What's new? - 2009

16 December 2008 - 7 January 2009

Member of ADACH and Yale University (Peabody Museum of Natural History) team investigating Late Miocene fossil sites in Abu Dhabi's Western Region.

4 January 2009

Added the following press stories:

New fossil discoveries in Abu Dhabi's Western Region (Source: WAM - Emirates News Agency)

Historic Environment Department at ADACH to hold lecture (Source: AMEInfo)

Abu Dhabi fossil sites surveyed (Source: Gulf News)

New fossil discoveries in Abu Dhabi (Source: XPress)

5 January 2009

Added the following press stories:


(Source: Asharq Al Awsat)


(Source: Al Bayan)

New fossil discoveries in Abu Dhabi's Western Region (Source: Breitbart)


(Source: Emarat Al Youm)


New fossil discoveries in Abu Dhabi's Western Region (in Arabic) (Source: Al Ittihad)

(Source: Al Khaleej)

Abu Dhabi fossil sites surveyed (Source: Gulf News)
[ download a jpeg version ]

New fossil discoveries in Abu Dhabi's Western Region (Source: The Gulf Today)

Abu Dhabi fossil sites being surveyed (Source: GIS Development.net)

New fossil discoveries in Abu Dhabi's Western Region (Source: Inter Press Service News Agency, IPS)

Abu Dhabi fossil sites surveyed (Source: Newstin)

Scientists hurry to save region's past (Source: The National)
[ download a jpeg version ]

New fossil discoveries in Abu Dhabi's Western Region (Source: UAE Interact)

New fossil discoveries in Abu Dhabi's Western Region (Source: Zawya)

8 January 2009

Added the following press story:


(Source: Dar Al Hayat)

Further fossil finds (Source: Abu Dhabi Week)

9 January 2009

(Source: ? )

10 January 2009


(Source: Al Qabas - Kuwait)

11 January 2009

Abu Dhabi fossil sites betray a past rich in plants, wildlife (Source: Khaleej Times)

13 January 2009

Added the following press stories which appeared in UAE local arabic press:


(Source: Al Bayan)


(Source: Al Ittihad)

14 January 2009

Added the following press story:

Digging into Abu Dhabi's green past (Source: Gulf News)
[ download a jpeg version of the printed article ]

24 January 2009

When the desert was green and fertile (Source: The National)
[download original p2 and p8 jpeg versions]

1 February 2009

6-8 million years old fossil unearthed (Source: Khaleej Times)

15 February 2009

Omani rocks rewrite history (Source: The National)

22 February 2009

Celebrating the UAE's Archaeological Heritage (Source: WAM - Emirates News Agency)

UAE celebrates 50 years of archaeological work (Source: Gulf News)

28 February 2009

Conference to reveal secrets of country’s ancient past (Source: The National)

1-4 February 2009

Participated in the 2nd International Conference on Archaeology in the United Arab Emirates, held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Abu Dhabi. I co-presented two papers which were as follows:

Neolithic life on Marawah Island - new perspectives and future prospects
by: Dr Mark Beech (ADACH, U.A.E.), Vincent Charpentier (CNRS/Inrap, France) & Dr Kath McSweeney (University of Edinburgh, Scotland, U.K.)

Radiocarbon dating demonstrates that Marawah Island in Al Gharbia, the Western Region of Abu Dhabi, has the earliest evidence of occupied settlements with built structures in the UAE. Two sites located towards the western end of the island, known as sites MR1 and MR11, have both provided important information concerning life during the Neolithic period in the southern Gulf. This paper presents the results of ongoing research on material recovered from excavations carried out by the Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey (ADIAS) between 1992 and 2006. This will in particular highlight the analysis of the important lithics assemblage from site MR1 as well as some comments on the investigation of the human skeletal remains from site MR11. Both these shed a new light on the complexities of daily life and subsistence on the island during the late 6th to early 5th millennium BC. Plans for future work will also be outlined and presented.

Wild Camels, Lakes and the end of the Holocene Climatic Optimum
by: Dr Mark Beech (ADACH, U.A.E.), Dr Marjan Mashkour (CNRS/NHM, Paris, France), Dr Adrian Parker &
Ash Parton (Department of Anthropology and Geography, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, U.K.)

