Islamic Period Research Articles

Identification of subsurface archaeology at Mutaredh, United Arab Emirates, using ground penetrating radar

The United Arab Emirates holds great historical importance, as evidenced by many archaeological sites, such as the Jebel Hafit Tombs and the Hili Archeological Park in Al Ain. At the western edge of Mutaredh Oasis, a major new archaeological site was discovered in 2023 during a construction project. Several important archeological features have been documented, including an earthen mosque and boundary walls, Iron Age irrigation systems, and a circular stone tomb dating to the Bronze Age. However, the eastern edge of the Mutaredh site has remained unexplored to date. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) has been proven to be a successful method in mapping archaeological remains. Accordingly, a high-resolution GPR survey was carried out to identify the continuity of the unearthed archeological elements and delineate new unexplored features. A comprehensive 3D model of buried archaeological features was constructed using the acquired high-resolution GPR data in the eastern part of the Mutaredh site. Several selected anomalies have been observed, similar to the uncovered features in the western part of the Mutaredh site and structures documented in other nearby archaeological sites. The geometry and extension of these anomalies have enabled the possible identification of a further two Bronze Age circular tombs, as well as the delineation of a system of water channels (falaj), and irrigation networks with tree pits from the Iron Age. Moreover, walls probably belonging to the Late Islamic Age are identified. These findings suggest that Mutaredh has been a site of intensive human activity from the Bronze Age through to the Late Islamic period. Given the density of identified anomalies, further significant features are anticipated to lie buried in the immediate surrounding areas, promising continued insights into the area’s rich archaeological heritage. The findings of this study may guide archaeologists to specific locations and assist in selecting the most appropriate excavation techniques for the verification stage.

Evidence of glass bead‐making in the early Islamic Iberian Peninsula

AbstractGlass beads from two Islamic archaeological sites in the Tagus valley in central Spain were selected and analysed by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS), and a subset of samples (n = 6) was analysed for Pb isotopes by multicollector thermal ionization mass spectrometry (MC‐TIMS). The analytical and isotopic data of the beads from Ciudad de Vascos (Toledo) and Albalat (Cáceres) demonstrate beyond reasonable doubt that glass beads were produced in the Iberian Peninsula during the Islamic period using local Pb‐silica and soda‐rich plant‐ash glass. The bead workshops in al‐Andalus were evidently part of an efficient system of glass collection and recycling, and used only relatively simple bead‐making techniques such as winding and folding. At present it is unclear to what extent the Islamic bead‐makers in the Iberian Peninsula were involved in the international trade in glass beads or whether their products were mainly destined for a regional market. Despite local production, some samples show compositional and typological features that suggest the import of finished glass beads, perhaps from Central Asia.

Archaeological Geology of Jurash, ʿAsīr Province, Southwestern Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACTThe Jurash archaeological site is located on Wādī Bīshah near the city of Khamīs Mushayt in southwestern Saudi Arabia. It has a fort and other remains from the pre‐Islamic period (third century bc to early seventh century ad) and a settlement with two mosques from the Early Islamic period (early seventh to early 11th centuries ad). A survey was conducted for the purposes of identifying the building materials and determining their geographic sources, and also investigating the building methods. It was found that all materials were locally derived and that the fort's outer wall is a typical example of South Arabian fortifications of the first millennium bc. An examination of the site stratigraphy revealed that Jurash has been repeatedly inundated by destructive flash floods from Wādī Bīshah. The timing of these events was largely controlled by global climatic fluctuations, including the Medieval Climate Anomaly and the Little Ice Age.

Osteometric characteristics of the Medieval population of Northern Sudan (based on materials from the Deraheib monument)

