What's new? - 2008

1 January 2008

Digging up ancient past to unearth forest's secrets (Source: Gulf News)

2 January 2008

New fossil study in Abu Dhabi's western region (Source: Business Intelligence Middle East)

New fossil study in Abu Dhabi's Western Region (Source: UAEinteract.com)

8 January 2008

UAE signs operational structure of Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi (Source: UAEinteract.com)

9 January 2008

ANC fossils from the Western Region of Abu Dhabi Emirate: An ADACH-Yale University project (Source: ArabianBusiness.com)

Fossils exhibit history of Abu Dhabi - Abu Dhabi Authority on Culture and Heritage organises talk on ancient fossils (Source: Middle East Online)

Fossils shed light on a different environment of Abu Dhabi in the ancient past (Source: Zawya).

The fossils discovered.... (Source: Federation of Arab News Agencies)

10 January 2008

How elephants, hippos and rhinos roamed the capital 6m years ago (Source: Gulf News)

Fossils shed light on a different environment of Abu Dhabi in the ancient past (Source: UAEinteract.com)

11 January 2008

Abu Dhabi fossil sites betray a past rich in plants, wildlife (Source: Khaleej Times)
[you can also download a jpeg scan of this article by clicking here]

Abu Dhabi fossil sites betray a past rich in plants, wildlife (Source: The Siasat Daily, India)

14 January 2008

Yale-Abu Dhabi Research Team Finds Evidence of Ancient Subtropical Environment in the Arid Emirate (Source: pressmediawire.com)

15 January 2008

Research Team Finds Evidence of Ancient Subtropical Environment in the Arid Emirate (Source: Geology Times.com)

18 January 2008

Team learns Abu Dhabi desert once lush habitat (Source: Yale Bulletin & Calendar Vol.36, Number 15 - January 18, 2008)

1 February 2008

Digging for Elephants (Source: Yale University Graduate School Newsletter February 2008, Vol 10, Number 4, pages 1 and 4)

17 February 2008



ADACH announces new archaeological discovery in Abu Dhabi (Source: WAM)
[ click here for associated picture ]

Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage has revealed an important discovery of archaeological material from the Palaeolithic period in Abu Dhabi emirate (Source: FANA)

Artefacts of Stone Age discovered in Abu Dhabi (Source: Gulf News)
[ click here to download jpeg version ]

18 February 2008

ADACH announces new archaeological discovery in Abu Dhabi (Source: Business Intelligence Middle East)

Middle Stone Age Artifacts Discovered in UAE (Source: CRI English.com, China)

ADACH announces new archaeological discovery in Abu Dhabi (Source: OANA)

Artefacts of Stone Age discovered in Abu Dhabi (Source: Zawya)

19 February 2008

Old Stone Age artefacts found in Abu Dhabi (Source: Australian Institute of Archaeology - Studying the Ancient Near East)

Artefacts of Stone Age discovered in Abu Dhabi (Source: New Kerala, India)

Artefacts of Stone Age discovered in Abu Dhabi (Source: NetIndia123)

Artefacts of Stone Age discovered in Abu Dhabi (Source: One India)

Artefacts of Stone Age discovered in Abu Dhabi (Source: WebIndia123.com)

25 February 2008

Possible Neanderthal Site At Barakah, Abu Dhabi (Source: remote central)

26 February 2008

Yacimiento humano de 150 mil años en el Golfo Pérsico (Source: Mundo Neandertal)

16 March 2008

Attended opening of the Buhais 18 exhibition at Sharjah Archaeology Museum. For more details, see these press stories:

7000-year-old skeletons on display in Sharjah (Source: Gulf News)
7,000-year-old skeletal remains give glimpse of the past (Source: Gulf News)
Sharjah Ruler opens exhibition for Al Buhais 18 archaeological findings (Source: uaeinteract.com)

Flint Arrowhead from Late Stone Age Discovered Near Abu Dhabi Oilfield (Source: Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi)

29 March 2008

First archaeology documentary on UAE to be released in April (Source: Khaleej Times)

3 April 2008

Archaeological discoveries to be unveiled (Source: uaeinteract.com)

4 April 2008

Making history: The world's oldest archaeologist (Source: The Independent)

Read an interview with Beatrice de Cardi OBE, one of the pioneers of archaeological research in the United Arab Emirates.

6 April 2008

Research casts new light on UAE's ancient inhabitants (Source: Business Intelligence Middle East)

7 April 2008

A history lesson for us all (Source: 7 Days)

New light on UAE's oldest inhabitants (Source: uaeinteract.com)

27 April 2008

Added details of a new publication...

