Islamic tower, a some large rectangular structures, modern Islamic pottery shows, houseruin, a wall running along its possibly tombs. They consist of a that the plateau was occupied until eastern edge and a Hafit-tomb double-faced foundation wall of recently. large undressed rocks. They all seemed to be the only visible appear to be heavily disturbed and structures. However, normally just the lowest stone a closer look showed, layer is preserved. Generally they that the whole area are oriented NE-SW, but some was full of archaeolo• few examples are oriented N-S gical remains, but also. They do not differ much in nearly all of them size and their average dimensions were in a very bad condition. Because are 5.00 m x 3.00 m (Fig. 3). These structures are loosely dis• of that, just the bet- tributed all over the oasis: They terpreserved monu• are also found at the afore men• ments were mapped. tioned settlement area (Iz0118), An interpretation of on top of the plateau above the this area is very com• settlement, where they stand plicated, but accor• alone or in small clusters, on the ding to the archaeo• Fig. 3: „lzki"-type tomb Iz0127. Islamic cemetery west of Iz0005 logical record it can be roughly out• lined as follows: and at a small Islamic cemetery When we went onward to exa• (Iz0406) at the western wadi-edge The earliest use of this area is mine the chain of low hills spread• at Harat ar-Raha, as well as at the attested by several Hafit-tombs ing to the north along the old Nizwa large main Islamic cemetery east sitting on the edges of the plateau. - Muscat road, ending at the of al-Nizar. There a group of 27 of One near the Islamic tower is pre• western edge of Harat ar-Raha, these tombs has been recorded served up to 1.5 meters, but most the picture did not really change. by a team of the German Mining- of them were totally destroyed, so The three low hillocks are all co• Museum at Bochum in 1988, but that just faint stone-circles remain• vered with remains of ancient were not excavated. These tombs ed. Some Umm an-Nar potsherds tombs, which are all so demolish• cannot be dated for sure, as this were found also on the plateau, ed, that it is generally not possible type of tomb is unknown on other namely around the wall. They to say which type of tomb they sites of the Sultanate - therefore must have been connected to might have been. Some of them the term „lzki-tomb" was intro• Iz0005 and the settlement on the may have been Hafit-tombs (then duced (Yule 1994). Because of eastern slope, as they cannot be with Early Iron Age re-burials) but their NE-SW orientation, they attributed to the wall for sure. The the majority of them may be some where tentatively dated to the Late existence of Early Iron Age is kind of Early Iron Age tombs. An Iron Age or Samad-period by P. proofed at least by re-use of older interesting feature is a wall, which OCCIDENT & ORIENT - 2004 9 runs at least across the two pending on the number of demo• this plateau towards the wall northern most hills toward a Late lished graves. All in all we record• Iz0106, which is located on a hill Islamic/recent mud brick tower, ed about 350 tombs there, but as at the east side of the main road. overlooking the now deserted old we just mapped the better-pre• As the position of the wall in the quarter of Harat ar-Raha. As this served ones, their number must middle of the plateau does not wall was built over a row of pre• have been much higher. Unfortu• make any sense as fortification, historic tombs, it should be of Isla• nately, finds were very scarce at the wall may represent a kind of mic date. this site. We just found a handful tribal boundary. of potsherds, which are of Late After finishing the work at these To conclude the preliminary re• Iron Age date - this also fits with eastern hills, we crossed the old sults of this campaign, we can say the archaeological record at Tiwi. main road to examine the other that the oasis of Izki was at least side of the road, which is borde• Another vast cemetery is located occupied with the beginning of the red by relatively high mountains to on a flat plateau south of the can• 3rd millennium BC, what is attested the west. This is a flat area that yon where the small village of by beehive- and Hafit-tombs, but was nearly completely bulldozed Wuddai is situated inside and no settlement remains of this pe• for building new houses there over some hundred meters to the west riod were found. A settlement area the last 20 years. So we just found of the structure Iz0005. This relati• with a large circular structure re• a few traces of old remains to the vely wide plateau ends near the presents the following late 3ra mil• north of this area near the new se• Sinaw - Nizwa junction. Around 60 lennium BC, together with the wage plant. There are some very large tombs were recorded on this tombs of the vast necropolis des• demolished prehistoric tombs situ• plateau, most of them in very bad cribed above. While the Wadi Suq ated in the plain as well as some condition. Their average diameter period seems totally lacking, the collapsed shaft-holes of a de• is 7 m, but some reach 9 m and Early Iron Age period sees the re• serted falaj. the better preserved of them are use of the 3,d millennium BC settle• still standing up to 1.5 m high. The ment-area and an extensive re• When we looked at the slopes foundations of these tombs were use of older tombs, but also the above the modern houses we saw built of large un-worked boulders construction of new ones. The some tombs there and when we and form a plinth and concentric Late Iron Age is best represented climbed up, we found a large ring-walls around a circular or rec• by the vast cemetery at the slopes number of them. The two upper tangular chamber. Some tombs of the western hills as well as by a most were 3rd millennium BC bee• are divided by cross walls into two settlement area, located directly hive-tombs, while on the ridges or four chambers. According to between the two quarters of al-Ya- below them large (Iron Age) tombs their location on this flat plateau, man and al-Nizar.5 were built of un-worked stones. their size and elements of con• They consist of one or two con• Our examination has shown, that struction they should be Hafit- and centric ring-walls around an oval the ..outskirts" of the oasis were Umm an-Nar tombs. Some chamber, which was covered by mainly occupied during pre-lsla- smaller round or oval tombs with large flat stones and were partially mic times and due to this, Islamic a diameter of 2 - 3 m intermingled preserved to a height up to 1 m. A sites are somehow under-repre- between the larger ones, should closer look showed, that the be of a later (probably slopes in this area were full of se• Iron Age) date. Finds veral hundred tombs. The situ• were also scarce ation is similar to that, we found here. Just a few pot• at the vast Late Iron Age ceme• sherds of Iron Age tery at the coastal site of Tiwi date were found and (Schreiber / Haser 2004). As in may derive from re• Tiwi, tombs were built here using use of the tombs in natural features, especially large this period as well. free-standing rocks. A semicircular The only non-fune• wall was built in front of these rary feature on this rocks, incorporating them into the plateau is a long wa structure (Fig. 4). Other tombs (Iz0712) running from were totally built between large na• the slope of the wes• tural rocks, which rolled once tern mountains down the mountains. They form through a small valley up onto the Fig. 4: Late Iron Age tomb Iz0334. clusters of different size, de• plateau and across the middle of 10 OCCIDENT & ORIENT - 2004 sented until now. Most Islamic re• cat highway were built mains we recorded during this there; search for another campaign were some cemeteries, circular structure(s); ex• watchtowers and some single ru• tending the survey area ins in the deserted fields east of further to the south and Harat ar-Raha - most of these fe• closer examination of the atures (except of some of the ce• Izki-tombs, maybe in• meteries) are of a relatively young cluding excavation of one date, but this will change, when we or two of them to clarify turn to the centre of the oasis their date. during the next campaign. Work at the Jebel Akh- All in all we mapped 744 archae• ological sites/features, mostly dar tombs. At least 1500 potsherds Because of its strategic and mili• Fig. 6: Hut-grave JA062 near Saiq (mainly of Early Iron Age date) tary importance, access to the en• (Jebel Akhdar). were collected. Among the small ormous area of the Jebel Akhdar finds (shells, fragments of soft- massive was