The Oxford Handbook of Islamic Archaeology

Description

Born from the fields of Islamic art and architectural history, the archaeological study of the Islamic societies is a relatively young discipline. With its roots in the colonial periods of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, its rapid development since the 1980s warrants a reevaluation of where the field stands today. This Handbook represents for the first time a survey of Islamic archaeology on a global scale, describing its disciplinary development and offering candid critiques of the state of the field today in the Central Islamic Lands, the Islamic West, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia. The international contributors to the volume address such themes as the timing and process of Islamization, the problems of periodization and regionalism in material culture, cities and countryside, cultural hybridity, cultural and religious diversity, natural resource management, international trade in the later historical periods, and migration. Critical assessments of the ways in which archaeologists today engage with Islamic cultural heritage and local communities closes the volume, highlighting the ethical issues related to studying living cultures and religions. Richly illustrated, with extensive citations, it is the reference work on the debates that drive the field today. Cover Islamic Archaeology Copyright Contents List of Contributors Section I: Editors’ Introduction Islamic Archaeology and Islamic Art History: The Special Relationship Islamic Archaeology and Islamization Islamic Archaeology as “Historical Archaeology” in the Middle East Problems of Periodization Organization of the Volume and Final Note References Section II: Central Islamic Lands Chapter 2.1: Northern Syria Historiography and Chronology Urban and Rural Landscapes The Early Islamic City in North Syria The Settlements of the Umayyad Elites The Evolution of Rural Settlement Archaeology of Religion The Defense of the Territory Conclusion References Chapter 2.2: Southern Syria Introduction Geography and Environment Historiography Periodization Urban Spaces Post-Conquest Urban Transformations Tiberias: Growth and Accommodation Jarash: Commerce and Industry Crusader and Post-Crusader Castles Ḥisbān Citadel Rural Spaces Early Islamic “Desert Castles” Villages Central Plateaus of Jordan: The Madaba Plains Negev and Petra Valley Highland Quṣūr and Khirāb Habitation Caves Agriculture and Landscapes Material Culture The Late Antique-Early Islamic Ceramic Transition Handmade Geometrically Painted (HMGP) Ware Rock Inscriptions Conclusion References Further Reading Chapter 2.3: Iraq Southern Iraq and the Irrigation System The Environment Human Development of the Landscape The Main Cities The Early Amsar Baghdad and the Abbasids Imitating Baghdad The Octagon of Qadisiyya (al-Mubarak) Early Castles Samarra Post-Samarran Cities Provincial and Pilgrimage Cities Trade and Artisanal Production Conclusion References Further Reading Chapter 2.4: Egypt Introduction: The Lands of Egypt Historical Overview: The State of the Field The Countryside, Agriculture, and Diet: Rural and Environmental Approaches Daily Life, Trade, and Production: The Story from Artifacts Urbanism: Al-Fustat/Cairo Urbanism: Provincial Cities Conclusion References Chapter 2.5: Persia Introduction Geography and Environment Ecology and Climate Historiography Periodization and Political History Settlements Urban Main Cities of Jibāl Fars Region: The Case of Iṣt ạ khr Some Main Cities in Khorāsān (Iran) Rural Material Culture and Daily Life Conclusion References Further Reading Chapter 2.6: Medieval Turkey Introduction Historiography Archaeology in Turkey in the Late Ottoman Period Islamic Archaeology in the Turkish Republic The Rural Landscape Salvage Archaeology in the Valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Rural Settlement in the Hatay (Antioch Region) and the Çukurova (Cilician Plain), South Central Turkey Rural Settlement on the Central Anatolian Plateau Seljuk Palaces and Suburban Gardens Urban Landscapes Urban