Dr Geoffrey R.D. King (left), Academic Director of the Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey (ADIAS) team, together with the late Peter Hellyer, Executive Director of ADIAS (right) – at the archaeological excavations on Sir Bani Yas Island.
OBITUARY – Dr Geoffrey Robert Derek King
Born: Wandsworth, London, UK – 10 December 1947
Died: London, UK – 1 March 2025 (aged 77)
Dr. Geoffrey R.D. King, Reader Emeritus in Islamic Art and Archaeology at the Department of History of Art and Archaeology at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, passed away on 1 March 2025 at the age of 77. He was a distinguished scholar whose pioneering research on the architecture, archaeology, and art of Arabia, Greater Syria, Iran, and the Indian Ocean region left an enduring legacy.
Dr. King’s academic journey began at the Slade School of Fine Art, University of London, where he initially pursued painting, particularly watercolours. His passion for Islamic art and archaeology led him to complete an M.Phil. in 1972, focusing on a mosque in Toledo, and a Ph.D. in 1976, on the mosaics of the Great Mosque of Damascus.
His teaching career was both international and impactful. From 1977 to 1980, he was a lecturer at the American University in Cairo, before moving to King Saud University in Riyadh, where he taught from 1980 to 1987. Following a research fellowship at the Classics Department of King’s College London (1987–1989), Dr. King joined SOAS in 1989, where he remained a key academic figure until his retirement.
Dr. King’s fieldwork was extensive and influential. He directed a survey of Byzantine and Islamic sites in Jordan (1980–1983), worked on excavations at the Islamic pilgrimage road site of Rabadha in Saudi Arabia (1980–1987), and led the British excavation team at Julfar in Ras al-Khaimah, UAE (1989–1993). As Academic Director of the Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey (ADIAS) from 1992 to 2003, he oversaw the discovery and study of major archaeological sites, including the 7th-8th century Church and Monastery on Sir Bani Yas Island, and significant Neolithic coastal settlements on Delma, Marawah, and Ghagha Islands.
In 2006–2007, Dr. King co-directed the Cultural Heritage Management of Qatar Project in consultation with the Emir of Qatar, resulting in two volumes of recommendations for protecting and managing the nation’s archaeological heritage. He also worked closely with Iranian colleagues on Islamic devotional architecture and explored the interconnected histories of Arabia, Iran, Africa, and China via the Indian Ocean trade routes.
Beyond academia, Dr. King brought his expertise to the public through various media. He contributed to BBC World Service radio programs on the archaeology of Yemen, Abu Dhabi, and Syria, as well as discussions on Islamic pilgrimage and the Ottoman railway system. His insights were also featured on UK’s Channel 4 and on Iranian and Syrian television.
Dr. King’s scholarly output was prolific. His book The Traditional Architecture of Saudi Arabia (1998) remains a seminal work, offering a profound analysis of the region’s architectural heritage. Other notable publications include Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey, Season 1 (1997), Old Mosques of the Coasts of Abu Dhabi (2009), and Vernacular Islamic Architecture of Saudi Arabia: Secular Buildings (2018). Surprisingly, the last three years saw the publication of The Byzantine and Early Islamic Near East Vol. 2 and The Historical Mosques of Saudi Arabia, both of which further expanded his work on Islamic architectural history.
Dr. King’s legacy is not only in his research but also in the countless students and scholars he mentored, many of whom continue to build upon his work. He had an unmistakable passion for his field and an unyielding curiosity that shaped decades of scholarship.
In his later years, Dr. King faced personal and professional challenges, but his love for art, history, and archaeology remained unwavering. While those close to him knew of the complexities he navigated, his contributions to the academic world and his indelible impact on those who knew him remain his enduring legacy.
Dr. King is survived by his family, his son George, and by Gillian and Jacqueline, whom he embraced as daughters when their mother, his former wife’s sister, passed away while they were young. He remained a guiding presence in their lives, a role that extended to the next generation as he was lovingly known as ‘Sekuru’ to Jacqueline’s daughter, Ava. He is also survived by his ex-wives Joan and Christina, as well as many friends, colleagues, and students who will remember him not only for his scholarly achievements but also for his generosity, wit, and deep-seated passion for the arts.
