I am very happy to announce my new job as Scientific Research Lead in the Scientific, Curatorial, & Collections Management Section of the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi (NHMAD) at the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT). I started today on Monday 16th September 2024.

After 30 years of involvement in archaeological and palaeontological research in Abu Dhabi emirate, I am very much looking forward to new challenges in being part of the team involved in the creation and establishment of the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi. I would like to give my greatest thanks to all my dear colleagues and former colleagues with whom I have worked over the years in the Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey (ADIAS), Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH), Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) and in the Historic Environment Department at the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT Abu Dhabi). I am not moving very far away and I hope to collaborate with many of you in the future.

I plan to attend and present a paper co-authored with Kevin Lidour at the World Neolithic Congress, due to be held in Sanliurfa, Turkey, from 4-8 November 2024.

Title:
Submission 3285 – Insights into a Neolithic maritime economy: Recent archaeological research from Abu Dhabi’s islands, United Arab Emirates

Authors:
Kevin Lidour, Historic Environment Department, Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 94000, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – email: klidour@dctabudhabi.ae

Mark Jonathan Beech, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 94000, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – email: mark.beech@dctabudhabi.ae

Abstract:

In this paper we explore the implications of new discoveries from recent archaeological excavations carried out along the coast of Abu Dhabi emirate in the southern Arabian Gulf. Investigations on Delma Island, Marawah Island and Ghagha Island have provided a new insight into Neolithic coastal life in the southern Gulf. Radiocarbon dates indicate that these coastal settlements were occupied by 6500 cal BC (on Ghagha Island), between 5800-4500 cal BC (on Marawah Island) and between 5400-4500 cal BC (on Delma Island). Remarkable settlements with stone architecture with clusters of stone-built rooms preserved to nearly one metre in height have been discovered on both Ghagha and Marawah Islands. Finds include interesting lithics assemblages, plaster vessel fragments, shell and stone beads and other artefacts. Here we will describe some of the key bioarchaeological remains discovered at these sites. These include relatively scarce evidence for the exploitation of terrestrial mammals, but abundant fish bones and marine shells, as well as evidence for the consumption of marine mammals, turtles and other marine organisms. Early evidence for the exploitation of what are presumed to be wild date palms has been identified from both Marawah Island and Delma Island, raising the possibility of them being harvested in Eastern Arabia prior to their subsequent regional domestication. Evidence of this highly specialised maritime economy demonstrates an alternative pathway and strategy utilised in this region of South-West Asia during the Neolithic period. It shows a complex interdependent economy that leveraged the region’s rich marine resources on the Fertile Coast.

This paper will be presented in the following session:

R29 – Breaking the Neolithic in Asia: Questioning Tropes, Recentering Boundaries and Nuancing Lifeways

Jennifer Bates / Seoul National University, South Korea
Matthew L. Conte / Seoul National University, South Korea
Yeji Lee / Seoul National University, South Korea
JungWoo Choi / Seoul National University, South Korea
Kim Pangyu / Seoul National University, South Korea

Abstract

That the Three Age system and the subdivisions of the lithic ages do not work outside Europe and Near East has been debated in many forums. However, beyond this easily cited trope, the age-old idea of a “Neolithic” continually raises its head within literature. We see the presence of agriculture as a way to ‘mark’ the Neolithic, the absence of microliths as a marker of change, and ceramics used to debate the validity of chronological boundaries. Nuances underlying what this meant for the lives lived by people and the diversity underlying this in different regions are often overlooked in the eagerness to ‘find’ the Neolithic. The Neolithic has in essence become an ‘archaeo-geological age’ – so stratigraphically bounded and ubiquitous we find it hard to break from its presence. Local narratives are peripheralized in favour of an all encompassing, un-nuanced and imported age. In this session we invite papers that explore diversity and break the homogeneity of ‘Neolithic’ life in Asia, moving away from mere tropes to how new lifeways were adopted, assimilated, rejected or replaced in different parts of Asia. Debates in the Neolithic of Asia (e.g.: use of aquatic resources, the adoption of pastoral and agricultural systems, domestication, changes in technology) are sought to explore the diversity of what it was ‘to have been Neolithic’. Through this session we ask: is there something about the ‘Neolithic’ as a concept and term that helps people to understand the diversity of lifeways and societies associated with it across regions within Asia?