Introduction. Paleoanthropological studies of Medieval North African materials are extremely few. Despite the large number of international expeditions working in the region, very few results of craniometric and osteometric data are presented. This is partly due to the loss of practical measurement skills in European anthropological schools in the second half of the 20th century, partly due to the difficulties of studying the graves of the Islamic period. Several seasons of work of the Nubian Archaeological and Anthropological Expedition of the Research Institute and the Museum of Anthropology of Lomonosov Moscow State University on the Southern Necropolis of the medieval site Derakheyb (Republic of Sudan) were devoted to the study of this population. The purpose of the publication is characteristics of the medieval population buried in the Southern Necropolis of the Derakheyb site due to osteological features and introducing the new data. Materials and methods. The material is the bones of the postcranial skeleton of adult individuals (14 men and 9 women). The technique corresponds to the classical program in the modification of V.P. Alekseev (a total of 74 signs and 16 pointers). The reconstruction of the body length was carried out, the total body dimensions were described, and the proportion indicators were calculated. For intra-group analysis, the principal component method was used, which was carried out using individual data using the R language. Results and discussion. The male population is characterized by average total body size and shoulder width, while the female series is relatively narrow-shouldered. In the male series, the distal parts of the arms and legs are elongated relative to the proximal ones, and the lower limbs are elongated relative to the upper ones. The women's series featured a more graceful physique. The distal part of the leg is elongated relative to the proximal one, as in the male group; there is also some shortening of the upper limbs relative to the lower ones. Body length varies between 166 cm for men and 156 cm for women. Conclusion. According to osteometry data, the medieval population of the city of Derakheyb can be characterized as heterogeneous, the individuals that stand out mainly correspond to those that stood out according to craniological data. The male part of the population is medium-massive, and the female part is graceful. The entire sample is characterized by shortened lower limbs relative to the arms, as well as elongated distal parts of the arms and legs relative to the proximal ones, which reflects one of the features of the tropical adaptive type.

The Phenomenon of Almajirci in Northern Nigeria: A Historical Perspective

The Almajirci system is an ancient tradition of Islamic scholarship that dates back to the early period of Islam in the Western Sudan. It is characterized by itinerancy, with scholars and their students traveling in search of knowledge. This practice initially yielded positive results, cultivating a large number of indigenous scholars in the region, particularly in Hausaland. However, the current form of Almajirci education, where children are left in dire conditions, often naked and more concerned with survival than with acquiring spiritual knowledge—the primary aim of the system—is foreign to Islam and the original Almajirci tradition in Northern Nigeria. Today, the phenomenon of Almajirci has evolved into a social problem, leading to the abandonment and exploitation of children, many of whom become easy recruits for criminality and violence. Previous government efforts to regulate and address the worsening situation—through integration, control, or legislation—have largely been half-hearted and politically expedient, failing to provide a lasting solution. This paper explores the historical development of the Almajirci system of education in Northern Nigeria, identifying the material conditions that led to its transformation from a productive educational system to its current, deteriorated state, and examining the reasons for the failure of previous attempts to resolve the issue. The findings of this study could help suggest a viable solution to the problem. The paper asserts that solving the Almajirci problem requires a concerted effort: a combination of genuine government action, intervention by non-governmental organizations, support from philanthropic individuals in society, and continued exhortations by respected Muslim clerics, reminding parents of their responsibilities toward their children.

Medieval Islamic Evidence along the Southern Coast of Oman: The Region of Ḥāsik

Abstract This contribution aims to present the results of a brief survey conducted on some ports in the Dhofar region, along the southernmost coast of the Sultanate of Oman, dated to the medieval Islamic period. The research carried out by the University of Naples L’Orientale at the site of al-Balīd and more broadly in the Dhofar region aims not only to advance new study and research activities but also to reinterpret and analyze existing materials, with the goal of developing a more complete understanding of the region’s role during the Islamic era. During this time, the port of al-Balīd, along with Ṣuḥār and Qalhāt in the northern part of the country, was one of the key centres in the trade networks of the western Indian Ocean. However, there were several satellite ports involved in long- medium and short distance trade networks which may have played an important role in communications with the interior where the frankincense resin was collected. The paper will focus on two of these ports: Sūq al-Ḥāsik and Ḥāsik Qadīm.

Contextualisation of Zhihar with Shari’ah Maqasid Approach

Zhihar, a form of divorce from pre-Islamic Arab society, was abolished during the Islamic period through the Qur'an and the sunnah of the prophet. This article undertakes a re-examination of zhihar in a modern context, with a particular focus on the maqasid Shari'ah approach. This approach, which underscores the fundamental objectives of Islamic law, including the safeguarding of religion, soul, intellect, heredity, property, and self-esteem, plays a crucial role in reinterpreting the concept of zhihar to serve the benefit of the ummah in the contemporary era. By conducting a textual and contextual study of the Qur'an, the sunnah of the Prophet, and the opinions of scholars, this article concludes that zhihar in the modern context should be viewed as a means of protecting family honor and preserving the harmony of the marital relationship. The study utilizes a descriptive-analytical method, guided by the maqasid Shari'ah approach, to assess the relevance and application of zhihar in the context of Muslim life today, thereby providing a comprehensive understanding of the topic

