Islamic Archaeology

Abstract:
Harar is one of the 11 regions in Ethiopia located in the eastern part of the country which is believed to be found in the 9th Century. Once it was ruled by its own Islamic Kingdom and served as the Capital of Muslim Sultanates from the 16th to the late 19th century before it was conquered and annexed by the Abyssinian Kingdom
Harar is famous for its vibrant cultural legacy and historical importance. The ancient walled city, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is acclaimed for its distinctive architecture and strong Islamic roots. The Hararis proudly maintain their distinctive cultural heritage everywhere they reside till this day. Today, Harar serves as a living museum preserving its cultural identity."

This presentation revisits Harari Heritage Conservation and Preservation efforts from 2023 to April 2025

The novelty of archaeology as a discipline, compared to other sciences, and the multidimensionality of its issues have created fertile ground for integrating and utilizing other sciences. This trend is evident across various branches and emerging approaches within archaeology. Almost all archaeological fields are engaged in a shared pursuit of applying data science techniques and concepts. This widespread interest stems from recent advancements and achievements by pioneers who have managed to solve archaeological problems once considered highly complex or even impossible. However, employing such methods in archaeological studies requires preparations and necessary actions already during the fieldwork phase of projects. The multitude of archaeological challenges, the uniqueness of fieldwork, and the non-reproducibility of field activities pose significant difficulties for most research projects. Obtaining non-processable, incomplete, inconsistent, costly, or error-prone data — and sometimes outright incorrect data — represents just part of the challenges archaeologists face. Although these issues arise during the fieldwork stage, they often remain hidden within spreadsheets and datasets, only becoming apparent later during post-survey analysis. At the root of many of these problems lies the varying interpretation of the concept and nature of “data.” Ideally, an archaeologist would record and document all available evidence, reconstructing a digital replica of the original remains. However, in theoretical terms, the amount of obtainable data from any artifact is infinite, while archaeological projects are bound by strict time constraints. As a result, it becomes impossible to register and document all possible data related to archaeological finds. Consequently, most archaeological projects are inevitably forced to overlook a significant portion of the data related to the artifacts they encounter. These challenges, among many others, were addressed to the best of our ability during the second season of the Mariwan Archaeological Surveys.

Conocido desde el siglo XIX gracias a las referencias de Fernández Castañeyra el Llano del Sombrero, situado en el término municipal de Betancuria, Fuerteventura, constituye a día de hoy uno de los yacimientos mejor conservado y más desconocido de Fuerteventura. Se encuentra situado en un extenso lomo enclavado entre los barrancos de la Peña y Madre del Agua, muy próximo a la costa y a uno de los manantiales más importantes de la isla. En esta superficie aún se observan en torno a 30 estructuras de diferentes tipologías, lo que nos induce a pensar que pudo tratarse de un asentamiento preeuropeo de gran entidad. Durante la intervención arqueológica desarrollada entre noviembre y febrero de 2012 en un sector del yacimiento hemos podido comprobar su potencialidad y documentar lo que pudieran ser las primeras pautas de ocupación del mismo.

This research deals with a study of the coins of Prince Asad bin Yazīd, minted in Armenian mints, which are only dirhams and fils. Dirhams were minted at the Armenian and Aran mints, while fils was minted at the Armenian, Aran and Debal mints. The dirhams were classified into two parts, the first section includes the dirhams that were minted during the reign of Caliph Al-Rashīd, and the second section includes the dirhams that were minted during the reign of Caliph Al-Amīn. In Armenia, the first section was classified into four prototypes and the second section were classified into two prototypes. As for the Aran dirhams, the dirhams of the first section were classified into three prototypes and the second section into two prototypes. Finally, concerning the fils; the specimens of Aran were classified into four prototypes, while the ones of Armenia and Debal were of only one prototype. One of the most important difficulties facing researchers in the study of Armenian coins is that historical sources do not provide them with sufficient information about many Armenian rulers in the Abbasid era, especially how and the date of their assumption and leave to rule by isolation or death, as well as the most important events in their reign, and among these rulers Asad bin Yazid bin Mazyad Al-Shaibani, where historical sources did not address it except with quick references.