Sophie Méry, Vincent Charpentier and Mark Beech. 2008. First evidence of shell fish-hook technology in the Gulf. Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy 19 (1): 15-21.
[ Click here for more details, and to download this article in Acrobat .pdf format click here (337 Kb) ].

Abstract:
The technology of shell fish-hooks and line fishing is well attested in the coastal areas of the Indian Ocean during the Neolithic period (fifth–fourth millennium BC). Their presence in the coastal area of the Arabian Gulf is now confirmed by new findings from Akab (Umm al-Qaiwain) and Shimal (Ra's al-Khaimah) in the United Arab Emirates.

13 May 2008

In the Mangrove - a one stop shop (Source: The National)

20 May 2008

Went to Bon Jovi concert at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi. See clips on Youtube:

Bon Jovi plays Abu Dhabi (Gulf News TV)

Bad Medicine
Bed of Roses
I'll be there for you
I'll sleep when I'm dead
In these arms
Its my life
Keep the Faith
Livin' on a Prayer
Lost Highway
Rockin' all over the world
Runaway
Start me up
Wanted Dead or Alive
You give love a bad name
You want to make a memory

Bon Jovi live in Abu Dhabi

Saying bye to the crowd

23 May 2008

Emirati girls win top award at documentary film contest (Source: Gulf News)

I was an archaeological consultant to these Emirati students from Zayed University, and assisted them by providing interviews as well as a guided tour of the archaeological sites on Marawah Island.

31 May 2008

Culture is core part of Adach five-yr strategy (Source: Khaleej Times)

1 June 2008

Announcement of the strategy of Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (2008-2012) (Source: Ameinfo)

Al Ain listed as potential world heritage site (Source: Gulf News)

Bid to include Al Ain in World Heritage Sites list (Source: Khaleej Times)

2 June 2008

Al Ain on the Tentative List of World Heritage Sites (Source: Ameinfo)

5 June 2008

Emirati girls win award in documentary production (Source: Khaleej Times)

I was an archaeological consultant to these Emirati students from Zayed University, and assisted them by providing interviews as well as a guided tour of the archaeological sites on Marawah Island.

13 July 2008

Read the Sunday interview in "The National" newspaper - The archaeologist Mark Beech digs deep into the history of Abu Dhabi to help pave the way for growth.

Unearthing the past – and the future (Source: The National)

24-26 July 2008

I co-presented a paper at the 2008 Seminar for Arabian Studies, held at the British Museum in London. Here are the details:

Date: Thursday 24th July, Time: 11:40 - 12.00, Location: Stevenson Auditorium in the Clore Centre, British Museum.

Prehistoric Camels in South-Eastern Arabia: the Discovery of a New Site in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region, United Arab Emirates.

Dr. Mark Beech (Historic Environment Department, Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, U.A.E.), Dr. Marjan Mashkour and Dr Antoine Zazzo (UMR 5197 Muséum national d'histoire naturelle/ CNRS, France), and Dr Matthias Huels (Christian Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany).

Abstract:
A remarkable new site consisting of a concentration of as many as 60+ camel skeletons has been discovered in Abu Dhabi's Western Region in the United Arab Emirates. Three camel bone samples from the site have been AMS radiocarbon dated by the Kiel Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory in Germany revealing that they date from between the late 6th millennium BC to the early 3rd 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. 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.

28 July 2008

Added details of a new publication...

Wahida, G., W. Yasin Al-Tikriti and M. Beech. 2008. Barakah: a Middle Palaeolithic site in Abu Dhabi emirate. Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 38: 55-64
[ Click here for more details, and to download this article in Acrobat .pdf format click here (1.15 MB) ].

Abstract:

Recently collected lithic artefacts from Jebel Barakah, the well-known Late Miocene fossil locality situated in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi Emirate, provide clear evidence for a Middle Palaeolithic presence in the region. The artefacts come from three localities around Barakah: one lies to the west of the jebel, the other to the south and south-west, and the third to the east. The three cluster sites represent a single techno-typological industry. Most artefacts were collected from locality BRK1 (on the western side of the jebel), that lies between the sea cliffs and the first line of ridges, some 40 m from the sea, which may be the site described by McBrearty. The presence of a Levallois flake core, a Levallois point flake, two broken bifaces/hand-axes, and the centripetal radial or discoid form and the prepared Levallois technique of manufacturing flakes, place the Barakah assemblage in the Middle Stone Age. The total absence of blade implements further points to a Middle Palaeolithic industry. Previous reporting on the Barakah material had suggested several possible dates for the Barakah assemblage, ranging between Middle Pleistocene, Acheulian or Middle Stone Age, and mid- to Late Holocene. The Barakah material complements the recent discovery of Palaeolithic material elsewhere in the UAE and in Oman.