In honouring Dr. Geoffrey R.D. King’s memory, we celebrate a life dedicated to uncovering and preserving cultural heritage, a legacy that will continue to inspire future generations.
A personal note:
I myself first joined the ADIAS team in February 1994 and was fortunate to work with Geoffrey for more than ten years, and to be friends with him for the past 30 years. I learned a lot from him about the Islamic world and its architectural and archaeological treasures, as well as about the Middle East. Life was a rollercoaster in Geoffrey’s company. Never a dull moment and lots of fun conversations with him and intellectual debates over the years, as well as numerous adventures together in Abu Dhabi and London. I will miss him.
Here are a few more photographs of him from the archives:
Dr Geoffrey King shows King Charles III (formerly at that time the Prince of Wales) around the archaeological excavations on Sir Bani Yas Island in 1993. His Excellency Ahmed Saeed Al Badi, former UAE Minister of Health, stands to the right of them.
Dr Geoffrey King (centre) shows some visitors around the archaeological excavations at the Church and Monastery on Sir Bani Yas Island in 1994.
Dr Geoffrey King on board the royal dhow in 1994 on Sir Bani Yas Island – belonging to the late President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
BIBLIOGRAPHY – Dr Geoffrey R.D. King
Authored Books:
King, G.R.D. (1976). The Origins and Sources of the Umayyad Mosaics in the Great Mosque of Damascus (Doctoral dissertation, School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London)).
King, Geoffrey R.D. (1986) The historical mosques of Saudi Arabia. London; New York: Longman.
King, Geoffrey and Tonghini, C. (1996) Reconnaissance Survey of Islamic Sites near Aden and in the Abyan District of Yemen. London: SOAS University of London.
King, Geoffrey (1997) Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey, Season 1: An Archaeological Survey of Sir Bani Yas, Dalma and Marawah. London: Trident Press.
King, Geoffrey (1998) The Traditional Architecture of Saudi Arabia. London: I.B. Tauris.
King, Geoffrey (2009) Old Mosques of the Coasts of Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi: National Archives.
King, Geoffrey (2018) Vernacular Architecture of Saudi Arabia: Secular Buildings. Riyadh: Tarah International.
Edited Book or Journal Volume:
Cameron, A., Conrad, L.I. and King, G.R.D. (eds.), (1992). The Byzantine and Early Islamic Near East: States, resources, and armies (Vol. 3). Darwin Press, Incorporated.
King, Geoffrey, ed. (2003) Sulphur, Camels and Gunpowder, The Sulphur Mines at Jebel Dhanna, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. An Archaeological Site of the Late Islamic Period. Abu Dhabi: ADIAS.
King, Geoffrey and Cameron, Averil (eds.) (2021) The Byzantine and Early Islamic Near East – Volume 2: Land Use and Settlement Patterns. Gerlach Press.
Book Chapters:
King, Geoffrey (1977) ‘Libya and Arabia: a comparison of some vernacular architectural forms’ In: Islamic Art and Architecture in Libya. London: AARP.
King, Geoffrey and Lewcock, Ronald (1978) ‘Key monuments of Islamic architecture: Arabia’. In: Gruber, Ernst J. and Michell, George (eds.), Architecture of the Islamic World: its history and social meaning, with a complete survey of key monuments. London: Thames and Hudson.
King, G.R.D. (1989). ‘The Umayyad Qusur and related settlements in Jordan’. In: al-Bakhit, MA-Schick, R. Amman (eds.), The Fourth International Conference on the History of Bilad al-Sham during Umayyad Period. University of Jordan, English section (Vol. 2, pp. 71-80).