Οι κύριες μελέτες της Estelle Whelan περιλαμβάνουν την ανάλυση του Κορανικού κειμένου και τη χρήση επιγραφών στην πρώιμη Ισλαμική περίοδο. Το άρθρο της «Ξεχασμένος Μάρτυρας: Αποδείξεις για την Πρώιμη Κωδικοποίηση του Κορανίου - Forgotten Witness: Evidence for the Early Codification of the Qurʾān», που δημοσιεύτηκε στο Journal of the American Oriental Society το 1998, αποτελεί μία από τις πιο σημαντικές συνεισφορές στην ανάλυση της πρώιμης κωδικοποίησης του Κορανίου. Η παρούσα εργασία αποτελεί μια σύντομη ανάλυση του άρθρου.

This paper examines the dynamics of the Indo-Mediterranean trade networks during the Fatimid Caliphate (909-1171). It highlights the central role of the Fatimids in fostering these crucial commercial connections, contributing to an early form of global economy. The study is particularly timely given the recent launch of the Indo-Mediterranean Initiative (IMI) and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), which aim to revive ancient trade and cultural links. The research draws on sources such as the Cairo Genizah, which provides details on Fatimid ports and trade with the Indian Ocean and Red Sea , and the Kitab gharā'ib al-funūn ("Book of Curiosities of the Arts"), which includes geographical maps of the regions. It concludes that the Fatimids' strategic geographical position and proactive policies transformed Egypt into a linchpin of long-distance trade.

Throughout history, flags have served as prominent symbols of power, identity, and cultural affiliations, playing an irreplaceable role in shaping social and political structures. This study examines the religious motifs and inscriptions on the flags depicted in the Shahnameh of Tahmasp and seeks to clarify the relationship between these motifs and the cultural and religious imperatives of the Safavid era. The central questions of this research are: How have the religious and cultural beliefs of the Safavid period influenced the motifs and inscriptions on these flags? To what extent were the painters of the Shahnameh of Tahmasp faithful to the original text of Ferdowsi's Shahnameh in their flag designs? The aim of this study is to conduct a detailed analysis of the religious motifs and inscriptions on the flags in the Shahnameh of Tahmasp, particularly in terms of their influence by the beliefs, values, and cultural and religious characteristics of the Safavid period. This research also seeks to identify the differences and similarities between the motifs in this artistic work and the historical examples of Safavid-era flags. The study employs a descriptive-analytical approach and a bibliographic research method. Data is gathered from reliable sources and historical and museum documentation, with the data analyzed and interpreted through comparative and descriptive analysis. The results of this research can contribute to a better understanding of the interaction between art, history, and culture during the Safavid era, particularly in terms of how these concepts were reflected in the art of the time, especially in religious and political illustrations. The findings indicate that the flags depicted in this version of the Shahnameh are more influenced by visual examples and cultural and religious concepts of the period than by a faithful representation of Ferdowsi's Shahnameh. In fact, these motifs are more reflective of the social, cultural, and religious conditions of the Safavid period than merely being images faithful to the narratives and descriptions of the Shahnameh.

RESUMEN
En este artículo se resumen los resultados de tres proyectos de investigación emprendidos desde el año 2005 en la Provincia de Cuenca. Sobre todo en su mitad Norte alcarreña y serrana, es un territorio en el que se han venido desarrollando muy puntuales acciones investigadoras en lo que a Prehistoria se refiere y estos tres proyectos abarcan desde el momento de la primera ocupación humana del centro peninsular hasta el inicio de la Romanización. Se destacan las campañas desarrolladas
en los yacimientos de El Pino y El Provencio, lugares en los que se han obtenido fechas cercanas al millón de años para datar la industria lítica más antigua y se ha estudiado la actividad de los últimos neandertales. También se ponderan los contextos de la Hoz de Verdelpino y Valdecabras y Valle de Altomira para comprender el uso del espacio nómada y seminómada cazador-recolector y agricultor incipiente y la construcción
del paisaje desde el Paleolítico Superior hasta el Neolítico y el Calcolítico. Por último, se presentan los resultados del trabajo arqueológico en diferentes cuevas funerarias y castros de la Edad del Bronce al Hierro dirigidos a comprender el mundo simbólico y cotidiano de las sociedades protohistóricas de la zona.
Palabras-clave: Paleolítico, Neolítico, Calcolítico, Edad del Bronce, Edad del Hierro, Cuenca.

