Agostini, Alessio

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       Aethiopica 15 (2012) International Journal of Ethiopian and Eritrean Studies     ________________________________________________________________  ALESSIO AGOSTINI, Sapienza Università di Roma Personalia In memoriam Alessandro de Maigret (1943–2011) Aethiopica 15 (2012), 237–241 ISSN: 2194–4024 ________________________________________________________________  Edited in the Asien-Afrika-Institut  Hiob Ludolf Zentrum für Äthiopistik  der Universität Hamburg Abteilung für Afrikanistik und Äthiopistik    by Alessandro Bausi in cooperation with Bairu Tafla, Ulrich Braukämper, Ludwig Gerhardt,  Hilke Meyer-Bahlburg and Siegbert Uhlig Personalia Aethiopica 15 (2012) 237Short Entries 1977 ߋAli Alulaߌ [p. 48], ߋAli Gwangulߌ [pp. 48߃49], ߋAntonelli, P[ietro]ߌ [pp. 50߃51], ߋIyasu IIߌ [pp. 90߃91], ߋManan Liben-Amdieߌ [p. 103], ߋNegusÈ Walda Mikaelߌ [p. 118], ߋPlowden, W[alter] C[hichele] ߌ [p. 103], ߋSalamaߌ [pp. 124߃125], ߋTakla-Giorgisߌ [p. 133], ߋTewodros IIߌ [pp. 138߃139], in: K. IRVINE (ed.), The Encyclopae-dia Africana ߃ Dictionary of African Biography, I: Ethiopia ߃ Ghana, New York: Reference Pub. 2003 ߋʞAlÃmayyÃhu Tewodrosߌ [pp. 189߃190], ߋAli Alulaߌ [p. 199], ߋAli Musaߌ [p. 202], ߋAli Umarߌ [p. 203], ߋArÃgawi SÃbagadisߌ [p. 310], ߋAttƼؾÃgÃbߌ [p. 395], ߋBadƼmma YalÃwߌ [p. 429], ߋBƼrru Goŀŀuߌ [p. 542], [with BAIRU TAFLA] ߋBƼrru ঙeؾrosߌ [p. 544], ߋCoffin, Williamߌ [pp. 765߃766], in: EAE I. 2005 ߋDĊnĊ Mu׷ammad Burhànߌ, in EAE II, p. 165. In memoriam Alessandro de Maigret  (1943߃2011) ALESSIO AGOSTINI, Sapienza Universit¿ di Roma Alessandro de Maigret (born in Perugia, Italy, 14 August 1943) was among the archaeologists who contributed the most to the unveiling of Pre-Islamic history in Southern Arabia. This sad loss, at only 67 years of age, deprives us of a scholar who, without a doubt, could have still contributed greatly with more discoveries and historical reconstructions. He died on 14 February 2011 near Perugia after a long and courageous battle with his illness, the first symp-toms of which were revealed just a few days before leaving on an archaeologi-cal mission to Yemen. De Maigret arrived in Yemen for the first time in 1980, after his studies at the University ߋLa Sapienzaߌ of Rome, where he had been member of the Italian Archaeological Mission to Syria, which was digging at Ebla and Tell Afis (direction of P. Matthiae). After a period in London, where he expanded his knowledge of theoretical archaeology at the University College, he be-came aware of the great potential Yemen had for an archaeologist: the country was, in fact, still marginal within ancient Near Eastern studies. Since 1980 he had been an associate professor of Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology at the Istituto Universitario Orientale of Naples, the position he kept as full profes-sor from 1990 until his retirement in 2010. With the support of Sabatino Mos-cati and under the sponsorship of the Istituto Italiano per l߈Africa e l߈Oriente of Rome directed by G. Gnoli (IsIAO, at that time IsMEO), he set up the first exploratory mission to Yemen. From the beginning the first results were very encouraging: prospections of ׼awlàn aؾ-ؽiyàl region on the Highland, Alessio Agostini Aethiopica 15 (2012) 238south-east of شanʞàʝ, in fact revealed traces of settlements that were differenti-ated both from Prehistoric culture as well as from the ߋClassicalߌ South Ara-bian culture. He had, for the first time, identified traces of the Bronze Age in Yemen, a cultural phase that was totally unknown at the time and that could have helped in defining the formation of the subsequent 1st millennium B.C. civilization. Clarifying this formation phase, and giving it a sounder chronolog-ical setting, were in fact the major issues de Maigret concentrated around, and they remained amongst his most valuable objectives throughout his career. In 1987 he discovered the site of Yalà (until that time only