Keywords: Jebel Barakah, Middle Palaeolithic, lithics, Levallois, Acheulian, Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates

2 August 2008

Sifting through the sands (Source: The National)

5 August 2008

6000-year-old bones found in desert (Source: Arabian Business)

6,000-year-old skeletons of camels found in UAE (Source: Green ndtv - Free eye-test)

6,000-year-old skeletons of camels found in UAE(Source: Israel Herald)

6,000-year-old skeletons of camels found in UAE (Source: Mangalorean.com)

6000 years old wild camel bones discovered in Abu Dhabi desert (Source: Middle East North Africa Financial Network, Jordan)

Ancient wild camel bones discovered in Abu Dhabi desert (Source: Middle East Online)

6,000 year old skeletons of camels found in UAE (Source: New Kerala, India)

6000-year-old skeletons of camels found in UAE (Source: Sindh Today)

6,000-year-old skeletons of camels found in UAE (Source: Smashits.com)

6000-year-old skeletons of camels found in UAE (Source: Thaindian.com, Thailand)

6000-year-old skeletons of camels found in UAE (Source: TwoCircles.net)

6000 years old wild camel bones discovered in Abu Dhabi desert (Source: WAM, Emirates Press Agency)

6,000-year-old skeletons of camels found in UAE (Source: WebIndia123)

6000-year-old camel bones found in Abu Dhabi desert (Source: XPress)

6000-year-old skeletons of camels found in UAE (Source: Yahoo! India News)

6000-yr-old camels skeletons found (Source: Zee News, India)

6 August 2008

Read some of the press coverage about the exciting new prehistoric camel site we have discovered in Abu Dhabi's Western Region:


(Source: Asharq Al-Awsat)


(Source: Al Bayan)


(Source: Al Emarat Al Youm)


(Source: Al Hayat)


(Source: Al Ittihad - page 1 - also download as a pdf or jpg)


(Source: Al Ittihad - page 4 - also download as a pdf or jpg)


(Source: Al Khaleej)

6,000-year-old wild camel bones discovered in Abu Dhabi desert (Source: Gulf News)
[ also download as jpg page1 and page 4 ]

6,000-year camel skeletons discovered (Source: Gulf Today)

Bones of 6000 Year-Old Ancient Wild Camels Found in Desert (Source: InfoNIAC.com)

6000-year-old camels’ bones found in Gharbia (Source: Khaleej Times)
[ also download as jpg page1 and page 10 ]

6,000-year-old camels’ bones found in Gharbia (Source: The Siasat Daily)

Camel bones found to be 6000 years old (Source: The National)
[ also download as jpg page 4 ]

Finding History (Source: The National)

6000 years old wild camel bones discovered in Abu Dhabi desert (Source: UAEinteract.com)

3 September 2008

Abu Dhabi's coastal treasure (Source: The National)

8 September 2008

Added details of a new publication:

Mark Beech, Peter Hogarth and Carl Phillips. 2008. Zooarchaeological Evidence for Trade in Marine Resources in South-East Arabia. Pages 329-335. In: E. Olijdam and R.H. Spoor (eds.), Intercultural relations between South and Southwest Arabia. Studies in Commemoration of E.C.L. During Caspers (1934-1996). British Archaeological Reports International Series 1826. Society for Arabian Studies Monographs no.7. Archaeopress, Oxford.
[ to download this article in Acrobat .pdf format click here (426 Kb) ].

18 September 2008

Abu Dhabi tries to save the dumpy ‘lady of the sea’ (Source: The National)

15-18 October 2008

Society of Vertebrate Palaeontology - 68th Annual Meeting (Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, Cleveland, Ohio, USA)

Faysal Bibi and Andrew Hill will present a paper on behalf of the Yale University - ADACH Late Miocene Fossil Project team entitled: "A River Fauna from the Arabian Desert: Late Miocene Fossils from the United Arab Emirates" by Faysal Bibi, Andrew Hill, Mark Beech and Walid Yasin. Here is the abstract:

Renewed fieldwork efforts since 2003 have produced a wealth of new fossil material from the Baynunah Formation, exposed in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates. Previous work had established that the Baynunah fossils are between 8 to 6 Ma in age, comprising Asiatic, European, and African elements including bovids, hippopotamids, carnivores, proboscideans, equids, turtles, fish, and a cercopithecid primate. Among these were described a new genus and species of gerbil, Abudhabia baynunensis, and a new species of equid, Hipparion abudhabiense, the latter which may also be present among the Chad late Miocene hominid fauna. Some of the more significant recent discoveries from the Baynunah Formation include additional and abundant remains of fossil proboscideans such as the primitive elephantid Stegotetrabelodon syrticus, a partial skeleton of the giraffid Palaeotragus germaini, a giant synsacrum belonging to a previously undescribed ratite, and large exposures of mud-cracked carbonate beds preserving footprints of proboscideans. Additionally, the Baynunah Formation is rich in fossil eggshells of the ratite Diamantornis laini, which, by way of correlation to the Nawata Formation at Lothagam, Kenya, suggests the age of the Baynunah fauna may be no younger than 6.5Ma. Renewed work on the Baynunah Formation, including paleomagnetostratigraphic and palynological analyses, is expected to provide increased chronostratigraphic resolution while continuing to expand the faunal list.

24 October 2008

Went to Christina Aguilera concert at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi. See clips on Youtube:

Anton Gomez - Christina Aguilera Live in Abu Dhabi

Ain't no other man
Back in the day
Beautiful
Candyman
Dirty
Fighter
Genie 2.0
Hurt
Keeps Gettin' Better
Lady Marmalade
What a Girl Wants

Christina Live in Abu Dhabi video 8
Christina Aguilera exclusive Live Radio 1 interview in Abu Dhabi
Dubai TV at the Christina Aguilera Concert in Abu Dhabi

28 October 2008

Archaeozoologists Meet in Abu Dhabi in November (Source: UAE Daily News)

29 October 2008


(Source: Middle East Online)

Archaeozoologists meet in Abu Dhabi (Source: Middle East Online)

Camel discovery to feature at forum (Source: The National)

Archaeozoologists Meet in Abu Dhabi in November (Source: WAM)

3 November 2008

Added details of new publications:

Beech, M., R. Cuttler, D. Moscrop, H. Kallweit and J. Martin. 2008. Excavations at the Neolithic Settlement of MR11 on Marawah Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: 2004 Season. Pages 25-53. In: P. Hellyer and M. Ziolkowski (eds.), Emirates Heritage Vol.2 - Proceedings of the 2nd Annual Symposium on Recent Archaeological Discoveries in the Emirates and of the Symposium on the History of the Emirates, Al Ain, 2004. Zayed Center for Heritage and History, Al Ain.

Kallweit, H., M. Beech and W.Y. Al-Tikriti. 2008. New Neolithic sites in the Rub al-Khali: survey and excavations at Umm az-Zamul - the 2004 season. Pages 6-24. In: P. Hellyer and M. Ziolkowski (eds.), Emirates Heritage Vol.2 - Proceedings of the 2nd Annual Symposium on Recent Archaeological Discoveries in the Emirates and of the Symposium on the History of the Emirates, Al Ain, 2004. Zayed Center for Heritage and History, Al Ain.

16-20 November 2008

International Council for Archaeozoology - Archaeozoology of Southwest Asia and Adjacent Areas - 9th Meeting of ASWA - to honour the contribution of Hans-Peter Uerpmann and Francois Poplin to the Archaeozoology of Southwestern Asia. This was held at the Mercure Hotel in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi emirate, UAE. The conference was co-organised by: Dr Marjan Mashkour (Muséum national d'histoire naturelle / CNRS, Paris, France) & Dr Mark Beech (Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, Abu Dhabi, UAE). The conference was sponsored by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, the French Embassy in Abu Dhabi (Service de Coopération et d’Actions Culturelles - Bureau de Coopération pour le Français), the Bank of Sharjah, Dassault Aviation, the Mercure Hotel Al Ain and CNRS.

More details can be obtained at the following website: ASWA 2008

23-25 November 2008

Center for Documentation and Research 40th Anniversary Conference, and in celebration of the 37th anniversary of UAE National Day, "New Perspectives On Recording UAE History". Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs & President of the Center for Documentation and Research.

For more information visit the CDR website.