Jejak-Jejak Tertulis: Sejarah Pembukuan Hadis Dalam Islam

This study examines the development, controversy, and influence of hadith bookkeeping in the Islamic tradition from early times to modern contexts. Hadith, as the second source in the Islamic religious hierarchy after the Quran, played an important role in directing religious practice, the establishment of Islamic law, and understanding of the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as well as the early period of Islam. Although it began soon after the death of the Prophet, the process of bookkeeping hadith has been marred by controversies surrounding authority, reliability, and methodology. These controversies include the validity of hadiths, the reliability of narrators, selection criteria, and methodologies of interpretation, as well as political and ideological influences in the bookkeeping process. Through a qualitative approach with literature studies, this study analyzes patterns, themes, and arguments that arise in literature related to history, methodology, and controversy in hadith bookkeeping. The results showed that hadith bookkeeping had a significant role in the development of Islamic thought and practice, despite methodological debates. Hadith bookkeeping remains an important cornerstone in the Islamic tradition, and the advice for the future is to maintain the quality and integrity of the hadith bookkeeping process and pay attention to various perspectives in interpreting and applying hadith in a contemporary context.

Sangbor Petroglyphs in Bavanat County, Southern Iran

During archaeological research, especially in the study of the historical and Islamic periods, the focus is on kings’ palaces, religious buildings and famous artists. Ordinary people are generally ignored. This means that all people of every social class should be studied to understand past societies. Petroglyphs are one of the most significant archaeological types of evidence to study ordinary people’s art and concerns. During an archaeological survey conducted by the author in Bavanat county, several petroglyphs were found in this area. Considering the importance of rock art in archaeology, anthropology, sociology, the history of art and rock art tourism, in this article, the petroglyphs of Sangbor that were discovered during the survey of Bavanat have been introduced. At this site several petroglyphs are identified on the rock outcrops in the area. Zoomorphs, anthropomorphs, geometric shapes, and unknown shapes are depicted. Petroglyphs were created by three methods: engraving, engraving-pounding and scratching. According to the amount of patination and weathering, the above petroglyphs were created during different periods. Natural factors such as rock erosion, wind and rain have gradually destroyed these rock art. In addition to preserving rock art sites like Sangbor, they can become a tourist attraction for rock art or cultural tourism.

Oued Beht, Morocco: a complex early farming society in north-west Africa and its implications for western Mediterranean interaction during later prehistory

The Maghreb (north-west Africa) played an important role during the Palaeolithic and later in connecting the western Mediterranean from the Phoenician to Islamic periods. Yet, knowledge of its later prehistory is limited, particularly between c. 4000 and 1000 BC. Here, the authors present the first results of investigations at Oued Beht, Morocco, revealing a hitherto unknown farming society dated to c. 3400–2900 BC. This is currently the earliest and largest agricultural complex in Africa beyond the Nile corridor. Pottery and lithics, together with numerous pits, point to a community that brings the Maghreb into dialogue with contemporaneous wider western Mediterranean developments.

The Future of the Civilization of the Ummah Is Reviewed from the Sociology of Education for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG'S)

Objective: The ancient Arab economy developed in the second half of the first millennium BC. Its glory peaked in the first century until the early second century AD, with trade routes to North Arabia and Syria. Nabataean kingdom in North Arabia was established, with two major cities as trading centers: Petra, and Palmyra. using the sociological perspective of education and commercialization theory, the ancient Arab economy has a mode of merchant capitalism. Theoretical Framework: Ancient Arab trading capitalism revived in the pre-Islamic Arab period, from the end of the fourth century AD. Mecca became the center of international trade, side by side with Yathrib and Taif. Two types of markets were born, the inner market and the outer market. New institutions related to culture, politics, and economy were established, including the division of labor institutions and institutions that regulate traders' interaction from inside and outside Makkah. Method: This research uses an interpretative paradigm with a qualitative approach, case study type, and multicase design. Data were collected using observation, interviews, and documentation. Data validity using triangulation of sources, methods, and theories. Next, an interactive model analysis is carried out. The research object was carried out in the Yogyakarta and Surakarta regions of Indonesia. Results and Discussion: Merchant capitalism during the early Islamic era underwent characteristic changes, similar to social capitalism. Referred to as Religious Capitalism, because its inspiration comes from religious teachings. The state regulates the market: the prohibition of exaggerating the quality of goods, bidding new prices, intercepting goods before they reach the market, hoarding goods, and silent trading. State revenues have also increased, including spoils of war, income from the agricultural and industrial sectors, kharaj, endowments, 'ushr, jizya, redemption money, loans, alms, and gifts. The state is involved in public affairs, for example by establishing the Diwan. Research Implications: The reconstruction of Islamic civilization should follow the model of Religious Capitalism, which is one of the main legacies of the early Islamic period. Social capitalism is also gaining momentum. Apart from that, a development model with a mode of peaceful revolution is also proposed: dialogue and cooperation with the dominant civilization. The geopolitics of the world are also shifting. Originality/Value: Three technical requirements are needed, namely political democracy, economic cooperation, and active participation in global institutions. The main attention is directed to the development of knowledge and science, with critical and conventional madzab models.