known to the locals), which seemed to be just perfect in dealing with these questions. This discovery was not only a turning point for his career, but also for South Arabian studies. His profound knowledge of pottery led him to immediately realize that this site had been abandoned during an ancient Sabaean phase, and that its investi-gation could turn out to be very precious. A very difficult and quick mission (the region was, and still is among Yemen߈s most unsecure), with a probe in a private house, revealed pottery fragments with South Arabian letters. Carbon-14 dating clearly indicated that they originated from the strata of the very beginning of 1st millennium B.C. This discovery put an end to the harsh de-bate of the South Arabian chronology and confirmed that High Chronology was to take its place. This also had important consequences not only for South Arabia, as it helped to redefine the Sabaean phase in Ethiopia, still considered in connection with South Arabian Low Chronology by most scholars. At the end of the 1980s he received the concession of Baràqish, the ancient Minaean Yathill, an extraordinary site in the Jawf valley, that was still archae-ologically virgin. Baràqish is a great challenge for an archaeologist: she has very well preserved structures and a very long history to be reconstructed, spanning from the ancient Sabaean period, to the Minaean up to the Islamic one, which lasted to the 18th߃19th centuries A.D. During several missions to Baràqish (1989߃1992) he brought the Minaean temple of Nakra׷ to light, a structure extraordinary preserved up to its roof covering. Yemen߈s civil war during the 1990s forced him to stay away from the country. During that peri-od, however, he was appointed Cultural Counsellor to the Italian Embassy in Riyàן, and thanks to this position he was able to reflect upon his previous discoveries and to interpret them in the broader context of the Arabian Penin-sula and the Near East. Later on he accepted the supervision of the archaeo-logical investigation within the French Archaeological Mission lead by Chris-tian Robin at the YƼ׷a temple in TƼgray (Ethiopia). His previous experience at the Baràqish temple was found to be very useful in defining the continuity and the differentiations between this temple and the South Arabian tradition from which it presumably originated. At the end of the 1990s research resumed in a unified Yemen and this led to the investigation of the vast site of Tamnaʞ (23 ha), the capital of the ancient Personalia Aethiopica 15 (2012) 239kingdom of Qatabàn ߃ until then in former South Yemen. The Mission, which was set up with the collaboration of the French Mission for the study of epigraphic documentation, lasted until 2009 and was successful in unearth-ing a temple dedicated to the goddess Athirat as well as several private houses around an open space (the so-called ߋMarket Squareߌ). The definitive report was the main work de Maigret concentrated his efforts on during his last months. Investigation of the nearby site of ׶ayd ibn ʞAqĊl, the official ne-cropolis of the Qatabanian capital, was also pursued. Interest in the funerary practices was nothing new for de Maigret, as he had already directed explora-tions of the hypogean tombs of the Highland, as well as of the so-called ߋTur-ret Gravesߌ in the desert fringe. During his last years he was also able to iden-tify a first necropolis connected with the Minaean Yathill; its excavation was directed by S. Antonini. In 2003, in fact, he managed to return to Baràqish and, after promoting the restoration of the Nakra׷ temple ߃ unprecedented in this area for techniques and materials used ߃ he began the excavation of the contiguous temple of ʞAthtar dhŊ-Qabן. Again, this temple revealed close similarities to the YƼ׷a temple, strengthening his conviction that a connection was plausible between Minaean architectural style and the first South Arabian phase in TƼgray. His last year in Baràqish was devoted to a deep probe in front