King, G.R.D. (1994) ‘Settlement in Western and Central Arabia and the Gulf in the Sixth-Eighth Centuries A.D’. In: The Byzantine and early Islamic Near East; 2: Land use and settlement patterns: (papers of the Second Workshop on Late Antiquity and Early Islam). pp. 181-212
King, Geoffrey (1997) ‘The History of the UAE: The Eve of Islam of the Islamic Period.’ In: Ghareeb, Edmund and Al Abed, Ibrahim, (eds.), Perspectives on the United Arab Emirates. London: Trident Press, pp. 74-94.
King, G.R.D. and C. Tonghini. (1999). ‘The Western Islands of Abu Dhabi Emirate – Notes on Ghagha’. In: C.S. Phillips, D.T. Potts and S. Searight (eds.), Arabia and its Neighbours – Essays on Prehistorical and Historical Developments presented in honour of Beatrice de Cardi. Abiel II. Brepols. pp.117-142.
King, G.R.D. (1999). ‘The Mosque of Bab al-Mardum and the Islamic building tradition’. Entre el Califato y la Taifa. Mil años del Cristo de la Luz.
King, G.R.D. (2001). ‘The coming of Islam and the Islamic period in the UAE’. In: I. Al-Abed and P. Hellyer (eds.), The United Arab Emirates: A new perspective. Trident Press, UK. pp.70-97.
King, Geoffrey (2002) ‘The sculptures of the pre-Islamic Haram at Makka.’ In: Ball, Warwick and Harrow, Leonard, (eds.), Cairo to Kabul. Afghan Studies presented to Ralph Pinder-Wilson. London: Milisende, pp. 144-150.
King, Geoffrey and Hellyer, Peter (2003) ‘Islamic Archaeology in the Deep Sands of Abu Dhabi Emirate, U.A.E.’ In: Potts, Daniel, Naboodah, H and Hellyer, Peter, (eds.), Archaeology of the United Arab Emirates. Proceedings of the First International Conference on the Archaeology of the U.A.E. London: Trident Press in cooperation with the Zayed Centre for Heritage and History, pp. 263-276.
King, Geoffrey (2006) ‘The Islamic Architecture of Dalma Island.’ In: Damluji, S. S., (ed.), The Architecture of the United Arab Emirates. Reading: Garnet Publishing, pp. 151-76.
King, G.R.D. (2007). The earliest Islamic illustrated manuscript, the Maqāmāt and a graveyard at Suḥār at Suḥār, Oman. In: Anna Contadini (ed.), Arab Painting: Text and Image in Illustrated Arabic Manuscripts. Brill. pp. 93-102.
King, G.R.D. (2009) Reprinted in: E.R. Hoffman, Late Antique and Medieval Art of the Mediterranean World. John Wiley & Sons. ‘Islam, Iconoclasm, and the Declaration of Doctrine’. From: Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 48(2) (1985): 267-277. pp. 213-225.
King, Geoffrey R.D. (2021) ‘Settlement in Western and Central Arabia and the Gulf in the Sixth-Eighth Centuries A.D.’ I In: King, Geoffrey and Cameron, Averil (eds.) (2021) The Byzantine and Early Islamic Near East – Volume 2: Land Use and Settlement Patterns. Gerlach Press, pp. 181-212.
Journal Article:
King, Geoffrey (1977) ‘Traditional architecture in Najd, Saudi Arabia’. Proceedings of the Tenth Seminar for Arabian Studies held at The Middle East Centre, Cambridge on 12th-14th July, 1976, pp.90-100.
King, G.R.D. (1977) ‘Bayt al-Mufayyad: a late 19th century house on al Bahrayn’. Journal of Arabian Studies 4: 27-45.
King, Geoffrey (1978) ‘Islamic Architecture in Eastern Araba’ Proceedings of the Eleventh Seminar for Arabian Studies held at St. John’s College, Oxford on 7th-9th July, 1977, pp.15-28.
Abdulhamid Abdussaid, Masoud Shaghlouf, Géza Fehérvári, G.R.D. King and E. Chin (1978). Second Season of Excavations at El-Medeinah, Ancient Surt. Libyan Studies 9: 13-18.