prohibited until re• they were visible for those people, stone bowls, some flint-flakes) the cently. Due to this, almost no coming up the mountains. So they most interesting are a bronze ar• scientific research was done at the mark perfectly occupied territory. row-head (Early Iron Age), an iron ,.Green Mountain" until now.6This This also holds for areas away bracelet (probably Late Iron Age) and the special climatic condi• from the Saiq-plateau, as we no• and the fragments of three clay fi• tions, which have led to a comple• ticed some Hafit-tombs in similar gurines (one is a painted camel tely different cultivation compared positions, when we made a short [Fig. 5] like the examples from Ru- to most other areas of Oman, trip to Hail, some 15 km northwest meilah [Boucharlat / Lombard made the agriculturists of our team of Saiq. We also found three hut- 1985] in the United Arab Emirates establish a project there. We ac• graves of the Early Iron Age (Fig. and should therefore be of Early companied them from March 22na 6), which were built with stones of Iron Age date, while the second - 25,h for a short visit to get a first older Hafit-tombs near-by. camel is unpainted; the third one impression of archaeological mo• To identify prehistoric settle• is not a camel, but very similar to numents in this area. a figurine we found at the Late Iron ments was much more difficult. Age settlement I0052 at Ibra in The question was: Did the good Above Saiq we found remains of climatic conditions (annual rainfall what once was probably a camp. 2003). 200 mm and more, so no artificial There were a few foundations of Taking in account the results irrigation was necessary) encou• houses as well as some circular listed above, aims for the autumn rage early settlement or was the structures (probably stables), campaign 2004 will be to examine area so remote, that settlements which were built of stones of near• the core of the oasis and the Is• developed relatively late? by ancient tombs. As we found no lamic periods more carefully; to single potsherd in this area, we are We concentrated our short sur• have a look what is preserved at not able to date this site. But as vey mainly on the Saiq-plateau the east side of the oasis after pi• there is also an adjacent small Is• (2000 m), where today the main pelines and the new Nizwa-Mus- lamic cemetery, the site should at settlements of Jebel Akhdar are lo• least be Islamic and of relatively cated. Even in this short time, we late date. The same picture oc• were able to map around 70 ar• curred, when we visited some of chaeological remains, mainly the villages there. The paths inside tombs. The densest occupation of these villages were so clean, that tombs we found at Saiq itself, generally no potsherds were found where the southern edge above there too, with one exception of an the valley Saiq is located in, was Early Iron Age rimsherd from the full of remains of Hafit-tombs. We village of al-Ain. When we looked "~i "'V 7™' * " noticed, that generally these Hafit- at the waste dumps of these vil• 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 tombs were placed on flat moun• lages we generally found pot• tain ridges, flanking small wadis. sherds, dating back no more than It was very obvious, that they were Fig. 5: Fragment of red painted 50 years. But as the pre-historic always located in such a way, that camel-figurine from Izki. settlements may have occupied OCCIDENT & ORIENT - 2004 11 the same locations than the mo• study the finds and work on the do• Haser, J. 2003: Archaeological re• dern villages, potsherds from cumentation. sults of the 1999 and 2000 Survey Campaigns in the Wadi Bani 'Awf and these periods may be found deep 2 At Zukait is a vast necropolis of in the al-Hamra-Region, Proceedings down the canyons and gorges, beehive-tombs, which was men• of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 33, where they were washed down in tioned already by de Cardi et al. 21 -30. the course of time. 1976. A short visit showed not only beehive- and Hafit-tombs sitting on Hanna, S. / al-Belushi, M. 1996: In• Coming back to our initial ques• the ridges of the mountains, but troduction to the Caves of Oman, tion, the answer is still a prelimi• also tombs built in the plain. All in Ruwi nary one, but may be as follows: all there must have been hundreds Harrison, D. L. 1975: The Oman Flo• of them, but we were not able to Taking into account the natural, ra and Fauna Survey, 1975, Journal detect any traces of settlement re• of Oman Studies 1, 181 - 186 climatic and topographic condi• mains during this short visit. tions with its wells and caves, the Korn, L. / Haser, J. / Schreiber J. / 3 This cave may be found in the wadi Jebel Akhdar area could already Gangler, A. / Nagieb, M. / Siebert, S. terrace beneath the quarter of al-Ni- have been occupied in Neolithic / Burkert, A. in press: Tiwi and Wadi zar, but collapsed rocks block the Tiwi - Development of an Oasis on times, but this would need further entrance, so the cave is inacces• the Northeastern Coast of Oman, exploration. For sure, the area was sible at the moment (Hanna / al-Be- Journal of Oman Studies 1. used as herding-grounds at the lushi 1996). th rd turn of the 4 to the 3 millennium Potts, D. T. 1985a: The location of 4 As grave robbers heavily disturbed BC, as it is attested by a relatively Iz-ki-e, Revue d'Assyriologie 79, 75 these tombs, it is difficult to re• -76. large number of Hafit-tombs. The cognize their exact structure. Some next period we can prove is the of them seem not to be oblong, but Potts, D. T. 1985b: From Qade to Early Iron Age. Even if we have semi-circular. Therefore a date in Mazun: Four notes on Oman, c. 700 just a single potsherd we found the Wadi Suq-period may not be ex• BC to 700 AD, Journal of Oman Stu• some hutgraves. The Late Iron cluded, but neither potsherds nor dies 8, 81 - 95. other finds from this period were Age is attested by a re-burial in• Schreiber, J. 1998: Die Siedlungs- found. side of one of the disturbed Hafit- architektur auf der Halbinsel Oman tombs above Saiq, where we 5 This site (Iz0002) was already dis• vom 3. bis zur Mitte des 1. Jts. v. Chr. found a soft-stone spindle-whorl of covered by J. Haser and the author Altertumskunde des Vorderen Orients this period. in November 2002, but was not vi• 9 Munster. sited again this time. The other prehistoric but also Schreiber, J. in prep.: Archaeologi• 6 One exception was the „Oman Flora older Islamic periods should be cal Survey at Ibra in the Sharqiyah, and Fauna Survey", which worked Sultanate of Oman found during a more thorough ex• there in 1975 for a short period of ploration Schreiber, J. / Haser, J.2004: Ar• time (Ha-rison 1975). chaeological Survey at Tiwi and its This shows, that the Jebel Akh• hinterland (Central Oman), Pro• dar was not a remote area, but Bibliography ceedings of the Seminar for Arabian was occupied early in prehistory Studies 34. and was connected with the sur• Boucharlat, R. / Lombard, P. 1985: Wilkinson, J. C. 1977: Water and rounding areas. This also fits with The Oasis of Al Ain in the Iron Age : Excavations at Rumeilah 1981 - Tribal Settlement in South-East Ara• the information given by local 1983, Archaeology in the United Arab bia. A Study of the Aflaj of Oman, Ox• people there, that within the range Emirates 4, 44 - 73. ford. of a four to five hours walk, it is Wilkinson, J. C. 1983: The Origins possible to reach major oases and Costa, P. M. 1988: Pre-lslamic Izki: of the Aflaj in Oman, Journal of Oman wadis like Birkat al-Mawz, Nizwa, Some Field Evidence, Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 18. Studies 6/1, 177-194 Tanuf, Rostaq, Wadi Bani Khalid 15 - 23. etc. Yule, P. 1994: Grabarchitektur der de Cardi, B. / Collier, S. / Doe, D. B. Eisenzeit im Sultanat Oman, Baghda- der Mitteilungen 25, 519 - 577. 1 The first campaign of the third stage 1976: Excavations and Survey in of the project took place from March Oman, 1974 -1975, Journal of Oman Yule, P. 2001: Die Graberfelder in 7* - March 29'" 2004. Participants Studies 2, 101 - 187. Samad al Shan - Materialien zu ei- were Jurgen Schreiber as director Haser, J. 2000: Formation and ner Kulturgeschichte, Orient-Archao- (archaeologist) and Frank Voigt Stu• transformation processes of oasis logie 4, RahdenA/Vestf. dent assistant). All in all eight days settlements in the Sultanate of Oman: J were spent in the ield in Izki, three preliminary report on a new field pro• days at the Jebel Akhdar and ject, Proceedings of the Seminar for another seven days were used to Arabian Studies 30, 115 - 118. 12 OCCIDENT & ORIENT - 2004