of the Nakra׷ temple, and thanks to that, we now have one of the most extensive stratigraphies which, for the first time, reveals the length and exten-sion of pre-Minaean Yathill with more clarity. In his final years, political struggles forced him to stay away from Yemen more than his illness. He never lost his curiosity and still looked forward to new projects and objectives. This attitude led him to organize a first Mis-sion to the site of ÿaymàn, south of شanʞàʝ (conducted by S. Antonini in 2010), and a far-seeing Mission to the site of DŊmat al-Jandal in Saudi Ara-bia, probably the Adummatu cited in the Assyrian texts (now Italian-French-Saudi Archaeological Mission). I had the rare privilege of working at de Maigret߈s side for several seasons and, besides the formative opportunity that this offered me, I had the chance to admire his qualities both as an archaeologist and as a man. He was en-dowed with a strong intuition ߃ a useful quality in several disciplines, but one that really makes a difference in archaeology. He also had some rare human values that rendered him a bright, reliable and respectful person with every-one. Local workers preferred to call him Iskandar (Alexander) rather than mudĊr (Director) because of the great sympathy and closeness he was able to establish with people from the most different backgrounds. He also was a very reflective man, because of his philosophical attitude in interpreting the past, and always had an insight mixed with a touch of his sane irony. He will be greatly missed by all of his colleagues and collaborators for whom he will remain an enduring example of scientific commitment and rectitude. Alessio Agostini Aethiopica 15 (2012) 240Selected Bibliography of the Publications of Alessandro de Maigret 1980 ߋProspezione geoarcheologica nello Yemen del Nord. Notizia di una prima ricognizione (1980)ߌ, Oriens Antiquus 19, pp. 307߃313. 1984 ߋA Bronze Age for Southern Arabiaߌ, East & West 34, pp. 75߃106.  1988 The Sabaean Archaeological Complex in the WàdĊ Yalà (Eastern ׼awlàn aؾ-ؽiyàl), Yemen Arab Republic: A Preliminary Report, Roma: IsMEO. 1989 With C. ROBIN, ߋLes fouilles italiennes de Yalà (YÈmen du Nord): nouvelles donnÈes sur la chronologie de l߈Arabie du Sud prÈislamiqueߌ, Comptes Rendus de l߈AcadÈmie des Inscriptions & Belles Lettres, pp. 255߃291. 1990 The Bronze Age Culture of ׼awlàn aؾ-ؽiyàl and al-׶adà (Republic of Yemen): A First General Report, Roma: IsMEO. 1993 With C. ROBIN, ߋLe temple de Nakra׷ ¿ Yathill (aujourd߈hui Baràqish), YÈmen, rÈsultats des deux premiÇres campagnes de fouilles de la Mission Italienneߌ, Comptes Rendus de l߈AcadÈmie des Inscriptions & Belles Lettres, pp. 427߃498. 1998 ߋThe Arab nomadic People and the Cultural Interface between the ߇Fertile Cres-cent߈ and ߇Arabia Felix߈ߌ, Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy 10, pp. 220߃224. 2002 Arabia Felix: an Exploration of the Archaeological History of Yemen, London: Stacey international, 2009 [being a translation of Arabia Felix: Un viaggio nell߈archeologia dello Yemen, Milano: Rusconi, 1996]. 2003 ߋLa ceramica sabea: Specificit¿ e sviluppi da uno studio delle formeߌ, Arabia. Revue de SabÈologie 1, pp. 89߃96, plates 217߃244. 2005 With S. ANTONINI, South Arabian Necropolises: Italian Excavations at Al-Makhdarah and Kharibat al-Ahjur (Republic of Yemen), Roma: IsIAO. 2009 With C. ROBIN, ߋLe royaume sudarabique de MaʞĊn. Nouvelles donnÈes grÁce aux fouilles italiennes de Baràqish (l߈antique Yathill)ߌ, Comptes Rendus de l߈Aca-dÈmie des Inscriptions & Belles Lettres, pp. 57߃96. 2007߃10 ߋA Sabaean Stratigraphy of Baràqishߌ, Arabia. Revue de SabÈologie 4, pp. 67߃95, figs. 205߃241. Festschrift 2005 SHOLAN, A. M. ߃ S. ANTONINI ߃ M. ARBACH (eds.) Sabaean Studies: Archaeolo-gical, Epigraphical and Historical Studies in Honour of YŊsuf M. ʞAbdallàh, A-lessandro de Maigret, Christian J. Robin on the Occasion of Their Sixtieth Birth-days, Naples ߃ Sanʞàʝ: Il Torcoliere [repr. in the series ߋOrient & MÈditerranÈeߌ by De Boccard, Paris, 2009]. With Biographical Notes and Bibliography by S. ANTONINI (pp. xix߃xxxiv). Bibliography of Alessandro de Maigret on Ethiopian matters 1998 With C. ROBIN, ߋLe Grand Temple de YÈha (Tigray, Ethiopie), aprÇs la pre-miÇre campagne de fouilles de la Mission FranÆaise (1998)ߌ, Comptes Rendus de l߈AcadÈmie des Inscriptions & Belles Lettres, pp. 737߃798. 