About the 2024 World Neolithic Congress

The 2024 World Neolithic Congress aims to bring together discussion of diverse Neolithic formations that took place across different geographical locations in different time-frames following diverse cultural and socio-economic trajectories. The Congress will provide a platform for comparing increasing Neolithic social complexity in different parts of the world.

The emergence of Neolithic cultures has been one of the most critical turning points in human history laying the foundations for our present global impact and population size, and playing a significant role in the evolution of human society over the past 12,000 years.

The Congress intends to challenge conventional theories and terminologies on the emergence and the development of productive and newly adapted ways of living.

Focus will be on sedentary lifeways, impacts on nature, the built environment , social hierarchies, the cognitive frameworks for ever-shifting norms, ontological approaches, symbols, identities, beliefs, cult practices, sanctuaries, artworks, cognition, innovation , technologies, languages, craft specialization, resilience, demographic pressure, climatic fluctuations, defining the impact of environmental settings; the use and implications of natural and bioscience research, particularly genetic, isotopic, residues, radiocarbon dating, physical anthropology, geoarchaeology, and also the most recent archaeological results from primary and secondary core areas of Neolithic formations.

The Congress aims to foster new ways of looking and thinking about Neolithic phenomena on both local and global scales.

For more information visit: https://www.worldneolithiccongress.org/

For the Programme – click here

For details of Sessions – click here

To Register Attendance  – click here

I am presenting a paper at the 2nd International Council for Archaeozoology Medieval Working Group conference, due to be held in Sofia, Bulgaria, from 2-6 October 2024.

PAPER TITLE:

Archaeozoological Studies of the Islamic Period in the United Arab Emirates: Past Work and Future Potential

ABSTRACT:

This paper provides a synthesis of previous archaeozoological studies carried out on archaeological sites dating to the Islamic period in the United Arab Emirates. Most archaeozoological studies in the United Arab Emirates and Gulf region have concentrated on analysing material from prehistoric sites, and there has been a paucity of studies on the Islamic or Medieval period. This is a pity as there are many coastal sites, and even sites within the desert interior, dating to this period known in the region, but then only a few of them have faunal assemblages. This paper highlights a few interesting case studies and discusses what areas future research might cover. Our Abu Dhabi archaeology team was recently involved in the preservation of some Late Islamic period (18^th to early 20^th century) shell middens on Hudayriyat Island, which is immediately adjacent to Abu Dhabi Island, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.  These middens contain substantial quantities of pearl oyster shells, fish, turtle and dugong bones which have not yet been studied in detail. These were protected and a heritage trail was designed around them with heritage information signs. Some public art and other facilities were also introduced to complement the preservation of the archaeozoological remains. The establishment of the new Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi where I am currently working, which is due to open at the end of 2025, will provide new facilities and research collections which will benefit future archaeozoology research in the Middle East region.

KEYWORDS:
Islamic, Medieval, Animal bones, Fish, Dugongs, Turtles, Marine shells, Ethnoarchaeology, Traditional Practices, Shell Middens, Cooking techniques

A long tradition of archaeozoological studies has widely proven that medieval societies can be fruitfully investigated through the analysis of animal remains, providing key information on a period which saw the birth and development of important economic models and socio-political structures. In the Middle Ages, with significant geographical and chronological variations, the establishment of different settlement types prompted the development of various mechanisms of animal exploitation, as well as of redistribution and consumption of their products; in addition, the basic principles of social differentiation were also applied through the procurement and intake of different – animal – food products. Such mechanisms of exchange, specialisation and socio-cultural differentiation often produced several defined patterns of animal use that can be detected by archaeozoologists.