ABSTRACT
Th is article summarizes the results of three research projects developed since 2005 in the Province of Cuenca. Specially in its northern half of Alcarria and Serranía, is a territory in which few research activities have been carried out in relation to Prehistory and these three projects talks about the range of time since the first human occupation in the central peninsula to the beginning of Romanization. The campaigns carried out
at the El Pino and El Provencio sites are stand out. Th ere are places where dates close to a million years have been obtained to date the oldest lithic industry and the activity of the last Neanderthals has been studied. Th e contexts of the Verdelpino and Valdecabras gorges and Valle de Altomira are also considered to understand the use of the space by
nomadic and semi-nomadic hunter-gatherer and incipient farmer communities and the construction of the landscape in the Upper Paleolithic and the Neolithic and Chalcolithic eras. Finally, the results of the archaeological work in different funerary caves and hillforts from the Bronze Age to Iron Age are presented, aimed to understanding the
symbolic and daily life of the protohistoric societies of the area.
Keywords: Paleolithic, Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Cuenca.

Capparis spinosa (caper) grows wild around the Mediterranean basin. In southern Italy, Greece and the islands, especially Cyprus, collected and cultivated varieties of the caper have been a part of the local food as a flavouring since antiquity. Presently in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Sinai the wild caper is absent from traditional foodways.

Estudio sobre la primitiva mezquita aljama de Córdoba (785). Interpretación del significado del proyecto de implantación en relación a la trama urbana histórica preexistente, considerando la idea proyectual de Abd al-Rahman I y su relación con el modelo de la gran mezquita Omeya de Damasco. Study on the original Aljama Mosque of Córdoba (785). Interpretation of the significance of the implementation project in relation to the pre-existing historical urban layout, considering the design concept of Abd al-Rahman I and its relationship with the model of the Great Umayyad Mosque of Damascus.

This paper presents the most recent results from the research programme Zeyd Archaeological Project; launched in 2022, this project aims at exploring economy and society in the hinterland of the historical province of Mosul in the long Islamic period focusing on a highly representative site of the area, Tell Zeyd. Three seasons of archaeological research at the site have made it possible to put together a rich assemblage of data that illustrates settlement patterns and production at the village in the Ottoman period. This paper focuses on the evidence that emerged from the 2024 excavations, and, more specifically, on the occupation phases that can be ascribed to the Early Ottoman period (Period E), datable to around the sixteenth century.

Xilb (Silves) foi uma das cidades mais importantes da zona de Garb al-Andalus e tem sido alvo de vários projetos arqueológicos nas últimas décadas. A sua localização, na confluência de dois importantes cursos de água (rios Arade e Odelouca) e junto ao mar, permitiu um fácil acesso aos seus recursos naturais. Em 2018, uma escavação arqueológica, inserida no projeto de Reabilitação Urbana do Centro Histórico de Silves, foi contratada pela Câmara Municipal de Silves e desenvolvida pela Archeo'Estudos. Os
trabalhos permitiram a identificação de vários silos e fossas. Duas dessas estruturas revelaram grande interesse arqueológico, revelando materiais cerâmicos e metálicos, fauna e um esqueleto insepulto de uma criança. Esses depósitos parecem refletir uma situação de limpeza após um evento catastrófico que, com grande probabilidade, foi motivado por um conflito militar. Os materiais datam os depósitos entre o final do século XII e meados do século XIII.
Aqui apresentamos o estudo dos invertebrados materiais encontrados nessas duas fossas (Fossa A, anteriormente usada como fossa; Fossa B, usada como silo), onde mais de 2300 restos de moluscos foram exumados. A maioria são bivalves, enquanto os gastrópodes apresentam um número muito inferior, reflexo da disponibilidade de recursos aquáticos, nomeadamente no estuário do Arade. Várias das espécies identificadas ainda são comuns em nossa dieta hoje. Como sobras de comida podemos
destacar a concha de amêijoa-boa (Ruditapes decussatus), a ostra plana europeia (Ostrea edulis) e o berbigão (Cerastoderma edule). As conchas do caracol mediterrâneo (Theba pisana) também são abundantes, mas prováveis intrusões no contexto arqueológico. Noutros contextos islâmicos medievais (Salir, Mértola, Lixeira de Silves, Silo de Albufeira e Loulé), a amêijoa também é predominante. Isto mostra o seu sucesso comercial e preferência gastronómica, bem como a existência de redes de distribuição
de marisco no interior do território.