Excavations at the 4th millennium site of Tall Hujayrat al-Ghuzlan / Aqaba - New Results 2004 By Lutfi Khalil (Jordan University, Amman) and Klaus Schmidt (DAI Orient-Department, Berlin)

In 1998 the ASEYM project (Ar• as storage rooms, but beside the storage of grain provided the pos• chaeological Survey and Excava• vessels no stored material could sibility of storage up to 50 years. tion at Wadi al-Yutum and Mag- be found. But it was very important, to have ass area) was created as a coope• A probable explanation could be manageable units. When a silo ration project between the Univer• that the small rooms had been had been opened once, all the sity of Jordan, Department of Ar• used, at least partially, for the stored grain had to be consumed chaeology, in Amman, and the storage of cereals. With the back• quickly, as the sealing process German Institute of Archaeology, ground of the large „Silogruben won't bear repeating with success. Oriental Department in Berlin. von Buyukkaya" and the „Silokom- At Buyukkaya the silos are very Since 1998, five seasons of sur• plex an der Poternenmauer" from large, but they had been built for veys and excavations were oc• Hattusa, the capital of the Hittite the capital of an Empire. At build• curred at the prehistoric settle• Empire, Jurgen Seeher is pro• ing B in Tall Hujayrat al-Ghuzlan ment of Tall Hujayrat al-Ghuzlan viding a detailed study about the there is e. g. a complex of 6 rooms (fig. 1), which is located about four technical needs for granaries each with about 5 cubic meter vo• kilometres north of Aqaba (Seeher 2000). The rooms had not lume. In one room 3 tons of grain (Bruckner et al. 2002; Eichmann only to prevent the entry of soil could be stored. As 500 g of grain - Khalil 1998,1999; Khalil - Eich• water, and to avoid flooding during is the average need for a person mann 1999, 2001; Khalil - Eich• heavy rain, the roof insulates the per day, one room could provide mann - Schmidt in press). grain not only from solar heat. food for about 100 persons for two The previous expeditions illus• When a room had been comple• month, the group of six rooms for trate that the site played an impor• tely filled with grain and sealed a year. As these rooms are only a tant role in the early history of me• hermetically, a series of microbio• part of a much bigger magazin tallurgy, which can be dated to the logical processes soon produced complex, the settlement clearly first half of the fourth millennium a de-oxygenation, which had had the potential of storing food BC. Large architectural structures strong effects on stored products for several hundred people at least of undressed stones, mud-brick pest. The way of hermetic, airtight for one year. and pise walls had been un• earthed (fig. 2). In the centre of the settlement a large building made of massive stone walls (prelimi• nary called building A), at the northern part large buildings made of mud-brick walls (preliminary building B and C) had been un• earthed.