Stations of the Ottoman Period in Iraqi Kurdistan: Preliminary Results from the Bazhera Archaeological Project

In 2023, an archaeological research project was initiated by the University of Udine, in cooperation with the Dohuk Directorate of Antiquities and Heritage of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, on the site of Bazhera, on the eastern bank of the Nahr al-Khazir, in the Akre district. The site consists of a partially standing building, which would have played a role in the communication system of the region during the late Islamic period, as one of the stations in support of travellers. The main objective of the project is to reconstruct the functioning of this structure, its material culture and its relationship with other archaeological remains identified on the settlement and with the surrounding landscape, in order to provide new data regarding land management and protection of a frontier region of the Ottoman empire which has been neglected by archaeological research.

The Environmental History of the Navazo Agroecosystem in Late Holocene Sand Bodies Along the Atlantic Coast of Andalusia, Spain

ABSTRACT Since the late Spanish Enlightenment, the agroecosystem of the Atlantic coast of Andalusia, through which coastal dune systems are cultivated via sunken gardens between sand berms, have attracted scholarly attention. The environmental history of these systems, known as Navazo, is the focus of this article. Through analysis of historical aerial photographs, we identify eight areas in which traditional Navazo land use was practiced. By studying landscape diversity and historical documentation we identify key aspects of the emergence and evolution of this agroecosystem. The results of this study indicate that Navazos originated through a combination of the natural properties offered by the region's coastal dune geomorphology, which was cultivated as vineyards since ancient times, as well as external cultural influences. Coinciding with the popularisation of potato consumption in the eighteenth century, earlier vineyards were, in some cases, completely replaced by Navazos. Due to transformations in traditional land use practices, created a contemporary version of the Navazo. The location and physical configuration of the Navazos, meanwhile, display strong similarities with archaeological remains of Plot-and-Berm agroecosystems from the southeastern Mediterranean dating from the Early Islamic period. This study presents evidence to better understand the function, cropping practices and irrigation of these systems. .

What Made a Place Holy in Early Islam? An Inquiry into Meaning and Doctrinal Modalities

Compared to other religious systems rooted in Late Antiquity, Islam placed greater emphasis on the transcendent, assigning less value to physical forms per se. This article seeks to explore conceptions relating to what made a place ‘holy’ in early Islamic places of worship, delving into understanding the significance of sacred spaces in Islam, and dissecting the procedures and beliefs instrumental in the consecration of such locations. The primary focus rests on mosques, which were deemed the pinnacle of sacred spaces during the nascent Islamic period. This discourse deliberately omits discussion on Islamic funerary structures, which emerged in the classical form later in the third/ninth century. Instead, it analyzes the cases of the Ka’ba in Mecca and the Prophet’s mosque in Medina. The former serves as an exemplar of Islamized sanctuaries, whereas the latter epitomizes the prevalent archetype of sacred spaces in early Islam.

Intractable Cities: Urbanism in the Islamic Sphere of the Later Medieval Mediterranean World

ABSTRACT The urbanism of the medieval Islamic world has often been understood as a type of urbanism in which cities and the structures of states were closely entwined – a trait that has been foregrounded as a major difference from the urbanism of Christian Europe in this period. Based on a close-up study of six cities in the later medieval Mashriq and Maghrib, this article argues for a reappraisal of this interpretation. While there was a close link between urban and imperial structures in the early Islamic period, the urbanism that emerged in the period after the collapse of the ʿAbbāsid Empire was of an altogether different nature. Cities and states intersected in various ways, but cities were important political arenas which rulers surprisingly often struggled to control: only in some cities were rulers able to impose urbanistic schemes that dominated the spatial organisation of cities and in many cities they were frequently met with conflict and resistance from city-based populations.