A remarkable new site consisting of a concentration of as many as 40+ camel skeletons has been discovered in Al Gharbia in Abu Dhabi's Western Region in the United Arab Emirates. Eight camel bone samples (from six individuals) from the site have been AMS radiocarbon dated by the Leibniz-Laboratory for Radiometric Dating and Stable Isotope Research, Kiel University, Germany, revealing that they date from the second half of the 5th millennium BC. The site is located in an interdunal area located to the south-east of the Baynunah Plantation, not far from the Ruwais-Habshan pipeline. The spread of camel bones extends over an area of about 100 square metres. Preliminary analysis of the bones suggests that they are from wild camels. Other archaeological finds associated with the camel bones include a finely made flint arrowhead.
Palaeoenvironmental investigations at the site provide a valuable opportunity to examine the Mid Holocene environments of Al Gharbia, Abu Dhabi's Western Region, towards the end of the 5th millennium BC. This period coincides with the diminishing of the so-called Holocene Climatic Optimum. Some preliminary results of the ongoing analysis of the sedimentary context of the camel bone site will be discussed here.
This important newly discovered site will provide a valuable opportunity to examine a large sample of wild camel bones during the later prehistory of south-eastern Arabia. Future detailed investigations at the site will throw fresh light on the early interactions between the communities inhabiting late prehistoric Arabia and the camel.



1 March 2009

EAD Finds Ancient Cylinder Seal Near Medinat Zayed (Source: Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi)

2 March 2009

Mansour opens archaeology conference (Source: WAM - Emirates News Agency)

Council to protect nation's historic artefacts to be set up (Source: Gulf News)

3 March 2009

The UAE’s ancient heritage grows richer every year (Source: The National)

6 March 2009

Relics prove snakes had ancient charms (Source: The National)

13 March 2009

A mystery lurks in dugong bones (Source: The National)

26 March 2009

Marine sanctuary to be expanded (Source: The National)

28 March 2009



Attended Coldplay concert at the Emirates Palace Hotel. See e.g. Youtube videos:
video 1 - Life in Technicolor - opening song
video 2 - if you're happy to be in Abu Dhabi...
video 3 - When I ruled the world
video 4 - When I ruled the world
video 5 - When I ruled the world
video 6 - Clocks
video 7 - In my Place
video 8 - Singing in the Rain
video 9 - Yellow
video 10 - Lovers in Japan
video 11 - Lost
video 12 - Violet Hill
video 13 - I'm a Believer
video 14 - Green eyes, Accidentally in love medley
video 15 - Viva la Vida
video 16 - Sara Yassine singing with Chris Martin
video 17 - Death and all his friends

29 March 2009

Ancient secrets unearthed (Source: The National)

29-30 April 2009

I participated in the Zayed Center for Heritage and History's Sixth Annual Symposium on Archaeology. The conference is entitled "A New Generation of Archaeologists - Building National Capacity through Teaching, Media and Technology". It was organised by Dr Hassan Naboodah (Director of the Zayed Center for Heritage and History), in conjunction with Dr Jane Bristol-Rhys (Zayed University). The 6th Symposium was held at the Golden Tulip Hotel, behind Wall Street Exchange, on Hamdan Street in Abu Dhabi.

The fundamental objectives of the Symposium are to:
(a). discuss initiatives, methods and media that will encourage interest in the archaeology of the UAE.
(b). initiate the development of appropriate and engaging curriculum materials for UAE schools and universities.
(c). promote collaboration among archaeologists, heritage specialists, media specialists and educators.
(d). develop a long term plan that will encourage, mentor and promote Emirati archaeologists.

Keynote speakers were:
Professor Laurajane Smith, University of York, Department of Archaeology.
Professor James Devine, University of Glasgow, the Hunterian Museum.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper I presented:

Mapping the Past and Planning for the Future - the use of G.I.S. as a cultural heritage management tool in Abu Dhabi

Mapping the cultural heritage of Abu Dhabi is a prerequisite to ensuring its protection. It is however not the only solution. Without sufficiently strong legislation, and implementation of that legislation to protect cultural heritage sites, as well as regular patrolling by trained staff, the resource cannot be fully protected.
This paper outlines some of the ways in which new technology can assist the management of cultural heritage. The adoption of Geographic Information Systems (G.I.S.) by a number of key Abu Dhabi government departments means that there is now a valuable opportunity to share, collaborate and work together on the protection of important cultural landscapes in the Emirate. The Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi now maintains a Geoportal (www.geoportal.ae), which provides a virtual door to an entire catalogue of geospatial information about Abu Dhabi emirate.
The development of Google Earth software (earth.google.com), the now common use of Geographic Positioning System (GPS) technology, including GPS services built within mobile phones, has liberated the process of map making to the general public.

8-14 June 2009

Faisal Bibi and Mark Beech presented details of the Late Miocene fauna of Abu Dhabi on behalf of the joint Yale University - ADACH Late Miocene Fossil Project at the Neogene Terrestrial Mammalian Biostratigraphy and Chronology in Asia Workshop and Symposium - toward the Establishment of a Continent-Wide Stratigraphic and Chronologic Framework, due to be held in Beijing, China.