In the 2004 season several rooms of building B and C had been excavated down to the floors. The walls are preserved with an astonishing height of 2 to nearly 4 meters. The existence of a second floor often is visible by ceilings made of wooden beams bearing a clay floor, found at the faces of the walls. A series of com• plete vessels had been found on the floors, but the function of the often shaft like rooms is not clear yet. They could have been used Fig. 1: Tall Hujayrat al-Ghuzlan, aeri-al view from the south, March 2004. OCCIDENT & ORIENT - 2004 13

At the western fringe of the settle• parallels in the rock art of northern D. If that will be true after future ment a building (preliminarily call• Arabia and are fitting well into Ne- seasons, the oval building D will ed building D) with wall decora• gev style III of E. Anati (1981). have a north-south extension of tions was retrieved in 2003 sea• more than 50 m. The outstanding character of son. On the fagade of its mud- building D is obvious not only by A seismological analysis of the brick walls, finger prints had been its wall decorations. Due to two destroyed walls (A. Korjenkov) impressed in the soft clay de• long curved and concentric walls could demonstrate that there had picting capricorns and humans. it seems that the building had an been two earthquakes attacking Several impressions of hands had oval shape. Between the two con• :he settlement. A first earthquake been added. In 2004 the excava• centric walls rows of rooms had was not entirely destructive. It tions had been continued and en• been separated by radially orien• seems, that its demage had been larged in this area, but only half of tated walls. The shape of the build• repaired by the inhabitants. A the building could be exposed until ing somehow reminds the Early second event, accompanied by a now. The ground floor level is not Dynastic Temple Oval at Khafajah. firestorm, destroyed most of the reached yet. The decorations Hopefully further excavations will settlement. found in 2003 had been placed at provide deeper insight in the cha• the western wall (decorated wall Various shapes of pottery bowls racter of building D. B, fig. 4) of a large rectangular and jars were discovered. They room of building D and in a narrow In a new trench at the southern are hand-made and of a coarse room following to the east (deco• boarder of the site the large stone ware, finger-impressions and rated wall A, fig. 3). After removing wall found in the previous season other impressed decorations are a secondary wall, which had been could be unearthed as expected furnished on some of the vessels. placed opposite of the decoration running east-west through the new It could be confirmed that both B, new images, made in a similar area. Directly north of the wall Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age technique, had been visible (deco• mudbrick architecture could be ex• IA shapes and fabrics can be dis• rated wall C, fig. 5). From right to posed. The function of the now 30 tinguished within the find materi• left there are a canide, most pro• m long stone wall is not clear yet. al. bably a dog, a human and two ca• It could have been a defensive wall The lithic industry again is cha• pricorns. In a room east of it a iso• or a protection against the seyl of racterized by the absence of pri• lated impression of a right hand Wadi al-Yitim. As it is curved, it mary production and a restricted had been found (decorated wall even could have been part of the tool inventory without endscrapers D). The decorations have several concentric wall system of building and burins. Scrapers, often true fan scrapers made on tabula' flint, where numerous. Sickle elements are common. Large and broad blades mainly had been used for these tools, resembling the so call• ed „Cananean blade technology".

Remains of copper metallurgy again were discovered in large amount. They include copper ore, slag, fragmented pottery moulds and crucibles, and copper arti• facts. The production of orna• ments made of the shells of mol• luscs again had been found in high quantity. Bone tools and perforat• ed weights made of various stones, bone and pottery sherds are common too. A fragment of a pear shaped mace head made of basalt (fig. 6) resembles both the type known from e.g. the Nahal Mishmar hoard and examples Fig. 2: Tall Hujayrat al-Ghuzlan, map from predynastic Egypt. 14 OCCIDENT & ORIENT - 2004