I presented a paper on Sunday 23rd November between 12.45 - 1.45 p.m. entitled:

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
The archaeological evidence for the time period around 300 BC to 750 AD is discussed. This chronological period is generally referred to by various terms including the Late Pre-Islamic, Hellenistic, Parthian, Sasanian and Early Abbasid periods. Discussion will in particular focus on Abu Dhabi emirate and discoveries made on Sir Bani Yas island to provide a new insight into this interesting period just prior to the arrival of Islam in south-east Arabia.
Archaeological excavations carried out on Sir Bani Yas island between 1993-1996 revealed an important series of sites located on the eastern side of the island. These proved to include a Christian church, monastery, and series of courtyard villas. These were found in a cluster stretching across the coastal plain and covering an area of about 1.5km east-west and 2km north-south.
Recent analysis of the pottery assemblage from these excavations suggests that these sites were occupied between the mid 7th to mid 8th centuries AD, and not to the 6th to 7th centuries as was originally thought. This later date appears to be also the case for other excavated churches and monasteries in the Gulf region. Christianity in Eastern Arabia is now known to clearly survive into the early centuries of the Islamic era.
According to the texts, Christianity flourished in the Gulf from at least the fourth century AD until the early centuries of the Islamic era. The Syriac sources of the Church of the East (also known as the Nestorian Church) state that north-eastern Arabia, the Bahrain archipelago and the Qatar peninsula were part of a region known as Bet Qatraye, which contained monasteries at least from the mid-fourth century, and several named episcopal seats from at least the early fifth century.
The Christian community was tolerated and remained active in Bet Qatraye after the conversion of the region's leaders to Islam in around 629, though it appears that the Christians of Bet Mazunaye (Oman) soon switched faiths. The bishops of Bet Qatraye ceased to attend synods after AD 676, but textual indications show that Christianity in the region persisted until at least the late ninth century.
Between 1994-1996 the author was personally involved in the archaeological excavations at the church, monastery and courtyard villas on Sir Bani Yas island. An insight will be provided into some of the key finds made during the excavations. In addition to traces of pottery and glass vessels, an important series of fragments of decorated plaster stucco relief were uncovered. Excavations carried out in the eastern dormitory of the monastery uncovered traces of a kitchen and oven. Here the burnt ashy layers preserved traces of food which was prepared and consumed by the inhabitants of the monastery providing a valuable insight into daily life in the monastic community.

24 November 2008

Unearthing an ancient treasure trove (Source: The National)

25-27 November 2008

The Environment Agency Abu Dhabi organized a Regional symposium on the biology, assessment & Management of Groupers, from 25th - 27th November 2008 at the Beach Rotana Hotel and Towers - Abu Dhabi. On Tuesday 25th November I presented a paper entitled:

Historic Exploitation of Groupers in the Arabian Gulf: An Archaeological Perspective
Analysis of fish bones from archaeological sites in the Arabian Gulf provides a valuable opportunity to examine the historical exploitation of groupers over time. The early people of the Gulf were able to navigate and sail in deep offshore waters as early as 7500 years ago. Fishing was carried out using a combination of fish traps, nets, and by hook and line. An important recent discovery was that these early fishermen sometimes used fish hooks made from pearl oyster. By comparing the measurements of ancient fish bones with their modern counterparts (where the length and weight of the fish is known) it is possible to use regression analysis to reconstruct the size of ancient groupers in the Gulf. Some evidence will be presented from archaeological excavations on Dalma island concerning the size of groupers caught in Abu Dhabi waters between around 6,500 - 7000 years ago.

25 November 2008

20 Species of Grouper are Currently Threatened With Extinction (Source: Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi)

Regional Symposium on Groupers Inaugurated in the Capital (Source: Zawya.com)

27-29 November 2008

I attended the Society for Arabian Studies conference "Death, Burial and the Transition to the Afterlife in Arabia and Adjacent Regions", held at the British Museum, London from Thursday 27th till Saturday 29th November.

1 December 2008

Attended the George Michael (and Alicia Keys) concert at the Sheikh Zayed Sports City stadium in Abu Dhabi. See some film clips on Youtube:

Alicia Keys - Abu Dhabi and a little T.I.
Alicia Keys - Go ahead (Live in Abu Dhabi)
Alicia Keys 1
Alica Keys 2
Alicia Keys 3
Alicia Keys 4

George Michael Concert Abu Dhabi Part 1
George Michael Concert Abu Dhabi Part 2

Careless Whisper
Everything she wants
Faith
Fast Love
Feeling Good
Freedom
I'm Your Man
Kissing a Fool
Outside
Roxanne
Too Funky

George Michael in Abu Dhabi Slide Show

3 December 2008

Attended ADACH opening of Jahili Fort in Al Ain.

4 December 2008

Fort rebuilt as a bastion of culture (Source: The National)

5 December 2008

Al Jahili Fort restored to its glory (Source: Gulf News)

16 December 2008 - 7 January 2009

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

[ Page last updated by Dr Mark Beech - 7 Sept 2010 ]


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