Faysal Bibi, Andrew Hill, Mark Beech, and Walid Yasin: "A Late Miocene Fauna from the United Arab Emirates"

I attended the Symposium on behalf of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH). This was held at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Bejing, and at the Paleozoology Museum of Hezheng County, near Lanzhou in Gansu Province, China.

22 June 2009

Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, presented me with the Sheikh Mubarak bin Mohammed Prize for Natural History at his Majlis in Abu Dhabi. Read the above story dated 24 June 2009 featured in The National for more details.

24 June 2009

Pioneer who dug up UAE’s past honoured (Source: The National)





27 June 2009

Added link to my Facebook page and Skype details.

visit my Facebook page

or Skype me... Skypename: markbeech

5 July 2009

Yale-ADACH Experts Present Abu Dhabi Fossil Discoveries at China Conference (Source: WAM Emirates Press Agency)

[ see also the WAM press release photograph of a Hipparion skeleton at Hezheng Paleozoological Museum, Gansu Province, China ]

The Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) has showcased at an international conference in China the latest discoveries from Al Gharbia (Source: FANA - Federation of Arab News Agencies)

8-million-year-old elephant found in Abu Dhabi (Source: EarthTimes)

8-million-year-old elephant found in Abu Dhabi (Source: Khaleej Times)

Eight-million-year-old elephant fossil remains found in UAE (Source: Mangalorean Times)

8-million-year-old elephant found in Abu Dhabi (Source: Monsters and Critics)

Eight-million-year-old elephant fossil remains found in UAE (Source: Sindh Today)

Eight-million-year-old elephant fossil remains found in UAE (Source: SmasHits.com)

Eight-million-year-old elephant fossil remains found in UAE (Source: Thaindian News)

6 July 2009

Yale-ADACH experts present Abu Dhabi fossil discoveries at China conference (Source: UAEInteract.com)

Yale-ADACH experts present Abu Dhabi Fossil discoveries (Source: Middle East Online)

Yale-ADACH experts present Abu Dhabi fossil discoveries at China conference (Source: OANA, Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies)

Yale-ADACH Experts Present Abu Dhabi Fossil Discoveries at China Conference (Source: ArabEastern.com)

Eight-million-year-old elephant fossil remains found in UAE (Source: BigNews.com)

8 mln-year-old elephant discovered in UAE (Source: Maktoob)

Elephant fossil found in Abu Dhabi (Source: The Peninsula, Qatar)

14 July 2009

Added details of new publications:

Ghanim Wahida, Walid Yasin, Mark Beech and Ali Al-Meqbali. (2009, in press). Early Middle Palaeolithic assemblage in Abu Dhabi emirate. In: M.D. Petraglia and J.I. Rose (eds.), The Evolution of Human Populations in Arabia: Paleoenvironments, Prehistory and Genetics (Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology). Springer Academic Publishers. Hardcover: 300 pages. Publisher: Springer; 1 edition (August 1, 2009). Language: English. ISBN-10: 9048127181 - ISBN-13: 978-9048127184.

Mark Beech, Marjan Mashkour, Matthias Huels and Antoine Zazzo. 2009. Prehistoric camels in south-eastern Arabia: the discovery of a new site in Abu Dhabi's Western Region, United Arab Emirates. Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 39: 39-52.

Mark Beech. 2009. Archaeology of the Late Pre-Islamic to Early Islamic Period with a particular focus on recent discoveries on Sir Bani Yas Island, Abu Dhabi Emirate. Pages 99-112 (english version); Pages 105-118 (arabic version). In: New Perspectives on Recording UAE. Proceedings of the International History Conference, New Perspectives on Recording UAE History, National Center for Documentation and Research 40th Anniversary Conference (23-25 November 2008). National Center for Documentation and Research, Abu Dhabi, UAE. ISBN 978-9948-05-071-1.

Ghanim Wahida, Walid Yasin al-Tikriti, Mark Beech and Ali al-Meqbali. 2009. Middle Palaeolithic Assemblage in Abu Dhabi Emirate: The view from Jebel Barakah. Pages 23-36 (english version); Pages 23-37 (arabic version). In: New Perspectives on Recording UAE. Proceedings of the International History Conference, New Perspectives on Recording UAE History, National Center for Documentation and Research 40th Anniversary Conference (23-25 November 2008). National Center for Documentation and Research, Abu Dhabi, UAE. ISBN 978-9948-05-071-1.