La trincea aperta nel corso di questa prima campagna di scavo, a ovest della moschea, ha evidenziato almeno otto fasi. La fase 1 è relativa al muro esterno della moschea, dotato di un’apertura e di una torre semicircolare. Di particolare interesse (fase 2) è un asse stradale lastricato, connesso a una rilevante dorsale fognaria. L’articolazione della strada, già messa in evidenza dalle indagini geofisiche, sembra delimitare un importante quartiere a ovest della moschea. L’asse stradale, pur subendo un parziale rifacimento sul lato ovest (fase 3), conserva la sua fisionomia fino a tutta la fase 4. La successiva sovrapposizione di più livelli stradali in terra battuta che obliterano la strada lastricata, restringendone la carreggiata pur conservandone l’orientamento (fase 5), sembra mettere in evidenza la perdita di rilevanza del quartiere ad ovest della moschea, probabilmente in corrispondenza di una fase di decadenza della compagine urbana risalente all’XI secolo.

Un accordo di collaborazione tra Sapienza e autorità iraniane ha permesso l’avvio di nuove indagini archeologiche a Estakhr (Iran - epoca sasanide e islamica). Durante la prima campagna (primavera 2012) è stata effettuata una ricognizione topografica e archeologica del sito.

Introduction: From the early Islamic centuries, the mihrab gradually became an essential and indispensable element of mosques. The mihrab is a recess on the qibla side, constructed with various materials, and has been a focus of poets in describing the highest levels of mysticism. Wood is one of the rarest materials Islamic architects used to construct mihrabs. Studies show that 12 wooden mihrabs have been identified across the Islamic world. Through comparison and technical analysis of the quality of wooden mihrab construction, this paper seeks to answer this question: «How have the distinctions and similarities of wooden mihrabs in terms of decoration, overall form, and construction and decoration techniques been?» Research Method: The research takes a fundamental and qualitative approach, with the data examined through a descriptive-comparative method. The purposeful selection of samples was based on wooden materials. The time frame of the research spans from the 4th to the 10th century A.H. Findings: A noteworthy point regarding wooden mihrabs is their construction date or period, which spans continuously from the 5 th to the 8 th centuries A.H. Technically, two main construction approaches can be identified. In the first type, decorations and motifs are carved directly on the frames, in addition to the spaces between the frames, and the frame is not hidden from the viewer's eye. In the second type, the main frame is hidden behind separate decorative pieces and panels that form the decorative and visual structure of the mihrab. In their decoration, calligraphic and geometric motifs are also dominant over plant motifs. Conclusion: As mihrabs move further away from the geographical core of Islamic lands, larger portions of their surfaces are occupied by Quranic inscriptions, which serve as the most tangible element of the representation of Islam. In regions like Egypt or Syria, which were among the first lands conquered by Muslims, in addition to the increasing abstraction of motifs, Quranic verses play a lesser role in the overall decoration of the mihrab compared to plant and geometric patterns. Another evidence for this claim is the walls covered with Quranic verses in the Great Mosque of Xi'an, China, and the exclusive use of Surah Al-Fath for the mihrabs of mosques in China.