Within this research context, the Medieval period Working Group (MWG) was founded in 2021 as an important platform where archaeozoologists dealing with the Middle Ages can present, share, compare and discuss their data. The Group is open also to researchers investigating geographic areas outside Medieval Europe but adjacent and/or related to it. Similarly, archaeozoologists working on the Late Roman period/Late Antiquity and the early post-medieval period, on topics relevant to the study of the Middle Ages, are encouraged to join; in this sense, the Medieval period Working Group complements well the work carried out by the Roman Period Working Group and the Zooarchaeology of the Modern Era Working Group.

The current coordinator of the MWG is Dr Veronica Aniceti (University of Bergen, Norway), and the ICAZ liaisons are Dr Idoia Grau-Sologestoa (University of Basel, Switzerland), Prof. Pam Crabtree (New York University, USA), and Dr Mauro Rizzetto (American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Greece).

Next meeting and contacts

The 2nd Meeting of the Medieval period Working Group will be held in Sofia, Bulgaria, between the 02 – 06 of October 2024. The event is co-organized by the National Museum for Natural History (NMNHS-BAS), The National Archaeological Institute of Bulgaria (NAIM-BAS) and the Regional history museum – Sofia.

The Organizing Committee consists of Dr. Nadezhda Karastoyanova (NMNHS-BAS/ NAIM-BAS), Stella Nikolova (NAIM-BAS), Dr. Petar Parvanov (NAIM-BAS), and Silvia Tosheva (NMNHS-BAS).

The Meeting will be held in person, and this is the preferred format. A Zoom online stream will be available for people who are unable to attend and would like to listen. The call for abstracts is open until the end of February and you can apply using our site https://mwgsofia2024.weebly.com/ or by emailing us on: mwg.sofia.2024@gmail.com.

If you need more information and/or would like to become a member of the MWG, please write to mwg.icaz@gmail.com . Updates and information are also regularly posted on the MWG Facebook page and Twitter account (@Medieval_ICAZ).

Our conference logo is based on a Medieval UNESCO Bulgarian landmark “The Madara Horseman”.

Abu Dhabi Art has announced the participation of Emerging Artists Horizons 2023 and Gate: Maqam at Kochi, India, at Durbar Hall Art Gallery from 26 July to 18 August 2024, at the invitation of the Rizk Art Initiative.

Every year, Bawaba invites a guest to be the curator, with Dr. Venetia Porter being the curator of Bawaba at Abu Dhabi Art 2023, showcasing the work of leading Emirati artist Hashel Al Lamki. This is the first international participation of the exhibition.

أعلن فن أبوظبي عن مشاركة معرض آفاق الفنانين الناشئين 2023 ومعرض “بوابة: مقام” في معرض كوتشي في الهند المُقام في صالة دوربار في الفترة من 26 يوليو إلى 18 أغسطس 2024، بدعوة من مبادرة رزق للفن.

ويدعو معرض “بوابة” كل عام ضيفًا ليكون قيّم المعرض، حيث كانت الدكتورة فينيشا بورتر هي قيمة معرض بوابة في فن أبوظبي 2023، وقدمت خلاله عرضًا لأعمال الفنان الإماراتي الرائد هاشل اللمكي. وتعد هذه المشاركة الدولية الأولى للمعرض.

#دائرة_الثقافة_والسياحة_أبوظبي

I published the following contribution in the catalogue of the Emirati artist Hashel Al Lamki’s “Maqam” exhibition at this year’s Abu Dhabi Art, held at Manarat Al Saadiyat between 22-26 November 2023. This exhibition will now feature in the Durbar Hall Art Gallery at Kochi, India, from the 26th July to the 18th August 2024.

From L to R: Saeed Hmoud Almeqbaali, Tariq Yousif Alhammadi, Jack Dangermond (President of ESRI) and Dr Richard Cuttler.

From L to R: Saeed Hmoud Almeqbaali, Tariq Yousif Alhammadi, and Dr Richard Cuttler.

