Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean

Preliminary report on the archaeological survey of the joint Kuwaiti–Polish Mission, Failaka Island, 2012

2015, 24, No. 1

Franciszek Pawlicki

University of Warsaw, Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology

DOI

10.5604/01.3001.0010.0093

Publication date

28.02.2016

Publishing model

open access

License type

CC BY 4.0 Int.

Field

Humanities

Discipline

archeology

Language of publication

English

Downloads

PDF 1 MB

Article

Number of views:238

Number of downloads:79

Crossref citations:0

Altmetric score:0

Abstract

An extensive archaeological prospection along the coasts of Failaka recorded over 180 sites, different stone structures, surface pottery assemblages, farms and enclosures. These were registered, documented and mapped. Stone by stone plans were drawn up of a number of substantial structures that were cleaned and some general observations were made. All prospected and cleaned structures proved to be built of local ashlar sandstone straight on solid ground or bedrock. All kinds of mortar and plaster was used for building construction. Flat stones of similar dimensions were carefully selected. Buildings were neatly designed with entrances always in the middle of the front wall. Archaeological sites of Al-Sabbahiya, Um al-Dakhan, Matitah, Kharaib el-Desht with a density of different historical structures dating from the mid- and late Islamic period are found in the southern regions of Failaka Island.

Keywords:

Failaka Island,survey,stone structure,cairn,Islamic settlement,surface pottery assemblage

Bibliography

Benediková, L. (Ed.). (2010). Al-Khidr, 2004–2009: Primary scientific report on the activities of the Kuwaiti-Slovak archaeological mission. Kuwait City: National Council for Culture, Arts & Letters.

Bibby, G. (1969). Looking for Dilmun. New York: Knopf.

Callot, O., and Calvet, Y. (1999). Preliminary report on the Topographical Mission at Failaka, Kuwait. Unpubl. report.

Carter, R. A. (2011). Ceramics of the Qatar National Museum. Oxford Brookes University.

Dickson, H. R. P. (1949). The Arab of the desert: A glimpse into Badawin life in Kuwait and Sau’di Arabia. London: George Allen & Unwin.

Kennet, D. (2004). Sasanian and Islamic pottery from Ras al-Khaimah: Classification, chronology and analysis of trade in the Western Indian Ocean (eBook version). Oxford: Archaeopress. Retrieved from http://dro.dur.ac.uk/3891/1/3891.pdf [accessed: October 2015].

Mierzejewska, M. (2015). Kharaib el-Desht 2013: pottery. Preliminary report, appendix to: A. Pieńkowska, Failaka Archaeological Research Project. Preliminary results after the first season of excavation at the Kharaib el-Desht site in 2013, PAM, 24/1, 571–579.

Pieńkowska, A. (2015). Failaka Archaeological Research Project. Preliminary results after the first season of excavation at the Kharaib el-Desht site in 2013, PAM, 24/1, 560–587.

Similar publications