The preliminary studies of the About 200m southeast of the Tall Eichmann, R. - L. Khalil, German- artefacts again indicates trade re• a part of the irrigation system had Jordanian Archaeological Project ir lations with Pre-dynastic Egypt, been excavated. Beside irrigation Southern Jordan: Archaeological Sur• vey and Excavation in the Yitim and especially with the Lower Egyptian channels and terrace walls, seve• MagassArea 1998 (ASEYM 98), Oc• Buto-Maadi culture. A small ovoid ral cairns are visible in that area. cident & Orient 3.1,1998,14-16. jar resembles a shape common in It had been called Hujayrat al- the Buto-Maadi culture. The tech• Ghuzlan II. In a test trench in one Archaeological Survey and Excava• nique of producing twisted blade- of the cairns a row of orthostats in tion at al-Yutum and Tall al-Magass Area - cAqaba (ASEYM). A Prelimi• lets is similar in Lower Egypt and an oval arrangement had been un• nary Report on the First Season in Hujayrat al-Ghuzlan. The cortex earthed. As traces of domestic life 1998, ADAJ 43,1999,1-20. tools, especially the large fan are nearly completely absent in scrapers, had been exported from the structure, it is quite probably a Khalil, L.-R. Eichmann, Archaeolo• places in the southern Levant to (4lh millennium) burial monument. gical Survey and Excavation at Wad: al-Yutum and Tall al-Magass Area - Maadi. However, the burial itself remained cAqaba (ASEYM). A Preliminary Re• uncovered in the not excavated The palaeo-zoological (N. Ben- port on the First Season 1998, ADA. part of the structure. ecke) and botanical analysis (R. 43,1999,501-520. Neef) are under progress. Accom• Archaeological Survey and Excava• panying the excavations a survey Bibliography tion at the Wadi al-Yutum and Mag- documenting the probable Chal- ass Area - al-cAqaba (ASEYM): A Anati, E., Felskunst im Negev und colithic/Early Bronze Age hydro• Preliminary Report on the Second auf Sinai. Fruhe Spuren des Men- Season in 2000, ADAJ 45,2001,195- logy technology in Wadi al-Yitim schen (1981). had been undertaken. Limestone 204. Bruckner, H. - R. Eichmann - coatings on stones used for the Khalil, L. - R. Eichmann - L. Herling-H. Kallweit-S. Kerner- construction of the channels will K. Schmidt, Excavations at Tall Hu• L. Khalil - R. Miqdadi, Chalcolithic solve the question of the date of jayrat al-Ghuzlan/'Aqaba, 2002. and Early Bronze Age Sites near ADAJ 2003 in press. these installations when c14 ana• 'Aqaba, Jordan, in: R. Eichmann lysis is available, as these coatings (ed.), Neuere Forschungen im Vorde- Seeher, J.,Getreidelagerung in un- are directly related with the use of ren Orient, Orient-Archaologie 5 terirdischen GroBspeichern: Zur Me- the channels for irrigation. The (2002) 217-339. thode und ihrer Anwendung im 2. coating can be produced only by Jahrtausend v. Chr. am Beispiel der long time running water. Befunde in Hattusa, Studi Micenei ed Egeo-Anatolici 42/2,2000,261-301.

Fig. 3: Building D, decorated wall A, a hand impression, two capricorns and a human OCCIDENT & ORIENT - 2004 15

Fig. 4: Building D, northern section of decorated wall B, a Capricorn and a human

Fig. 5: Building D, decorated wall C, a canide, a human and two capri- corns

Fig. 6: Pear shaped mace head made of basalt from building B 16 OCCIDENT & ORIENT - 2004

Fellows in Residence and Visitors (April - December 2004)

Mr. Erasmus Gass, Universitat Tubingen, Germany; Ms. Nikola Willner, Germany; Ms. Karolin Brosig, Ger• many; Dr. Bernhard Lucke, Germany; Dr. Norbert Benecke and Mrs. Benecke, DAI-Berlin, Germany; Dipl.- Restaoratorin Inka Potthast and Dipl.-Holzwirt Ralf Riens, Konservierungslabor, Konstanz, Germany; Mr. Dennis Vilovic; Mrs. Ursula al-Sa'adoun and Dr. A. al-Sa'doun, Irak; Ms. Birgit Nennstiel, Mr. Frank Daubner, Mr. A. Thomsen, Ms. Dirschedl, Ms. Walther, Reisestipendiaten/innen des DAI-Berlin, Germany; Mr. Joachim Rau, Stiftung Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin, Germany; Ms. Heidi Gotzmann, Project Management „Cu:ture & Politics", Berlin, Germany; Prof. Dr. Beate Salje, Mr. Bernd Muller-Neuhof, Dr. Nadine Riedl; Mrs. Uta von Eickstedt, Mrs. Annette Otto, Mrs. Yasmine Becker, Vorderasiatisches Museum Berlin, Germany; Ms. Angelica Rauche, Projektleiterin Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle derBRD, Bonn, Germany; Mr. Feyerabend, GTZ-Am- man, Jordan; Dr. Susanne Kerner, DAI, Aqaba-Excavation, Germany; Dr. Friedbert-Ninow, Friedensau, Germany; Dr. Helge Fischer; Dr. RainerHaroum, InstitutfurEthnologie, Leipzig, Germany; Dipl.-lng. Claudia Buhrig, Max-Planck Institut f. Wissenschaftsgeschichte Berlin, Germany; Propst Martin Reyer and Mrs. Reyer, Jerusalem; Prof. Dr. Dr. Dieter Vieweger, BAI-Wuppertal, Germany; Dr. A. Meyers, Inst, fur Altame- rikanistik u. Ethnologie, Universitat Bonn, Germany; Ms. F. Burmeister; Ms. Susanne Lennert, GTZ-Am- man, Jordan; Dr. Karel Vriezen, Utrecht University, Netherlands; Fam. Van Roojen, Netherlands; Drs. J. & M. Dijkestra, Netherlands; Mr. Urs Fruhauf, GTZ-Amman, Jordan; Prof. Andreas Hauptmann, Bochum, Germany; Mr. Gerhard Thiel (llona Grundmann Filmproduktion); Ms. Elaine Meier, Ecole Biblique, Jerusalem; Dr. Martin Lang, Dr. Christoph Rosel, Ms. Katrin Rieger, Lehrkurs 2004; Prof. Dr. GuntherSchauerte, Staat- liche Museen zu Berlin, PreuBischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin, Germany; Umm-Qais Excavation Team (Dr. Claudia Buhrig, Mr. Bernd Liesen; Mr. Christian Hartl-Reiter); Mr. Veit Vaelske; Mr. Stefan Kuhl, GTZ-Amman, Jor• dan; Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hubner, Universitat Kiel, Germany; Mr. Michael Janenhoff, GTZ-Amman, Jordan; Ms. Friderike Hoebl, Reisetipendiatin des DAI-Berlin; Fam. GaBner, Germany; Fam. Gschwind, Germany. Tall Zera'a in the Wadi al-'Arab, the 2003 and 2004 campaigns