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Abu Dhabi Culture (@abudhabiculture)

Very proud of our team led by Tariq Yousif Alhammadi and Dr Richard Cuttler who spearheaded the development of the Abu Dhabi Historic Environment Record (ADHER) system. Other team members included Saeed Hmoud Almeqbaali, Noura Hamad Al Hameli, Ahmed Abdalla Elfaki and myself, Dr Mark Jonathan Beech. It represents over five years of work to develop the system, and it is wonderful that this achievement has been recognised internationally. Well done to all the ADHER team!

We all received certificates for the SAG Award – Special Achievement in GIS 2024 from Jack Dangermond, Founder and President of ESRI.

About the Abu Dhabi Historic Environment Record (ADHER) system

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi’s (DCT Abu Dhabi) Abu Dhabi Historic Environment Record (ADHER) platform received a Special Achievement Award at the 2024 Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) User Conference in San Diego, California.

A bespoke digital platform developed by the DCT Abu Dhabi Historic Environment department, ADHER is a comprehensive central repository of heritage legacy data, providing reliable, up-to-date information on the location, importance of, and threats to cultural heritage sites across the emirate of Abu Dhabi. Linked to other platforms, ADHER enables heritage professionals to make informed decisions at local, regional, and national levels, and preserves digital and non-digital heritage resources that can be used for generations to come.

The award recognised DCT Abu Dhabi’s outstanding work in developing ADHER with ESRI technologies and the power of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Nominees were carefully evaluated by a panel of judges, with DCT Abu Dhabi being chosen as one among 197, from more than 100,000 ESRI clients worldwide.

This achievement is a testament to DCT Abu Dhabi’s commitment to preserving the emirate’s heritage as it undergoes rapid urban development, and further demonstrates the organisation’s efforts in enhancing Abu Dhabi’s status as a global centre for culture and creativity.

Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, Undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “As Abu Dhabi undergoes rapid transformation, preserving its rich cultural heritage becomes increasingly vital. The ADHER platform plays a pivotal role in safeguarding the essential resources and knowledge that we are responsible for passing down to future generations. Our vision has always been defined by Abu Dhabi’s heritage, language, and landscape and this award reinforces the critical role cultural resources play in shaping our societal fabric and identity. We remain committed to our mission of preserving Abu Dhabi’s rich cultural heritage and sharing it with the world.”

Held from July 15-19, the conference was hosted by ESRI, a global market leader in GIS software, location intelligence, and mapping. The company specialises in geographic science and geospatial analytics since 1969, maintaining a geographic approach to problem solving that is brought to life by modern, enterprise-grade GIS technology.

Source: WAM, Emirates News Agency, 23 July 2024
DCT Abu Dhabi awarded Special Achievement at annual ESRI User Conference

Source: Instagram – Abu Dhabi Media Office, 26 July 2024

https://www.instagram.com/p/C919-kIyv5B/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

A new publication has been co-authored by our team:

Lidour, K., M.J. Beech and N.H. Al Hameli. 2024. Fishing strategies and adaptation to maritime environments during the Neolithic on Marawah Island, United Arab Emirates, Pages 5-20, in: Roger Alcàntara Fors, Maria Saña Seguí and Carlos Tornero Dacasa (eds.), Archaeozoology of Southwest Asia and Adjacent Areas XIV – Proceedings of the Fourteenth International Symposium, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, June 3-7, 2019. British Archaeological Reports BAR number: S3171, Oxford. ISBN: 9781407360614. Language: English. Paperback: 256 pages. Price: £69.00.

Introduction (S3171_Alcàntara_9781407360614_-_introduction_pcwa-bh.pdf, 454 Kb) [Download]

Table of Contents (S3171_Alcàntara_9781407360614_-_toc.pdf, 261 Kb) [Download]

To order a copy of this book click here

For more information please send an email to info@barpublishing.com

DESCRIPTION:

This volume represents a collection of papers resulting from the Archaeozoology of Southwest Asia Working group meeting held in Barcelona in 2019, when early-career and well-established researchers debated on nearly 10,000 years of adaptation and change in human-animal interactions. The 14 chapters in this volume range from the Neolithic to the Byzantine period, travelling through the regions of modern Turkey, Syria, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Egypt, among others.