Is Islam the Cause of Muslim Women's Subordination? A Historical Study of Gender in The Old Age and The Classical Islamic Period 7th Century

This article critically examines the historical context of gender equality in Islam, seeking to dispel the misconception that women are considered inferior to men within the Islamic framework. Utilizing historical approaches, the discussion unfolds in three key segments. First, it delves into the position of women in pre-Islamic societies, encompassing the Greek, Christian, Jewish, and Arabian periods. Subsequently, it explores the status of women following the advent of Islam, focusing on the Prophet Muhammad's era, particularly during the 7th century. Furthermore, the article presents notable female figures from Islamic history as exemplars of gender inclusivity within Islam. The conclusion posits that Islam, rather than being inherently discriminatory, has been misrepresented due to the perpetuation of patriarchal cultural norms. This study offers valuable insights into the complex interplay between religious teachings and socio-cultural dynamics that shape perceptions of gender within Islamic societies.

An anonymous fragment on Pentapolis

The scarcity of data on Pentapolis during the Islamic period contrasts, albeit with gaps, with the information we currently have for earlier periods. With the edition, translation and study of this brief Coptic-Arabic fragment, we intend to contribute with the provision of data with which to gradually fill in the lack of information we have about Pentapolis and its history.

Analysis of mosaic mortars from the Roman, Byzantine and Early Islamic periods sourced from Gerasa’s Northwest Quarter

This study analyses and compares around 650 years of mosaic mortar production spanning the Roman, late Roman and Umayyad periods, at Gerasa/Jerash in Jordan, offering a better understanding of composition, structural features, and manufacturing processes. It assesses the value of optical and electron microscopy examination of morphological and textural features, pore structure using MIP, and composition studies using EDX, XRD, FTIR, TGA, and Raman spectroscopy. The study indicated high density lime adhesive was used compared to other mortars. Wood was used as a fuel when producing the lime and natural fibres were incorporated when manufacturing mortars. Aggregates were primarily calcitic with a small proportion of silica-based aggregates. Key outcomes of the study conclude that early Roman mortars were of highest quality, which was demonstrated through the careful selection of materials including different stone for lime and tesserae, and differences between layers. Late Roman mortars used the same slaked lime plus fibres and charcoal. Mortars dating from the Umayyad period also had the same higher lime content than late Roman, but higher porosity with fibres and charcoal. In general, the mortars showed slight differences in content and aggregate; different stone for lime and tesserae. The research attests to underlying traditions as well as changes in mortar mixes and methods according to context and time. The resulting data is contextualized within local and regional approaches.

Pronominal variation in Arabic among the grammarians, Qurʾānic reading traditions and manuscripts

ABSTRACT In the early Islamic period, the literary form of Arabic had an astounding amount of variation in its pronominal morphology. This paper examines the pronominal morphology of especially the third person masculine singular and plural pronouns, as they are described by the early Arabic grammarians, how they appear in the the descriptions of the canonical and non-canonical reading traditions and finally the pronominal systems as they appear in actual early Qurʾānic manuscripts. It is shown that the early grammarians were much more permissive of morphological variation than one would expect from strict norms that appear later. It is also shown that the pronominal systems of the reading traditions go well beyond the kinds of variation described by these grammarians. The systems of these readers show clear clusters (a Kufan, Basran, Hijazi and a ‘Classical’ cluster), even though in the details reading traditions from a single region still often differ from one another. Finally, it is shown that while some of the pronominal systems known in the reading tradition literature also show up in the Qurʾānic manuscripts, there is a significant number of manuscripts that have pronominal systems unlike any of the described systems in the literary sources.

Discontinuous Arabic frozen expressions modelization and implementation

Frozen expressions hold significant importance in the field of natural language processing, attracting considerable attention from researchers across various languages in recent years. The Arabic language, in particular, boasts a wealth of frozen expressions inherited from the pre-Islamic and early Islamic periods, with persistent usage to the present day. This linguistic richness has motivated researchers to systematically collect, classify, and elucidate these expressions. Various classifications have emerged, addressing aspects such as continuity, discontinuity, allowance for variations, and restriction from variations. Our aim is to produce lexicon-grammar tables of discontinuous Arabic frozen expressions and implement them. Our approach involves the meticulous collection and study of these expressions, followed by the transformation of their lexicon-grammar tables into dictionaries and syntactic grammars within the NooJ platform. This methodology allows us to recognize and annotate these expressions in texts and corpora, even when they exhibit discontinuity. Such recognition has the potential to address several challenges in automatic natural language processing, including the area of automatic translation.