1999 ߋYeha: recenti scavi in un tempio sudarabico d߈Etiopiaߌ, Levante 41, pp, 5߃20. 2002 ߋThe First Excavation Campaign in ߇Temple I߈ at Yeha (Tigray, Ethiopia)ߌ, Vestnik Drevney Istorii 3, pp. 184߃190. Personalia Aethiopica 15 (2012) 2412010 ߋIl Grande Tempio di YÈha (Etiopia) ed i Templi Minei di Baràqish (Yemen)ߌ, in: F. MAZZEI ߃ P. CARIOTI (a c.), Oriente, Occidente e dintorni ߑ Scritti in onore di Adolfo Tamburello, Napoli: Universit¿ degli Studi di Napoli ߋL߈Orientaleߌ, Dipar-timento di Studi Asiatici, Istituto Italiano per l߈Africa e l߈Oriente, pp. 773߃781. 2012 ߋSome new Considerations on the Great Temple of Yehaߌ, in: S. WENIG (Hrsg.), In kaiserlichem Auftrag: Die Deutsche Aksum-Expedition 1906 unter Enno Littmann, II: Altertumskundliche Untersuchungen der DAE in Tigray/£thiopien = Forschungen zur ArchÃologie Au¾ereuropÃischer Kulturen 3/2, Wiesbaden: Dr. Ludwig Reichert Verlag, pp. 183߃202. In memoriam Arthur Kinloch Irvine  (1935߃2011) DAVID L. APPLEYARD, Bath Arthur Kinloch Irvine was a quiet and unassuming man, a scholar of ߋthe old schoolߌ, whose name is perhaps not as well known to the world of Ethiopian Studies as it should be. In formal contexts he preferred to use only his initials and not specify his first names, but was of course always simply known as Arthur to close colleagues and friends. He was a member of faculty at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) from 1961 until 1998, throughout the 37 years of his academic career. He retired formally in 1992 as Reader in Semitic Languages, but continued to do some teaching for six more years. His teaching focused on Ethiopian Semitic, especially Amharic and GƼʞƼz, but in his research he specialized in Ancient South Arabian languages and culture, including links with Ancient Ethiopia. Born on 23 August 1935 in Glasgow, where his father was Professor of Music at the university, he received his secondary education at the famous Hutchesons߈ Grammar School in the city and matriculated in 1952 in the Scottish Higher in Latin, Greek, Mathematics, English and History. From there he went to St. Andrews, where he read Classics. It was at university that he first studied Arabic, under Edward Ullendorff, who by then had been at St. Andrews for two years. They remained life-long friends and colleagues after Ullendorff, too, moved to SOAS in 1964 where Arthur was already Lecturer in Semitic Languages. After graduating in 1956 he went on to St. John߈s College, Oxford, where he worked for his doctorate on Old South Arabian, the group of languages that was to remain the principal focus of his research for the rest of his life. In those days supervisors were less a regular part of a research student߈s life than they are now, but at St. John߈s he was fortunate enough to work with the renowned Arabist and Old South Arabianist, Alfred Felix Landon Beeston. 

In memoriam Alessandro de Maigret (1943-2011)

Aethiopica

       Aethiopica 15 (2012) International Journal of Ethiopian and Eritrean Studies     ________________________________________________________________  ALESSIO AGOSTINI, Sapienza Università di Roma Personalia In memoriam Alessandro de Maigret (1943–2011) Aethiopica 15 (2012), 237–241 ISSN: 2194–4024 ________________________________________________________________  Edited in the Asien-Afrika-Institut  Hiob Ludolf Zentrum für Äthiopistik  der Universität Hamburg Abteilung für Afrikanistik und Äthiopistik    by Alessandro Bausi in cooperation with Bairu Tafla, Ulrich Braukämper, Ludwig Gerhardt,  Hilke Meyer-Bahlburg and Siegbert Uhlig 

AGOSTINI, ALESSIO

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