Les fouilles françaises de Abu Saiba (Mont 1). Données nouvelles sur la phase Tylos de Bahreïn (c. 200 av. J.-C. – 300 ap. J.-C.)

International audienceSince 2017, the French Archaeological Mission in Bahrain has been engaged in a research project at Abu Saiba, a major necropolis from the Tylos archaeological period of the island (c.200 BC-AD 300). The site appears as the typical, roughly circular, low mound generally constituting a Tylos cemetery, with a diameter of c.70 m and a height of c.4-5 m. Fifty built graves have already been identified and eighteen were excavated by a team including a bio-archaeologist. The presence, above several of them, of a sandy mound covered with flat stones-a traditional marker of high status-shows the importance of the community buried there. The organization of the cemetery as well as the architecture of the tombs are discussed here, and special attention is paid to the burial rituals. Looting in antiquity was extensive but not systematic, and the few grave-goods recovered (glazed vessels, daily life items, jewellery, and adornments) indicate a main occupation covering the end of the first century BC and the first century AD. The identification of recurring Bronze Age pottery between the graves is puzzling and could indicate the existence, at a lower level, of an earlier cemetery from the early Dilmun phase

Les fouilles françaises de Abu Saiba (Mont 1). Données nouvelles sur la phase Tylos de Bahreïn (c. 200 av. J.-C. – 300 ap. J.-C.)

International audienceSince 2017, the French Archaeological Mission in Bahrain has been engaged in a research project at Abu Saiba, a major necropolis from the Tylos archaeological period of the island (c. 200 BC–300 AD). The site appears as the typical, roughly circular, low mound generally constituted by a Tylos cemetery, with a diameter of c. 70m and a height of c. 4 to 5m.50 built graves have already been identified and 18 were excavated by a team including a bio-archaeologist. The presence, above several of them, of a sandy mound covered with flat stones –a traditional marker of high status– shows the importance of the community buried there. The organization of the cemetery, as well as the architecture of the tombs, are discussed here, and special attention is paid to the burial rituals. Antique looting is important, but not systematic, and the few burial offerings recovered (glazed vessels, daily life items, jewelry and adornments) indicate a main occupation covering the end of the 1st century BC and the 1st century AD. The identification of recurring Bronze Age pottery between the graves is puzzling and could indicate the existence, at a lower level, of an earlier cemetery from the Early Dilmun phase

Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 50 (2020) Les fouilles françaises de Abu Saiba (Mont 1). Données nouvelles sur la phase Tylos de Bahreïn (c.200 BC-AD 300)

International audienceSince 2017, the French Archaeological Mission in Bahrain has been engaged in a research project at Abu Saiba, a major necropolis from the Tylos archaeological period of the island (c.200 BC-AD 300). The site appears as the typical, roughly circular, low mound generally constituting a Tylos cemetery, with a diameter of c.70 m and a height of c.4-5 m. Fifty built graves have already been identified and eighteen were excavated by a team including a bio-archaeologist. The presence, above several of them, of a sandy mound covered with flat stones-a traditional marker of high status-shows the importance of the community buried there. The organization of the cemetery as well as the architecture of the tombs are discussed here, and special attention is paid to the burial rituals. Looting in antiquity was extensive but not systematic, and the few grave-goods recovered (glazed vessels, daily life items, jewellery, and adornments) indicate a main occupation covering the end of the first century BC and the first century AD. The identification of recurring Bronze Age pottery between the graves is puzzling and could indicate the existence, at a lower level, of an earlier cemetery from the early Dilmun phase.Since 2017, the French Archaeological Mission in Bahrain has been engaged in a research project at Abu Saiba, a major necropolis from the Tylos archaeological period of the island (c. 200 BC–300 AD). The site appears as the typical, roughly circular, low mound generally constituted by a Tylos cemetery, with a diameter of c. 70m and a height of c. 4 to 5m.50 built graves have already been identified and 18 were excavated by a team including a bio-archaeologist. The presence, above several of them, of a sandy mound covered with flat stones –a traditional marker of high status– shows the importance of the community buried there. The organization of the cemetery, as well as the architecture of the tombs, are discussed here, and special attention is paid to the burial rituals. Antique looting is important, but not systematic, and the few burial offerings recovered (glazed vessels, daily life items, jewelry and adornments) indicate a main occupation covering the end of the 1st century BC and the 1st century AD. The identification of recurring Bronze Age pottery between the graves is puzzling and could indicate the existence, at a lower level, of an earlier cemetery from the Early Dilmun phase

Les fouilles françaises de Abu Saiba (Mont 1). Données nouvelles sur la phase Tylos de Bahreïn (c. 200 av. J.-C. – 300 ap. J.-C.)