By: Dieter Vieweger (BAI, Wuppertal) and Jutta Haser (DEI, Amman)

Introduction ration. The results demonstrate in order to map the different ar• that there is a thick cultural layer chaeological features in the v/adi. In 2001 an interdisciplinary re• up to 6 m in height in many areas search program - called 'Gadara of the tall. Region Project' - was initiated by The campaigns 2003 and the Biblical-Archaeological Institu• Detailed information on the aims 2004 te at the University of Wuppertal of the project, the geographical A first larger excavation campaign (Germany) directed by Prof. Dr. Dr. situation of the Wadi al-'Arab and started in September 2003. It was Dieter Vieweger. This project is fo• Tall Zera'a as well as the results carried out by the Biblical Archaeo• cused on the investigation of the of the first investigations have pre• logical institute of the University Wadi al-'Arab southwest of Gada- viously been published by Vie• Wuppertal directed by Prof. Vie• ra/Umm Qeis. The exploration weger (2002a: 157-177; 2002b: weger. The excavation concen• started with a ceramic survey on 12-14; 2003a: 191-216; 2003b: trated on the northwestern slope Tall Zera'a, the most prominent tall 459-461) and Vriezen (2002, 18- of the tall. This area (I) was chosen in the wadi. This study has shown 19; 2003, 13-14). because a significantly high con• that the tall was inhabited from the A topographical survey was car• centration of finds had been found Early Bronze Age until Ottoman ried out in the Wadi al-'Arab with there in the course of the previous times. the help of a digital global posi• tall survey. In addition, this area is Furthermore, various geophysi• tioning system (GPS). It provides exposed by its special topogra• cal methods were used for explo• the basis of a digital terrain model phical situation. At this point, a OCCIDENT & ORIENT - 2004 17 defense system could be assum• ed, since there is no natural pro• tection here by topography unlike on the southeast, east, north, and northwest sides of the tall.

Eight squares (measuring 5 m x 5 m each) were opened and ex• plored to a maximal depth of 3.3 m.

A second campaign was con• ducted in April 2004 as a co-opera• tion project between the Biblical Archaeological Institute and the German Protestant Institute of Ar• chaeology Amman directed by Prof. Vieweger and Dr. Haser. The excavations were continued in the previously opened squares and ten more squares were uncover• Fig. 1: Roman-Byzantine column base in square AM 118. ed.

A further, ten-day campaign was House no. 2, to the north of man-Byzantine period. Never• carried out as study course for house no. 1, consists at least of theless, remains of a settlement theologians in July 2004. The work two rooms (AO 117-119). The wall and some houses could be was continued in three of the eas• northern limits have not been traced. tern most squares. reached. A stone-lined pit was ex• The western limit of the built-up cavated in the western room (AO During the excavations in 2003 area of stratum 2 is marked by a 118). and 2004 five strata were expos• sawtooth-like wall following the ed. They were labeled 1 to 5 from Toward the western part of the curve of the tall (AL-AO 117). Due top to bottom. In the upper most slope, the buildings are eroded to the balk it is unclear if the wall stratum (1) the remains of three near the edge of the slope's steep in the squares AK-AL 116 is the large houses were uncovered. incline. continuation of the aforemen• They are orientated almost exactly tioned wall. Both walls are built House no. 3 is represented only northward. The entrance situation with field stones and are 1 -1.20 m by a single wall running from north is unresolved in this stage of exca• wide. They are constructed on the to south (AM 119). vation. Two of the houses are join• casemate wall of the Late Bronze ed, a third one is situated east of The pottery found in the houses Age period. them separated by a 4 m wide can be dated to the Roman-By• An area with house remains was stone-paved road. The walls are zantine Period. In addition, frag• discovered east of the defence built with undressed and some ments of glass vessels and some wall. A room structure can be ob• dressed stones. The last ones are coins were uncovered. The coins served in the center of the area spolia from a building elsewhere. have not been dated yet, since (AM-AO 118). The outer limits of The walls rest on the butt of walls they have to be cleaned before. of the Iron Age II, i.e. stratum 2. this structure have not been exca• A deep pit with a diameter of vated yet. Therefore, the building The eastern most house, no. 1, about 4 rn was discovered under type cannot be determined as yet. consists of at least six rooms. The the pavec road (AN 119). It con• Two building phases can be dis• rooms have an average dimen• tained a mass of Roman-Byzan• tinguished. In the first phase, two sion of 4 m. In one of the rooms a tine pottery. This pit was pre• ovens are cut into the floor level. threshold (AL118), a column base sumably built when this area was These were destroyed in the (Fig. 1) and, adjoining it, a narrow not covered with houses. second phase. One of these bench (AM 118) were found. The ovens was partly covered by a wall The two subsequent strata (2 column base points to the fact, that constructed between two east- and 3) can be dated to the Iron this area was roofed. The area west running walls (AN 118) (Fig. east of the threshold might not be Age. These strata are disturbed in a room but a courtyard. many parts by large pits of the Ro• 18 OCCIDENT & ORIENT - 2004