This paper examines the life and contributions of Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Lakho, an eminent Sindhi historian whose scholarly works have played a pivotal role in inspiring contemporary readers to reconnect with their cultural and historical roots.

This essay offers a reflection on the so-called Spatial Turn and spatial perspective in the study of the ancient world in general, and the methodology of creating a geographic database based on the Notitia provinciarum et civitatum Africae, which facilitates the study of spatial dependencies in Vandal Africa circa 484 CE in particular. Church controversies in Vandal Africa have been previously understudied from a spatial perspective. In response, the database created in Quantum GIS presented in this essay facilitates consideration of spatial factors relevant to the dynamics of Vandal-era ecclesiastical politics, such as the projection of power through foci of the royal authority, military presence, regional episcopal networks, and travel infrastructure. The essay illustrates the diversity of regional circumstances that can be revealed through the spatial contextualization of Homoian–Homousian church controversy in the political and religious landscape of Vandal Africa: a highly polarized conflict and solidified resistance to royal policies in the former province of Africa Proconsularis; a greater compliancy and readiness to embrace the Homoian Creed among Homousian bishops of Numidia; a limited impact of Huneric’s policies in Byzacena and Mauretania Sitifensis; and a high rate of conversions in Mauretania Caesariensis, yet one geographically restricted and dependent on the foci of royal power. The examination problematizes the spatial realities of individual and institutional actors of these conflicts. It explores the advantages and limitations of spatial analysis for this investigation, as well as the applications of the methods employed here in the study of other religious rivalries and conflicts in Late Antiquity.

Full article available here: https://online.ucpress.edu/SLA/article-abstract/9/3/291/212564/The-Church-Controversies-in-Vandal-AfricaA-Spatial?redirectedFrom=fulltext

Το έργο «Αποκατάσταση και ανάδειξη του Μεσαιωνικού Κάστρου της Υπάτης,
Ν. Φθιώτιδας», ενταγμένο στο Επιχειρησιακό Πρόγραμμα Θεσσαλίας - Στερεάς
Ελλάδας - Ηπείρου (ΕΣΠΑ 2007-2013), συνολικού προϋπολογισμού 1.000.000€,
υλοποιήθηκε απολογιστικά και με αυτεπιστασία από την 24η Εφορεία Βυζαντινών
Αρχαιοτήτων (2011-2014) και από την Εφορεία Αρχαιοτήτων Φθιώτιδας και Ευρυτανίας (2014-2015), με υπεύθυνους, διαδοχικά, τον τότε Προϊστάμενο της
24ης ΕΒΑ Γεώργιο Κακαβά (από 1-1-2011 έως 8-2-2012) και την Προϊσταμένη
της ΙΔ' Εφορείας Προϊστορικών και Κλασικών Αρχαιοτήτων /Αναπληρώτρια Προϊσταμένη της 24ης ΕΒΑ Μαρία-Φωτεινή Παπακωνσταντίνου (από 9-2-2012 έως
28-10-2014).
Στόχος του Επιχειρησιακού Προγράμματος «Πολιτισμός» του Υπουργείου Πολιτισμού (Γ' ΚΠΣ) ήταν να αποδοθεί στην τοπική κοινωνία και τους
επισκέπτες ένας οργανωμένος αρχαιολογικός χώρος, ο οποίος θα αποτελεί την
κατάληξη ενός αρχαιολογικού και φυσιολατρικού περίπατου με αφετηρία το Βυζαντινό Μουσείο Φθιώτιδας στην Υπάτη και κυριότερους ενδιάμεσους σταθμούς
δύο σημαντικά μεταβυζαντινά μνημεία, τους ναούς της Αγίας Σοφίας και του
Αγίου Νικολάου, ιδρυμένους πάνω στα ερείπια αντίστοιχων παλαιοχριστιανικών
βασιλικών. Η μελλοντική ένταξη σε χρηματοδοτικό πρόγραμμα και άλλων σχετικών έργων βάσει των ήδη εγκεκριμένων ή υπό εκπόνηση μελετών, θα συμβάλει
περαιτέρω στην ανάδειξη του σημαίνοντος ρόλου της αρχαίας Υπάτης, πρωτεύουσας του κράτους των Αινιάνων και των μεσαιωνικών Νέων Πατρών, πρωτεύουσας του κρατιδίου της Μεγάλης Βλαχίας, στο ιστορικό γίγνεσθαι.