Intertwining new archaeological and archaeozoological data, this volume reviews the development of complementary food acquisition strategies. These approaches to understanding fishing, hunting and husbandry practices discuss adaptation and perseverance against constant social, cultural, economic and political change. They reveal changes through time in food preferences, preparation and storage, the social value of animals, as well as their incredibly adaptive nature.

EDITORS:

Roger Alcàntara Fors is currently a postdoctoral researcher in archaeozoology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and Cardiff University. His research is focused on animal domestication, mobility and use, and exploitation in Southwest Asia and the Western Mediterranean using biomechanics and stable isotopes.

Carlos Tornero Dacasa is a postdoctoral researcher in archaeozoology and biogeochemistry at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and Catalan Institute of Human Palaeoecology and Social Evolution. His research revolves around animal domestication processes and early husbandry during the Neolithic in Southwest Asia, Eastern Europe and the Western Mediterranean.

Maria Saña Seguí is a professor in archaeology and archaeozoology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. Her research has focused on the origins and development of early Neolithic societies in the Mediterranean basin through a range of archaeozoological approaches, developing and applying new and innovative techniques in the field.

List of contributors: Sarah Adcock, Benjamin Arbuckle, Mark Jonathan Beech, Jeremy A. Beller, Rémi Berthon, Ravindra Singh Bisht, Arpita Biswas, Douglas V. Campana, Pam J. Crabtree, Lorenzo d’Alfonso, Hossein Davoudi, Delphine Decruyenaere, Michele Degli Esposti, Arati Deshpande-Mukherjee, Nader Faraji, Azadeh Fatemeh Mohaseb, Haskel J.Greenfield, Noura Hamed Al Hameli, Youssef Hassanzadeh, Liora Kolska Horwitz, Omri Lernau, Kevin Lidour, Nathan Lovejoy, Marjan Mashkour, Marco Masseti, Henk K. Mienis, Kathryn R. Morgan, Eliezer D. Oren, Laurel A. Poolman, Scott J. Rufolo, Lidar Sapir-Hen, Giovanni Siracusano, Abra Spiciarich, Laura Strolin, Enrica Tagliamonte, Katie Tardio and Selena Vitezović.

REVIEWS:

‘The papers in this volume present new zooarchaeological data based on traditional analysis of animal remains. I was particularly excited to see new approaches to fishing strategies, a topic which have not been that popular for quite some time. The data presented here will be valuable for researchers working in different regions as well since it will help them to contextualise their results and to recognise regional and supra-regional patterns.’ Dr Shyama Vermeersch, University of Oxford

‘Great to see another excellent addition to our knowledge of the zooarchaeology of Southwest Asia! Research in the region continues to thrive and this book offers new and fascinating stories about our past.’ Professor Umberto Albarella, University of Sheffield

Beech, M.J. 2024. In Memoriam: Peter Hellyer, 1947-2023. Pages vii-viii, in: Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 53. Papers from the fifty-sixth meeting of the Seminar for Arabian Studies held in Aarhus, Denmark, 4–6 August 2023.  Archaeopress, Oxford.
ISSN 0308-8421
ISBN 978-1-80327-791-2
ISBN 978-1-80327-792-9 (e-PDF)

I will be attending the 57th Seminar for Arabian Studies, which is due to be held in Paris, France from 27-29 June 2024.

For the SAS 2024 programme click here.

The English version of the abstracts can be found here:

SAS 2024 – Abstracts

SAS 2024 – Abstracts – Special Sessions

It is being held at the Institut National d’Histoire de Art, Galerie Vivienne, 6 Rue des Petits Champs, 75002, Paris (2nd arrondissement).

The opening address will take place at the Auditorium.

Closest subway station: Line 3 Bourse; Line 7, 14: Pyramides; Lines , 7: Palais Royal/Musee du Louvre

Several Bus routes serve the area. Depending on where you are staying, routes can be found here: https://www.ratp.fr/en/itineraires as well as on different apps; we recommend Google Maps or BonjourRATP (Paris transport company).