vated in the slope terrain of the excavation area. A casemate city wall protected the western slope in this period. It was built above the Early Bronze Age city wall and glacis, separated from it by a one meter thick deposit. A small stone- lined pit was found in one of the rooms of the wall (AM 116) (Fig. 4). To the south, a room paved with stones was uncovered. From this room a passage leads into another stone-paved room, which is surrounded by 2 m thick walls. Presumably, this was the interior of a tower. This might have be• longed to a gate or a poterne, which can be expected south of the present excavation area.

A street runs parallel to the case• Fig. 2: Iron Age II building in square AN 118. mate wall on its east side. The width of the street cannot be me• 2). Another wall was built parallel field stones and are very thin. The asured in this stage of excavation. to the west, forming a new room. remains of the Late Bronze Age The street has a canal which is co• tower were used as foundation for vered by large stones. This canal A well-prepared working area a hearth. In addition, stone-lined collected the water from two sides, with a large flat grinding stone was pits were dug in the remains of the draining it in another room or basin built in the south (AL117) (Fig. 3). Late Bronze Age city wall in the (AM 116/117). It can be assumed This stone is surrounded by two squares AM 117 and AO 117. that the 3 m deep shaft beyond the rows of standing stones like a city wall in square AM 115 was part stone-lined silo. The connection of The pottery of this stratum can of the construction. At the foun• this working area with the room be dated to the Iron Age I. dation of the Early Bronze Age structure is still undetermined. The layers of the Late Bronze glacis the shaft deviates from the The pottery shows that stratum Age (stratum 4) could be exca• vertical at an angle of about 30°. 2 can be dated to the Iron Age II.

The architectural remains of stra• tum 3 were also disturbed by later construction work. Therefore, a coherent building structure cannot be observed. However, the re• mains of the walls of this stratum follow a consistent orientation from northwest by west to south• east by east or join them forming a right angle. Most of the walls were excavated in the squares AL- AO 117.

Two tabuns were discovered in AM 117 and AO 117, and a consi• derably large oven was uncovered in square AM 118.

The walls of stratum 3 are based on the remains of the preceeding Late Bronze Age city wall in many places. These walls were built with OCCIDENT & ORIENT - 2004 19

Just as the architecture of the There is a main group of 12 Late Bronze Age is very pres• sherds which can be dated to the tigious, so are the finds. Various Late Bronze Age, the Iron Ages bronze objects have been found and to the Islamic period. This in• like remains of a dagger, a needle cludes a group of three very simi• and a mirror (Fig. 5) as well as im• lar Iron Age sherds. All these pot• ported Mycenaean and Cypriote tery sherds stem probably from pottery. Several stone vessels, in• the surroundings of Tall Zera'a. cluding an alabaster stand, import• Five sherds from Tall Zera'a be• ed pottery and bronze fragments long to a subgroup which can also were discovered in an architec• be included in the main group. tural structure which can probably Three sherds from Tall Zera'a are be reconstructed as a room of a similar to Gadara-sample 1. One building with several installations. other sherd from Tall Zera'a re-

b sembles Gadara- I* * ! sample 2. Four BK" sherds are so dif• ferent in compo- , sition that they Fig. 5: Late Bronze Age finds. • -< belong neither to •*tt3f the main group research methods for archaeology nor to the Gada• by a combination of modern equip• ra samples. ment with digital technologies. Generally, it can The mapping of features in large- " be said, that the scale surveys has long since been |« ^ pottery sherds of carried out by GPS in an effective Ev. the Bronze and and time-saving way. This mapp• • Iron Age as well ing method was combined with the as from the Islamic period come Fig. 4: Late Bronze Age stone-lined recording of objects, as has been from the surroundings of Tall Ze• pit and canal in square AM 116. common in restoration (measuring ra'a. In Hellenistic and Roman-By• of facades) for some time: a ca• zantine times the pottery sherds Stratum 5 is represented by a 3 m mera platform, equipped with show clear similarity with samples high glacis running along the three-dimensional mobility via re• from Gadara. western hill. This glacis and the mote control, was fastened to a basis of the city wall can be dated These results have to be scruti• helium-filled balloon (Fig. 6). The to the Early Bronze Age. It is cut nized with stratified samples from balloon was tied up on the ground vertically by the shaft mentioned the excavation on Tall Zera'a. or directed to the areas to be sur• before (AM 115). At the moment veyed with the help of a rope. In About 25,000 sherds were exca• only the outer skin of this glacis is order to take photos, the camera vated during the excavation cam• visible. The results of the survey had to be positioned almost per• paigns in 2003 and 2004. All of suggest, that the levels between pendicularly above the areas to be them were determined in respect the Late Bronze Age and this Early mapped. This was done with the to ware. The pottery can be di• Bronze Age stratum are several help of radio telecontrol. The sec• vided in c. 100 ware groups, dated meters thick. tion in the viewfinder was relayed from the Early Bronze Age to the digitally to a ground station (TFT Islamic period. The diagnostic The pottery analysis monitor or head-display during sherds (rims, bases, decorated strong sun radiation). Photos About 24,000 sherds were found sherds) were also defined in re• taken from heights of up to 135 m during the survey on Tall Zera'a. spect to typology. supplied ground segments of Geochemical and mineralogical maximally 15,000 m2 per picture. analyses of 23 unstratified sherds On one hand, these photos served from the survey on Tall Zera'a and The aerial survey as photograms for specific site da• two sherds from Gadara provide Surveying and photogrammetric ta supplemented by GPS data. On the following results. mapping have made possible new the other hand, the overall view of 20 OCCIDENT & ORIENT - 2004