King, G.R.D. (1980). ‘Notes on Some Mosques in Eastern and Western Saudi Arabia’. Bulletin of the School of African and Oriental Studies 43(2): 251-276.
King, G.R.D. (1980). ‘Some Christian wall-mosaics in Pre-Islamic Arabia’. Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 10: 37-43 – Proceedings of the 13th Seminar for Arabian Studies held at the Middle East Centre, Cambridge, on 25-27 July 1980.
King, G.R.D. (1982). ‘Preliminary Report on a Survey of Byzantine and Islamic Sites in Jordan 1980’. Annual of the Department of Antiquities of Jordan / Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan 26: 85-95.
King, G.R.D. (1983). ‘Two Byzantine Churches in Northern Jordan and their Re-Use in the Islamic Period’. Damaszener Mitteilungen 1: 111-136.
King, Geoffrey (1985), ‘Islam, Iconoclasm and the declaration of doctrine’, Bulletin of the School of African and Oriental Studies 48(2): 267–77.
King, G.R.D. (1986). A Survey of Byzantine and Islamic Sites in Jordan. The Third and Fourth Seasons (1982–1983). Archiv fur Orientforschung 33: 251-252.
King, G.R.D., Lenzen, C.J., Newhall, A., King, J.L. and Deemer, J.D. (1987). The Southern Ghor. Annual of the Department of Antiquities of Jordan / Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan 31: 439-459.
King, Geoffrey (1987), ‘The distribution of sites and routes in the Jordanian and Syrian deserts in the early Islamic period’, Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 17: 91–105 – Proceedings of the Twentieth Seminar for Arabian Studies held at London on 1st-4th July, 1986.
King, G.R.D. (1987). Survey of Byzantine and Islamic sites in Jordan. Third season preliminary report (1982): the southern Ghor. Annual of the Department of Antiquities of Jordan / Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan – Year: 1987, Volume: 31: 439-459.
King, G.R.D., L. King and J.D. Deemer (1988). ‘Some churches of the Byzantine period in the Jordanian Hawran’. Damaszener Mitteilungen 3: 35-75.
King, Geoffrey (1989), ‘The Umayyad qusur and related settlements in Jordan’, In: Bakhit, M. Adnan and Robert Schick, eds (1989), The History of Bilad al-Sham during the Umayyad Period. Proceedings of the Third Symposium, vol. 2, Amman.
King, G.R.D. (1989). ‘Building methods and materials in Western Saudi Arabia’. Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 19: 71-78 – Proceedings of the 22nd Seminar for Arabian Studies held in Oxford on 26-28 July 1988.
King, G.R.D., Lenzen, C.J., Newhall, A., King, D.L., Deemer, J.D. and Rollefson, G.O., (1989). Survey of Islamic and Byzantine Sites in Jordan., third preliminary report (1982), the Wadi Arabah (part 2). Annual of the Department of Antiquities of Jordan / Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan XXXHI, pp.199-215.
King, G.R.D. (1990). ‘Excavations by the British team at Julfar, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates: Interim Report on the First Season (1989).’ Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 20: 79-53 – Proceedings of the 23rd Seminar for Arabian Studies held in London on 18-20 July 1989.
King, G.R.D. (1991). ‘Excavations by the British team at Julfar, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates: Interim Report on the Second Season (1990).’ Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 21: 123-134 – Proceedings of the 24th Seminar for Arabian Studies held in Oxford on 24-26 July 1990.
King, G.R.D. (1991). ‘Creswell’s Appreciation of Arabian Architecture’. Muqarnas Volume 8 – K.A.C. Creswell and His Legacy, pp. 94-102.
King, G.R.D. (1992). ‘Settlement patterns in Islamic Jordan: The Umayyads and their use of the land’. Dirāsāt fī tārīḫ wa-āṯār al-Urdunn 4: 369-375.
King, G.R.D. and P. Hellyer. (1994). ‘A Pre-Islamic Christian site on Sir Bani Yas’. Tribulus (Journal of the Emirates Natural History Group) 4.2: 5–7.