The Seminar for Arabian Studies is the only annual international forum for the presentation of the latest academic research on the Arabian Peninsula. The subjects covered include archaeology, history, epigraphy, languages, literature, art, culture, ethnography, geography, etc. from the earliest times to the present day or, in the case of political and social history, to the end of the Ottoman Empire (1922).

Dear colleagues,

You are welcome to attend the last ARWA Online Lecture on Zoom on the Archaeology of the Arabian Peninsula, held by Dr Kevin Lidour from our Historic Environment Department team at the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT), Abu Dhabi.

Date: June 19th, 2024, at 4 pm CET (6 PM UAE time)

“Exploring the Coastal Neolithic of Eastern Arabia: Insights into Ancient Maritime Cultures”

Despite significant fieldwork conducted over the past decades, the Neolithic period (c. 6500-3300 BCE) in Eastern Arabia remains poorly defined culturally. This period is characterized by a lack of agriculture and only vaguely defined pastoral practices, making the definition of a regional Neolithic economy a subject of debate. In this presentation, we propose to explore another aspect of the cultural evolution of human societies in Eastern Arabia at the beginning of the Holocene: ancient maritime adaptations. These adaptations not only support the theoretical construction of a regional Neolithic but also attest to the development of a maritime culture with a sophistication level rarely equaled in Southwest Asia.

You can now watch this lecture on the YouTube ARWA channel:

You are cordially invited to the Private Viewing of a New Solo Exhibition by Mark Dickens “A Conversation with Nature“, which will take place at the Terrace Gallery at Manarat Al Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday 4th June 2024 from 6-9pm. The exhibition will be open from 10am – 8pm every day until Sunday 30th June 2024. You can RSVP to: acwnmanarat@gmail.com

To view a flipbook version of the exhibition catalogue click here

To download a pdf of the exhibition catalogue click here

Two of the works were created in collaboration with two members of the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi team:
Dr Mark Jonathan Beech (Curatorial & Scientific Lead, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi)
Professor Phil Manning (Chair of Natural History, University of Manchester, UK).
…. who both contributed some text to the artwork “A Natural World – Conversation”. Mixed Media on Paper with original quotations from Prof. Phillip L. Manning and Dr Mark Beech, 51cms x 41 cms.

Dr Mark Jonathan Beech (left) together with the artist Mark Dickens (right)

Professor Phil Manning (Chair of Natural History, University of Manchester, UK).

Natural History is our past, present and future. This deep history was born along with time itself. Our Sun was distilled from the billions of stars in the Universe and nurtured a seemingly impossible foothold for life. Earth’s story is 4.6 billion years in the making, but is still being written today. Natural History has been bound to our species since the dawn of time, but we have neglected this relationship, this primordial score, one whose rhythm and language has seemingly been forgotten….we once spoke fluent nature. The beat of the natural world still lifts our hearts and opens our minds to the endless forms most beautiful that surround us. We must learn how to engage in a conversation with nature, but not forget to listen.

Dr Mark Jonathan Beech (Curatorial & Scientific Lead, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi)

In the tapestry of time, where epochs intertwine,
Lie the whispers of ages, tales carved in stone divine.
In the dance of millennia, where the Earth’s secrets sleep,
Palaeontology and archaeology their ancient vigils keep.

Through the corridors of eons, where shadows softly creep,
They sift through the sands, where forgotten memories weep.
Each fossil, a chapter, in nature’s grand design,
Reveals the symphony of life, in its rhythms sublime.

From primordial seas to towering peaks that climb,
They traverse the longue durée, in search of the sublime.
For in the annals of time, where history’s echoes chime,
Lies the essence of existence, in the passage of time.

The exhibition is sponsored by:

Yalla – Abu Dhabi Life
Saadiyat Rotana & Villas – Abu Dhabi
British Chamber of Commerce – Abu Dhabi
Siminetti – Luxury Mother of Pearl Surfaces