Experimental archaeology

Following the excavation in 2003, a project with a technological-his• torical background was carried out. Within three weeks, Mustafa Saleh, the son of the last Tabunye still living in Umm Qeis, built a bread-baking oven commissioned by the Biblical-Archaeological In• stitute (Fig. 7). In particular, we an• alyzed and documented the fol• lowing stages of construction: ori• gin, grinding, cleaning, mixing of the clay, origin and use of added materials (e.g., rush and goat hair), manual construction of the oven, special make-up of the oven's base and upper rim, prepa• ration of the pit in which the oven was set, heating it and, of course, the baking of bread. Acknowledgments Fig. 6: Helium filled balloon with camera for aerial photographs. First of all, the authors would like to express their gratitude to the Di• the excavation area and its sur• rectly interpreted. To improve our rector-General of the Department roundings could be impressively techniques, we will in future cam• of Antiquities, Dr. Fawwaz al- documented. The pictures were paigns analyze potential error Khraysheh (Amman), Wajeh rectified and assembled into a mo• sources inherent in deeply exca• Karasneh (Irbid) and Omad Obei- saic with the help of control points. vated squares and consider the dad (Umm Qeis). We thank also former's elimination while looking our sponsors for their financial at aspects of practicality and ac• support: Sparkasse Wuppertal, Photogrammetry curacy. Schuhhaus Klauser GmbH (Wup- Similarly, the excavation squares on Tall Zera'a were documented with the help of modern techno• logical equipment. On a daily basis, nearly perpendicular photos were taken from c. 4 m above the squares. First, the distortion of the lens was corrected. Then the di• gital photographs were rectified via control points (here the corner points of the squares). In this way, both the progress of the exca• vation could be documented and site sketches produced with great accuracy.

The evaluation of these photo• graphs should be undertaken jointly by the surveyor and the ar• chaeologist in charge to ensure that the represented data are cor• Fig. 7: Building up a traditional tabun. OCCIDENT & ORIENT - 2004 21 pertal), Stiftung Mittelsten Scheid Lina Unterborsch. 40 volunteers im WadT al-'Arab. Die Region sudlich (Wuppertal), Erfurt & Sohn KG under the directorship of Dr. Thilo von Gadara. Das Altertum 48,2003a, (Wuppertal) as well as the Freun- Fitzner of the Evangelische Aka- 191-216. deskreis des Biblisch-Archaolo- demie Bad Boll as well as a group Tell Zera'a, AJA 107, 2003b, 459- gischen Instituts Wuppertal. We of local workers supported our 461. are indebted to the Hugo Gress- work. Vriezen, K. The Region of Gadara/ mann-Foundation, Hannover, for Umm Qeis Project. Second part of the the advancement of young scien• 2001-season: a test trench on Tell tists. References Zera'a. Occident & Orient 7/1, 2002, 18-19. Our team consisted of archaeo• Vieweger, D. with contributions by logists, theologians, geophysicsts, Jens Eichner and Patrick Leiverkus. The Region of Gadara/Umm Qeis. chemist, surveyor and volunteers. Tall Zar'a in Wadi al-'Arab: The "Ga- The 2002 season: a test trench on Tell We thank Dr. Wolfgang Auge, dara Region Project". ADAJ 46, Zera'a. Occident & Orient 8/1, 2003, 2002a, 157-177. 13-14. Adelheid Baker, Dr. Wolfgang Bruns, Sina Dorfling, Jens with contributions by Jens Eichner Eichner, Andrea Gropp, Dagmar and Patrick Leiverkus. Tall Zera'a in und Hans Jagsch, Markus Hey- the Wadi al-'Arab. Occident & Orient neck, Jens Kleb, Jurgen Kropsch, 7/2, 2002b", 12-14. Patrick Leiverkus, Christiane unter Mitarbeit von Jens Eichner Schubert, Andrea Schwermer und und Patrick Leiverkus. DerTell Zera'a Donors to the Institute

We would like to express our gratitude to the following institutions and persons who made donations to institute.

Donations to our library:

Nedawah e.V.

Dr. Gotthard G. G Reinhold

American School of Oriental Research Amman

Deutsche Wasserhistorische Gesellschaft e.V.

Welt und Umwelt der Bibel

DAI-Damaskus

DAI-Berlin (Orient Department)

Donation for the renovation of the expedition house in Umm Qais by the Deutscher Palastina-Verein.

Donation of a personal computer and a notebook by Jens Kleb. 22 OCCIDENT & ORIENT - 2004

Information

The EKD and the directors of the institutes in Amman and Jerusalem decided to publish jointly the „Jahr- buch des Deutschen Evangelischen Instituts fur Altertumswissenschaft des Heiligen Landes" from 2006 on. Therefore, Number 9 is the last volume of the newsletter Occident & Orient. We would like to express our gratitude to Susanne Helbig, EKD Hannover, for her great effort in preparing tie layout of the newsletter in the last years. We thank also the authors for their interesting articles and the readers for their interest in our work in Jordan. We hope that all of them will be devoted to our publication also in future. Please, fill in the fol• lowing form, if you would like to receive the first volume of our new „Jahrbuch".