King, G.R.D., D. Dunlop, J. Elders, S. Garfi, A.Stephenson, and C. Tonghini. (1995). ‘A report on the Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey (1993-1994)’. Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 25: 63-7 – Papers from the 28th meeting of the Seminar for Arabian Studies held at Oxford, 21-23 July 1994.
King, G.R.D. (1997). A Nestorian monastic settlement on the island of Sir Bani Yas, Abu Dhabi: a preliminary report. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 60(2): 221-235.
King, G.R.D. and P. Hellyer. (1997). A Preliminary Note on Ceramics from the island of Qarnein. Tribulus (Journal of the Emirates Natural History Group) 7.2: 25-26.
Hellyer, P. and G.R.D. King. (1999). A site from the early first millennium AD at Ra’s Bilyaryar, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy 10: 119-123.
King, G.R.D. and H. Maren-Griesebach. (1999). ‘A Preliminary Survey of the Archaeology of the Wadi Safad, Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, 13-15th April 1995’. Tribulus (Journal of the Emirates Natural History Group) 9.2: 10-18.
King, Geoffrey (2002) ‘Archaeological Fieldwork at the Citadel of Homs, Syria: 1995-1999.’ Levant: The Journal of the Council for British Research in the Levant, 34 (1). pp. 39-58.
King, Geoffrey (2002) ‘The Prophet Muhammad and the Breaking of the Jahiliyyah Idols.’ Journal of Semitic Studies. Studies on Arabia in Honour of G. Rex Smith, 14. pp. 91-122.
King, Geoffrey (2003) ‘The Pottery of Lima, Musandam, Sultanate of Oman.’ Tribulus, Journal of the Emirates Natural History Group, 13 (1). pp. 17-19.
King, G.R.D. (with architectural drawings by D. Connolly). (2004). Bayt al-Muraykhî: a later Islamic pearl merchant’s house at Dalmâ, Abu Dhabi Emirate. Tribulus (Journal of the Emirates Natural History Group) 14.1: 3-8.
King, G.R.D. (with ground-plans and elevational drawings by David Connolly). (2004). The Traditional Mosques of Dalma, Abu Dhabi Emirate. Tribulus (Journal of the Emirates Natural History Group) 14.2: 23-31.
King, Geoffrey (2004) ‘The Paintings of the Pre-Islamic Ka’ba.’ Muqarnas. An Annual on the Visual Culture of the Islamic World. Essays in Honor of J.M. Rogers., 21. pp. 219-29.
King, Geoffrey (2010) ‘Contextualising Mosques and Building Traditions of the Arabian Peninsula: Saudi Arabia, Yemen, the United Arab Emirates and Oman. Liwa 2(4): 3-20. National Library and Archives.
King, Geoffrey (2011) ‘Mukhâ’ (Mocha), Jidda and Makka Al-Mukarrama: Urban Mapping in The Anis Al-Hujjâj Ms. in The Nasser D. Khalili Collection’. Liwa 3(6): 3-23. National Library and Archives.
King, G.R.D. (2013) ‘Archaeological Fieldwork at the Citadel of Homs, Syria: 1995-1999’. Levant 34(1): 39-58.
King, G.R.D. (2015). ‘Islamic Archaeology in Libya, 1969-1989’. Libyan Studies, Volume 20, January 1989, pp. 193–207.
Book Reviews:
Allan, J.A. and King, G.R.D. (1976) Book Review: ‘Islamic Art and Architecture in Libya – Catalogue published by the Libyan General Committee for participation in the World of Islam Festival, London, with the co-operation of the Architectural Association, London, 1976. £1.00 (from the Secretary of the Society for Libyan Studies).’. Libyan Studies 7: 62-63.
King, G.R.D. (1988) Book Review: ‘Doǧan Kuban: Muslim religious architecture. Part II: Development of religious architecture in later periods, x, 49 pp., 48 plates. Leiden: E.J. Brill, [1986]. Guilders 72, $32.75.’. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 51(3): 561-563.