A hundred years ago Henri Pirenne delivered his seminal lectures on the medi eval city in the USA. In the aftermath of the late antique collapse of Mediterranean Sea commerce, Pirenne pinpointed North Sea traders as agents that led to the origins of the Carolingian revolution which eventually put in place new towns. With the publication of major archaeo logical reports about Comacchio and Oegstgeest -early medi eval centres on the Adriatic Sea and North Sea respectively -this article considers key tropes of Pirenne's narrative. In ranging between the end of Antiquity and its so-called temple society and the rise of the Merovingian and Carolingian North Sea, the article reviews the preliminary stages during which the divergence between the Mediterranean regions and north-west Europe was repaired.

В работа производится реконструкция исторической проблемной ситуации, в которой происходит выбор управленческих решений командующего Сибириским корпусом И. Шпрингером относительно основных свойств сибирской нерегулярной организации, включая параметры масштаба, размещение, организационной структуры, управления и материального снабжения. Некоторые его предложения оказались отвергнутыми центральным правительством, другие удалось реализовать в рамках своей компетенции по согласованию с гражданскими властями Сибирской губернии. В результате перемещения городовых казаков на линии, изменения их функций, после реформы организационного статуса казачества, а также после получения казакам на линиях некоторых материальных льгот происходит фактическое рождение сибирского линейного казачества задолго до появления формального Положения о Сибирском линейном казачьем войске в 1808 г. Реформы генерала Шпрингера имели эмерджентный характер.

Area C is a large terraced area located some 35 m north of the southern slopes of the eastern part of Tell Iẓṭabba ( Chapter 5, Fig. .2). It was excavated during the 2020 summer campaign, with further investigations taking place during the winter campaign of that year. Occupation layers and architectural remains dated to the Early Bronze IA-III and to the Hellenistic period were unearthed here.

The medieval period is o en imagined as an era dominated by localised developments and regionalism, in which, a er the empires of An quity, socie es became somewhat isolated from one another. In this seminar, we delve into case studies and examine archaeological evidence, alongside theore cal frameworks, to illuminate the mechanisms and impacts of movement and interconnec vity in the medieval world. This is despite well-known evidence of transforma ve innova ons that spread widely during this me, demonstra ng extensive global connec ons. Innova ons such as Arabic numerals, paper, the magne c compass, or the spinning wheel highlight the dynamic exchange of ideas, technologies, and prac ces across Europe, Africa, and Asia. The dissemina on of these advancements was driven by various forms of mobility, including military conquests, trade networks, religious pilgrimages, and long-and short-distance interac ons that created expansive webs of connec on.

This paper presents a unique archaeobotanical discovery of stored crops from two domestic structures at Old Dongola in Northern Sudan, dating to the fifteenth to sixteenth centuries CE. The findings provide new insights into aspects of cuisine during the early Funj period (1504-1821 CE) and its historical roots. The assemblage of stored cropsincluding sorghum, bread wheat, hulled barley, grass pea, cowpea, and radish seeds-reveals a blend of Mediterranean and African influences, reflecting the diverse cultural spheres that converged at Old Dongola. We argue that these crops constituted a fundamental component of the local diet and served as the primary carbohydrate sources for the inhabitants. The size of the storage vessels and containers

A series of scientific methods (X-ray analyses, optical and electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and thermal analyses) was used to research the ceramic bodies and glazes of forty vessels from Renaissance Prague. The set of Early Modern Age archaeological glazed ceramics contained tableware, kitchenware and technical ceramics. The main aim was to characterise ceramic materials and glazes used over two centuries. Attention was also paid to the identification of defects and corrosion products of the glazes. The research was conducted with an emphasis on the context of the original use of the ceramic artefacts and the environment of the waste pits from which they were excavated. The archaeological finds include three technical ceramic vessels (a rectifier, a bowl and a jar), which together could have formed a distillation apparatus. Since these vessels represent a rare finding, they were subjected to a detailed investigation. Based on the similarity of ceramic bodies and glazes, it w...