Sites in Eastern and Southeastern Turkey Nautical Archaeology and Conclusion Chapter 2.7: Ottoman Anatolia Why an Archaeology of Ottoman Anatolia? The Art Historical Foundations of Ottoman Archaeology The Pioneers of Scientific Excavations Ethnography as Ottoman Archaeology Urban Archaeology Landscape Archaeology Archaeology of Production and Industrial Archaeology The Archaeology of Monuments Palaces Castles and Fortresses The Future References Further Reading Chapter 2.8: Arabia and the Gulf Historiography Environment Chronology Settlement Types Urban West Arabia (The Hijaz) Central Arabia (Najd) South Arabia (Yemen) Eastern Arabia Rural Settlement Nomadic Life Food, Diet, and Consumption Stimulants Trade Maritime Trade The Indian Ocean The Red Sea The Gulf Overland Trade Industry Religion Islam Other Religions Conclusion References Further Reading Chapter 2.9: Ottoman Europe Introduction The Archaeology of Ottoman Greece Slavic Regions (Balkan Peninsula) Hungarian Territories Romanian Lands Northern Black Sea Region References Further Reading Section III: The Islamic West Chapter 3.1: Ifriqiya and the Central Maghreb Introduction Background: A Brief History of Ifriqiya and the Central Maghreb Islamic Archaeology in North Africa Cities Rural Landscapes Ceramics and Material Culture Archaeology of Religion Conclusion References Chapter 3.2: The Maghreb al-Aqsa Historiography and the History of Research Cities Rural Landscapes Medieval Archaeology in Morocco or Archaeology Without the Study of Material Culture The Challenges Conclusion: Toward a New Islamic Archaeology of Morocco References Chapter 3.3: The Sahara Introduction Historiography Survey of Main Sites Pre-Sahara and Northern Sahara Central Sahara Southern Sahara Trade Urbanism and Architecture Technology Religion and the Spread of Islam into the Sahara Future Directions References Chapter 3.4: Al-Andalus The Construction of an Archaeology of al-Andalus The Urban Landscape The House and Society Rural Landscapes Exploitation of Natural Resources: Water Mining Archaeology of Power, Archaeology of the Palaces Archaeology of Religion Archaeology of Death: Cemeteries, Populations, Beliefs Material Culture: Ceramics The Achievements and Outstanding Issues of Andalusian Archaeology References Chapter 3.5: Sicily History, Historiography, and the Major Debates Funerary Practices, Religious Buildings, and Linguistic Arabization Material Culture and Exchange Networks The Rural World and Agricultural Practices The Cities Conclusion References Chapter 3.6: Contacts Between the Islamic World and Northern Europe in the Pre-Mongol Period Historical Background Before Islam Trade in the 9th and 10th Centuries Dirham Hoards Other Finds From the 11th Century To the Mongols References Section IV: Sub-Saharan Africa Chapter 4.1: Eastern African Coast Introduction Conversion and Presence Histories of East African Islam Identifying Islam Through Archaeology Sectarian Distinctions From Islamic Presence to Islamic Practice Mosques Burials Coins Conclusion References Chapter 4.2: The Nilotic Sudan Introduction Places of Prayer The Mosque Churches Converted into Mosques Other Places of Prayer Education, Literacy, and Social Formation The Awliya (Saints) Cemeteries and Identity The Qubba Practices at Cemeteries Tombstones The Archaeology of Trade Towns and Villages Developed Along Trade Routes The Archaeology of Pilgrimage (Hajj) Conclusion References Chapter 4.3: Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa Introduction Djibouti Eritrea The Dahlak Islands Mainland Ethiopia Northern Route Southern Route: Harar Southern Route: Harlaa Nomads South and South-East Ethiopia Somalia Coastal Sites Mogadishu Somaliland Coastal Trade Centers Inland Stone Towns, Shrines, and Tombs Conclusion References Chapter 4.4: West Africa Introduction Early Muslim Contacts (8th–10th Centuries) Essouk-Tadmekka Tegdaoust and Koumbi Saleh 11th to 14th Centuries Essouk/Tadmekka Gao Other Sites Archaeology, Islamization Patterns, and the Empire of Ghana The Empire of Mali 15th–18th Centuries The Empire of Songhai The Mande