(Third Report 1986) 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 CONTRIBUTORS: R.Boucharlat - S. Calley R.Dalongeville - P.Gouin - A.Prieur - P.Sanlaville - A.Boucher - Y.Calvet - P.Garczynski - A.Hesse - C.Robin - M.A.Santoni - Michel Mouton Directorate of Archaeology Dept of Culture & Information Sharjah - U.A.E French Archaeological Mission Ministère des Relations Extérieurs GIS- Maison de l’Orient- CNRS- France - 1997 Designed & Printed by: Fairmont P.P.S Copyright Reserved© for Sharjah Archaeology Authority Third Edition - 2019 P.O. Box: 30300 - SHARJAH Tel.: +971 - 6 - 5668000 Fax:+971 - 6 - 5660334 Website: wwwsharjaharchaeologycom E-mail: info@saagovae Index THIS REPORT ..................................................................................................................................................... 7 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................... 9 THE SHARJAH COAST SURVEY ........................................................................................................ 14 PRELIMINARY REMARKS ABOUT MOLLUSC FAUNA COLLECTED ON THE NORTH COAST OF THE SHARJAH EMIRATE IN 1985 .................................. 17 SOUNDING AT THE PREHISTORIC SITE AL-QASSIMIYA ............................................. 21 THE DHAID-FILLI PLAIN-GEOMORPHOLOGY AND PREHISTORY .................... 24 A PREHISTORIC SITE IN MLEIHA AREA (P.28): A SHORT NOTE ...................... 34 GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS IN MELIHA AREA .......................................................................... 36 ANNEXE: Inventory of the Archaeological Remains .............................................. 44 Excavation At Mleiha Site: A Preliminary Report .................................................... 49 INSCRIPTION FROM THE MLEIHA REGION .......................................................................... 66 TABLE OF SAMPLING POINTS AND SURVEYED STRUCTURES IN 1986 ............ 67 THIS REPORT The joint Sharjah - French expedition resulted in gaining some very important valuable information about the past. From objects found till 1986 from the three sites excavated so far, it was possible to draw a panorama of these areas dating back from neolithic period, through different civilizations like 1st millennium and Hellenistic period. It is proved that keen interest and tireless effort will pay off. This 3rd report, on the excellent excavation works carried out in 1986, by a 14-member team of highly experienced French archaeologists and specialists, in various sites of Sharjah Emirate, brings up fresh evidence on historic periods back to the Modern Stone Age (location of Al-Qassimiya in Sharjah and Al-Fayah mountain in Central Region of the Emirate). We can now talk about the people of those times, their life style, their culture and customs, their neighbouring regions etc. etc. The discovery of Mleiha settlement (Hellenistic period) provides us with a great deal of information about the inhabitants of that period, their way of life, their crafts, their trade relations with the nearby region like “Al-Faw” of Saudi Arabia and the far away countries like Greece. Taking into consideration the successful collaboration with the French team, the Sharjah Government made negotiations with the representatives of French archaeological expedition group and the French Embassy to have an agreement to plan and re-organize archaeological excavation in the Emirate for future. Department of Cultural and Information INTRODUCTION (by R.Boucharlat) The third excavation and survey season of the Joint Expedition (Department of Archaeology, Sharjah and French Archaeological Mission in Sharjah) took place from the 13th January until the 20th April 1986. The survey of the West coast of Sharjah was continued, but efforts were mainly concentrated on the geomorphological and prehistoric survey of the inland plain between Dhaid and Filli, and also on surveying and excavating the Hellenistic site in Mleiha in the middle of this same plain. As well as this research the team had the additional, continual preoccupation of actively participating in the reconnaissance and also the preservation of the country’s Heritage over all the territory of the Sharjah Emirate and Beyond (the urgent sounding carried out at Al-Qassimiya in Sharjah city is the best example of this). The result obtained from all three operations are important, but without the effort furnished by all the members of the French Expedition, by the Department of Archaeology in Sharjah and the help and collaboration of several people and different institutions, this work would not have been possible. This programme does in fact benefit from the support and concern of the Ruler of Sharjah, H.H. Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qassimi, Chairman of the Department of Culture. In France it is under the patronage of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and financed by the Sub-Direction of Social Sciences of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and by the Maison de l’Orient (C.N.R.S. Lyon University2). In the field the work was carried out by the French team, under the responsibility of R.Boucharlat, and by the Dept. of Archaeology of Sharjah led by Nassir H. al-Aboodi. We would like to thank all those who contributed to the success of the research campaign in Sharjah and the development of this research in France. We would like to express our gratitude to H.H. Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qassimi who always shows such a great interest in the research and ensures that it is carried out as smoothly as possible. Also to Shaikh Ahmed, Chairman of the Department of Culture, who did his utmost to ensure the success of the operation, constantly inquiring about the results and even visiting the region in question with us. The personnel from the Third Report 9 Department of Culture upon whom we frequently imposed, and who always very kindly complied with our requests. The collaboration begun in 1984 with the Dept. of Archaeology was continued under the most favourable conditions, thanks to its director Mr. Nasir al Aboodi. We would particularly like to thank our colleague Mr. Mustafa Tawfiq Hazeem. Not only was he more than the foreman for the dig in Mleiha, but he had also efficiently prepared the Expedition before the French team’s arrival; and then continued to look after all the day to day problems which arose and dealt with them accordingly. His experience of archaeological digs and also his competence. In many other domains was very valuable to us. The French Embassy in Abu Dhabi put a lot of effort into ensuring the success of the joint programme. We must particularly thank M.Andre Fromilhague, Cultural Attache to the French Embassy and Mr. J.J.Herve, French Consul in Dubai who took part in the setting up the Expedition and who gave as much help as they possibly could. In Sharjah, the Municipality of Sharjah gave us much assistance. Dr.Ibrahim Director of the Survey Dept. provided us with all the information we needed and put the topographical equipment necessary for the ground plotting at our disposal all throughout the stay, and also provided us with maps of the region and even allowed a member of his department to work with us for a while. This help was invaluable. Al Qassimi Hospital also gave us their assistance by the means of the X-Ray Department; Mr. G.Mc Carville from this department agreed to X-Ray all the bronze objects found during the dig and the survey. This analysis shows up details and decoration which oxidation prevents the naked eye from detecting, especially for example a small inscription on a vase. Several other people showed great interest in the research in particular, Mrs. Shirley Kay (British Embassy in Dubai) who is actively involved in communicating to the public, information concerning the National Heritage and history of the country, kept us regularly informed of other discoveries made elsewhere in the country and of the dangers which menace certain sites. By the same token, Mr. Peter Hudson (B.ENG C. ENG MICE ACI ARB.), and excellent connoisseur of the country’s archaeological sites, very kindly allowed us to make use of his observations, in particular of the sites which have now disappeared but which are going to be mapped. Finally, it was a great pleasure to welcome other colleague archaeologists working in the country and also to visit their digs. We would particularly like to mention Mrs. Beatrice De Cardi from London and Mr. Carl Philipps from Edinburgh (Ras al-Khaimah) as well as Dr. Walid Yasin al-Tikriti (al-Ain) at that time operating in Ajman, Professor 10 Third Report Dr. Klaus Schippmann and Dr. Bukhard Vogt and their team in Shamal (Ras al-Khaimah). The French specialists team under the responsibility of Dr. Remy Boucharlat (C.N.R.S) consisted of eleven members all working in close collaboration. Dr. Albert Hesse (C.N.R.S. Geophysical Research Center) and Mr. Andrew Boucher (Bradford University) conducted the archaeological survey of the coast and the geophysical surveys of the Mleiha area. The survey of the inland plain was carried out by Dr. Remi Dalongeville and Dr. Paul Sanlaville, geomorphologists (C.N.R.S. Maison de l’Orient) and Dr. Sylvie Calley and Miss Marie-Anne Santoni, prehistorians (Lyon University2). The Mleiha excavations were conducted ,