International audienceSince 2017, the French Archaeological Mission in Bahrain has been engaged in a research project at Abu Saiba, a major necropolis from the Tylos archaeological period of the island (c.200 BC-AD 300). The site appears as the typical, roughly circular, low mound generally constituting a Tylos cemetery, with a diameter of c.70 m and a height of c.4-5 m. Fifty built graves have already been identified and eighteen were excavated by a team including a bio-archaeologist. The presence, above several of them, of a sandy mound covered with flat stones-a traditional marker of high status-shows the importance of the community buried there. The organization of the cemetery as well as the architecture of the tombs are discussed here, and special attention is paid to the burial rituals. Looting in antiquity was extensive but not systematic, and the few grave-goods recovered (glazed vessels, daily life items, jewellery, and adornments) indicate a main occupation covering the end of the first century BC and the first century AD. The identification of recurring Bronze Age pottery between the graves is puzzling and could indicate the existence, at a lower level, of an earlier cemetery from the early Dilmun phase

Settlement change and continuity through the Islamic period in the Khaybar Oasis

International audienc

Settlement change and continuity through the Islamic period in the Khaybar Oasis

International audienc

The ramparts of Khaybar. Multiproxy investigation for reconstructing a Bronze Age walled oasis in Northwest Arabia

International audienceThe multidisciplinary investigation carried out between 2020 and 2023 by the Khaybar Longue Durée Archaeological Project (CNRS-RCU-AFALULA) demonstrates that the Khaybar Oasis was entirely enclosed by a rampart in pre-Islamic times, like several other large regional walled oases in north-western Arabia (Tayma, Qurayyah, Hait, etc.). The cross-referencing of survey and remote sensing data, architectural examinations and the dating of stratified contexts have revealed a rampart initially some 14.5 km long, generally between 1.70 m and 2.40 m thick, reinforced by 180 bastions. Preserved today over just under half of the original route (41 %, 5.9 km and 74 bastions), this rampart dates back to the Bronze Age, between 2250 and 1950 BCE, and had never been detected before due to the profound reworking of the local desert landscape over time. This crucial discovery confirms the rise of a walled oasis complex in northern Arabia during the Bronze Age, a trend that proved to be central to the creation of indigenous social and political complexity

The ramparts of Khaybar. Multiproxy investigation for reconstructing a Bronze Age walled oasis in Northwest Arabia

International audienceThe multidisciplinary investigation carried out between 2020 and 2023 by the Khaybar Longue Durée Archaeological Project (CNRS-RCU-AFALULA) demonstrates that the Khaybar Oasis was entirely enclosed by a rampart in pre-Islamic times, like several other large regional walled oases in north-western Arabia (Tayma, Qurayyah, Hait, etc.). The cross-referencing of survey and remote sensing data, architectural examinations and the dating of stratified contexts have revealed a rampart initially some 14.5 km long, generally between 1.70 m and 2.40 m thick, reinforced by 180 bastions. Preserved today over just under half of the original route (41 %, 5.9 km and 74 bastions), this rampart dates back to the Bronze Age, between 2250 and 1950 BCE, and had never been detected before due to the profound reworking of the local desert landscape over time. This crucial discovery confirms the rise of a walled oasis complex in northern Arabia during the Bronze Age, a trend that proved to be central to the creation of indigenous social and political complexity

Le développement durable à découvert

Vingt ans après la première conférence de Rio, qu’est devenue la proposition de conduire nos sociétés vers un développement durable ? Adopté par les uns, utilisé comme faire-valoir par les autres, ce concept de développement durable est souvent vidé de son sens. Or, l’impact exponentiel des activités humaines sur les ressources naturelles, la santé des populations et le milieu exige d’expliquer ce qu’il est précisément. Qu’est-ce que le développement durable aujourd’hui ? Qu’en est-il de la disponibilité des ressources et de l’usage que nous en faisons ? Dans le domaine de l’eau, du climat, des sols, de la biodiversité ? En milieu rural, sur le littoral ou encore en milieu urbain, là où la majorité de la population va vivre d’ici 2050, comment consommons-nous au fil du temps, à travers les territoires ? Quelles incidences les activités humaines ont-elles sur les ressources, sur la santé des populations et sur le milieu lui-même ? Les relations entre l’humanité et l’environnement doivent-elles évoluer ? Autant de questions posées à des scientifiques qui éclaircissent la complexité des interactions entre les systèmes et proposent des solutions pour un avenir sur le long terme. De nos écosystèmes à nos modes de consommation, des risques naturels aux nouvelles technologies ou aux pollutions, des usines du futur au traitement des déchets, Le développement durable à découvert informe, explique, partage tout ce que la science actuelle est capable d’apporter au défi majeur du xxie siècle : comment mieux comprendre la complexité des enjeux qui nous concernent tous et assurer le développement de l’humanité sans détruire son biotope. Économistes, physiciens, sociologues, agronomes, écologues... plus de 150 chercheurs se sont mobilisés pour associer leur expertise à leur regard critique et décrire, comprendre, modéliser, imaginer, illustrations et schémas à l’appui, les outils destinés à construire les sociétés équitables de demain