The Rainforest 19th Century Conclusion References Chapter 4.5: Central Sudan Introduction Kanem-Borno The Elusive Archaeology of the pre-Islamic Period (8th-11th Centuries) The Archaeology of the Early Islamic Period in Kanem (Mid-11th–14th Centuries) The Archaeology of Islam in Borno (15th–19th Centuries) Hausaland The Archaeology of the Pre-Islamic Period Around Kasar Hausa Early Development of Islam and Islamic Culture in Hausaland (10th–18th Centuries ce) Islamic Heritage and Archaeology in Hausaland (19th-Century Jihad Period and Beyond) Conclusion References Section V: Asia Chapter 5.1: Central Asia Introduction Construction of a Field of Study: From Orientalism to Russian Archaeology in Central Asia The Center and the North of the Amū Daryā Basin A Forced March Along the Amū Daryā Toward the Aral: Khwārazm The Margins of the Black Sand Desert (Kara Kum) The Syr Daryā Basin Border Towns on the Banks of the Steppe Conclusion References Further Reading Chapter 5.2: South Asia Introduction Historical Background Major Sites and Their Remains: 8th to Early 12th Century Muslim Maritime Trading Posts Delhi: Muslim Dominance, 1191 to mid-14th Century Bengal (West Bengal, India, and Bangladesh) Mid-14th to Late 17th Century: Central and South India 15th to Mid-16th Century: West India North-West India, 15th Century to the Mughal Era References Chapter 5.3: China Introduction Earliest Muslim Communities in China Examples of Major Islamic Archaeological Sites in China Quanzhou, Zaytun Mosques Museum Collections Material Culture and Burial Practices Cai Guo-qiang Exhibit Photographic Collections Conclusion: Role of China’s Belt and Road Initiative References Further Reading Chapter 5.4: Southeast Asia Introduction Barus (Lobu Tua and Bukit Hasang) Lambri (Lhok Lambaro) Samudera-Pasai (Lhokseumawe) Brunei (Bandar Seri Begawan) Conclusion References Chapter VI: Heritage Management and Community Development: Thematic Introduction Beyond the “Academy: ”Islamic Archaeology and Heritage Management Ironic Roles of Islamic Civilizations Beyond the Academy The Signs of Renewal Heritage Management and the Local Community Summary of Chapters in This Section Conclusion: A Distillation of What These Chapters Contribute to General Understanding of “Islamic Heritage” References Further Reading Chapter 6.1: Community Archaeology in the Islamic World Community Archaeology Projects in MENA and Other Predominantly Islamic Lands Çatalhöyük Research Project, Turkey Community Archaeology Project Quseir, Egypt The Origins of Doha Project, Qatar Jericho Mafjar Project and Jericho Oasis Archaeological Park, Palestine Borobudur Temple, Indonesia Other Community Archaeology-Related Initiatives in Islamic Lands The Abraham Path Initiative American Schools of Oriental Research Cultural Heritage Initiatives Endangered Archaeology in the Middle East and North Africa The Middle Eastern Geodatabase for Antiquities–Jordan Sada Mire’s Programs, Somaliland A Community Archaeology Revolution in Jordan Community-Driven Projects in Jordan The Challenge of Multiple Pasts at Tall Hisban Thirteen Suggestions for Moving Forward with Community Archaeology Acknowledgments References Further Reading Chapter 6.2: Heritage in Context In the Beginning Was the Comité The Colonial Layer Nationalism and Modernization Neoliberalism and Heritage Commodification What Now? References Further Reading Chapter 6.3: Is There an “Islamic” Practice for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage? Introduction Between the “West” and the “non-West” From Islamic Heritage to Muslim Heritage Practices “Islamic” Preservation of Cultural Heritage Discussion and Conclusion References Chapter 6.4: War and Recovery War Recovery References Chapter 6.5: Islamic Heritage in Three Peninsulas: Qatar, Iberia, and the Balkans One History of Islam, Different Islamic Pasts Politics of Discourses About Islamic Pasts People and Islamic Heritage: The Sources of Cultural Construction Current Politics of Islamic Heritage Conclusion: The Challenges and Potential of Islamic Heritage Acknowledgments References Index