King, G.R.D. (1989) Book Review: ‘Richard Ettinghausen and Oleg Grabar: The art and architecture of Islam: 650–1250 (Pelican History of Art.) 448 pp. New York and London: Viking Penguin Inc., 1987. £30 (paper £17.95).’. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 52(2): 348-349.
King, G.R.D. (1989). Book Review: Charles K. Wilkinson, Nishapur: Some Early Islamic Buildings and Their Decoration (New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1987). Pp. 328. International Journal of Middle East Studies 21(2): 283-285.
King, G.R.D. (1992) Book Review: ‘The Arabian Gulf in Antiquity. Vol. II, From Alexander the Great to the Coming of Islam. By D. T. Potts. 250mm. Pp. 369, 12 pls. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1990. ISBN 0-19-814390-7. £95.00 (2 vols.).’. The Antiquaries Journal 72: 204-207.
King, G.R.D. (1992) Book Review: ‘Myriam Rosen-Ayalon: The early Islamic monuments of al-Ḥaram al-Sharīf: an iconographic study. (Qedem, 28.) xvi, 73 pp., 16 [col.] plates. Jerusalem: The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Institute of Archaeology, 1989.’. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 55(2): 324-325.
King, G.R.D. (1994) Book Review: ‘Wladyslaw B. Kubiak: Al-Fustat: its foundation and early development. 186 pp. Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press, [1987].’. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 54(1): 151-153.
King, G.R.D. (1996). Book Review: Jean-Pierre Greenlaw: The coral buildings of Suakin: Islamic architecture, planning, design and domestic arrangements in a Red Sea port. 132 pp. London: Kegan Paul International, 1994. £45. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 59(2): 341-342.
Marchand T.H.J. (1999). Book Review: The Near and Middle East – Geoffrey King: The traditional architecture of Saudi Arabia, xiv, 242 pp. London and New York: I.B. Tauris, 1998. £45. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies. 1999; 62(2): 342-343. doi:10.1017/S0041977X00016864
King, G.R.D. (2003). Book Review: in Tribulus (Journal of the Emirates Natural History Group) 13(2): 30-31 of “Al-aflaj fi dawlat al-imarat al-‘arabiyat al-mutahida. Dirasat athariya fi anzamat al-rayy al-qadima” (Aflaj in the United Arab Emirates. Archaeological Studies on Ancient Irrigation Systems). 2002, by Dr Walid Yasin Al-Tikriti. Published by the Ministry of Information and Culture, Abu Dhabi. 161 pages. ISBN 9948-03-028-1.
Other:
King, G.R.D., Dunlop, D., Garfi, S. and Tonghini, C. (1995) A Report on the tell at Homs, Syria. Unpublished report for the Directorate-General of Antiquities of Syria, archived at the Homs Museum.
Online Media Sources:
Video tours of the Al Muraykhi, Al Dawsari and Al Muhannadi Mosques on Dalma Island with Dr Geoffrey King – filmed by Dr Mark Jonathan Beech on 10-11 April 2004
https://www.adias-uae.com/dalmamosques.html
Al Muraykhi Mosque – https://www.adias-uae.com/film/Muraykhi-mosque-english.MPG
Al Dawsari Mosque – https://www.adias-uae.com/film/Dawsari-mosque-english.MPG
Al Muhannadi Mosque – https://www.adias-uae.com/film/Muhannadi-mosque-english.MPG
ADIAS Team Members (1992-2006)
https://www.adias-uae.com/adias-team.html
Khaleej Times, ‘Experts battle to save ancient UAE mosques’ by Reuters (3 August 2004)
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/uae/experts-battle-to-save-ancient-uae-mosques
Day1: Introduction to Islamic Art, Arab Civilisations (14 May 2008)
https://www.khtt.net/en/page/6151/day1-introduction-to-islamic-art-arab-civilisations
The National, “Unearthing an ancient treasure trove” by Tahira Yaqoob (24 November 2008)
https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/unearthing-an-ancient-treasure-trove-1.593751
The National, “Mosques” by Jonathan Gornall (13 September 2009)
https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/heritage/mosques-1.517187