16 July 2009

New findings on snake cult challenge Iron Age theories (Source: The National)

21 July 2009

Move to Protect Historic Landmarks on Delma Island (Source: Khaleej Times)

Move to protect historic landmarks on Delma Island (Source: UAEInteract.com)

23-25 July 2009

I attended the Seminar for Arabian Studies at the British Museum in London.

26 July 2009

Zayed Museum gears up for major development (Source: UAEInteract.com)

28 July 2009

Archaeological digs uncover Qatar's past (Source: The Peninsula)

Qatar highlighted at British Museum (Source: Gulf Times, Qatar)

13 September 2009

Survivors of our Spiritual Past (Source: The National)

7 October 2009

Sad news today... Professor Serge Cleuziou died in Paris.

8 October 2009

In Memoriam, Serge Cleuziou (Source: Awilum.com)

9 October 2009

Celebrating the Dugong - download this article which appeared today in Science vol 326, page 211 (9 October 2009).

11 October 2009

Cleuziou - Prehistory of Arabia Expert Dies (Source: Global Arab Network)

12 October 2009

The pioneer of pre-history (Source: The National)

The pioneer of pre-history (Source: topix - archaeology)

The pioneer of pre-history (Source: The Archaeological Box)

5 November 2009

Journey through time (Source: Gulf News Friday)

6 November 2009

Excavation uncovers ritual site (Source: Gulf News)

15 November 2009

I gave a lecture entitled "Marine Archaeology of the UAE" at the ADMA-OPCO Auditorium in Abu Dhabi. This was under the patronage of Sheikh Hazza Bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Environment Agency and the Emirates Diving Association, and formed part of the 14th Annual Clean-up Arabia Campaign.

Clean-Up Arabia Raises Public Awareness about the Negative Impacts of Marine Debris on Health and Wildlife (Source: Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi)

17 November 2009

I gave a presentation at the Urban Planning Council (UPC) Eastern Region Charette held at the Hilton Hotel in Al Ain. This was entitled "Cultural Heritage of the Eastern Region".

18-19 November 2009

I participated on behalf of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) in International GIS Day at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). On the 19th November I gave a joint presentation with Sultan Al-Mansoori (ADACH IT co-ordinator) on "GIS as a Cultural Heritage Management Tool within the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage".

Abstract: GIS is used as a cultural heritage management tool within the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH). A geodatabase is maintained of all cultural heritage sites within Abu Dhabi emirate. This includes fossil sites, archaeological sites and historic buildings. The presentation will outline some recent maps produced by ADACH from this database. This will be a bilingual presentation in both Arabic and English. Sultan Al-Mansoori will make a general introduction, Dr Mark Beech will then present some of the maps produced by ADACH and will show some applications of the GIS as used for Preliminary Cultural Review (PCR) surveys, the official cultural heritage clearance service provided by ADACH. A concluding statement by Sultan Al-Mansoori will outline ADACH's future plans for the development of GIS.

20 November 2009

ADSIC's Spatial Data Infrastructure Partners formalize their commitments at Abu Dhabi GIS Day 2009 (Source: AMEinfo.com)

22-23 November 2009

I attended the "Teaching the Ancient World Conference" organised by the New York University Institute in Abu Dhabi, at the Al Mamoura Auditorium in Abu Dhabi.

25 November 2009

More Than 250 Volunteers Paddle and Dive for Trash (Source: Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi)

28 November - 5 December 2009

On holiday in Thailand.

8 December 2009

Went to "The Killers" concert at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi. Visit the following links to see some Youtube videos of the concert:
Bones - Bones
Smile like you mean it - Smile like you mean it
bad sound and screaming!
...make you mad
I've got soul but I'm not a soldier... All these things that I have done
Are we human?
Read my mind
Dustland (Elvis)
Shadowplay
Spaceman
The World We Live In
This is your life

9 December 2009

Went to lecture by Dr. Bruce Bueno de Mesquita entitled "The Predictioneer's Game" at the New York University Abu Dhabi Institute. Dr. Bruce Bueno de Mesquita discussed how applied game theory can be used to anticipate policy choices whether in business or in government.
See a very similar lecture on Youtube (20 min video) where Bruce Bueno de Mesquita predicts Iran's future.
or an interview from 28 September 2009 on the Jon Stewart Show.
See also an article by Julie Rehmeyer in Science News entitled Mathematical Fortune-Telling.
Visit also The Predictioneer's Game website.

29 December 2009 - 16 January 2010

Member of ADACH and Yale University (Peabody Museum of Natural History) team investigating Late Miocene fossil sites in Abu Dhabi's Western Region.