Praise is due to Allah, The Unique, The One who is not in need of anything or any creature, Whom no one  is  God  except  Him,  Whom  is  exalted  and  beyond  having  a  son.  Everything  bears  witness  that  He  is Unique.May  God  raise  the  rank  of  Prophet  Muhammad,  whose  coming  was  foretold  in  the  Torah  and  the Evangel. May Allah elevate the status of our beloved Prophet's kin and noble companions.There  has  been  controversies  and  debates  between  Western  Islamic  scholars  and  others  throughout the  ages.  The  ways  of  their  debates  and  their  writings  varied.  Their  fatwas  are  based  on  the  multiplicity  of people of desires, sects, and beliefs. Some of them responded to the Christians, some of them to the Jews, and some of them provided arguments against the people of the whims such as the anthropomorphic, the Shiite, the  Zahiri,  the  Mu’tazila,  the  Bakriyah,  the  philosophers,  and  others  who  disagreed  with  the  Sunnah  and others who deviated from theSunnitradition and consensus.Abu al-Walid al-Baji is considered one of the most prominent theologians of the Almoravid era. During my  exploration  of  his  work  titled  "Theological  Discourse  in  the  Almoravid  Period:  Characteristics  and Manifestations,  with  a  Realization  of  Some  Examples,"  I  was  struck  by  his  theological  debates  with  his adversaries and his strong responses to them, including his rebuttal of the French monk and others
.Keywords: Debates; Islamic West; Al-Baji; the Christian monk.

The Darband-i Rania Archaeological Project (DIRAP) as part of The British Museum Iraq Emergency Heritage Management Training Scheme has been excavating three sites in Iraqi Kurdistan since 2016: Qalatga Darband, Usu Aska and Murad Rasu. The most recent season of excavation was undertaken in autumn 2021 when all three sites, were investigated. The smallest of these is Murad Rasu, a multi-period tell site on the eastern shore of Lake Dokan. The fluctuating water levels of Lake Dokan are continually eroding the north and western sides of Murad Rasu and it is estimated that up to 30% of the northern edge of the tell has been lost over the last five years. Recent looting activity was also noted. This paper presents the latest findings from trenches dug at Murad Rasu targeted to establish a chronology of the site and record areas of robber pits, looting and erosion.

established in 1977, has an extensive programme of multilingual and interdisciplinary research and publications, dating back to 1983. Informed by rigorous scholarly research, we endeavour to make available texts relating to Islam and Muslim communities in their historical and contemporary contexts. Our focus is on Ismaili and related Shiʿi studies, Qurʾanic studies, as well as Islam's diverse devotional, literary, intellectual, artistic, and esoteric traditions. Many of these publications highlight the relationship of faith and practice to broader dimensions of society, culture, and modern life. IIS publications take the form of monographs; critical editions and translations of significant primary or secondary texts; edited volumes and conference proceedings; reference works such as bibliographies, manuscript catalogues, and encyclopaedias; occasional papers and essays; and trade non-fiction works aimed at lay audiences. Authors of the Institute's publications hail from various parts of the world and express a range of views and ideas, which are not necessarily those of the Institute itself. A full list of the publications of the Institute of Ismaili Studies can be found on our website at www.iis.ac.uk.

The book addresses a complete corpus of Islamic stucco, analysed within its archaeological stratigraphic context. The finds mostly pertain to the two Abbasid phases of the Friday Mosque of Isfahan (767 and 840–41 CE), excavated in the 1970s by the Italian Archaeological Mission in Iran directed by Umberto Scerrato. The corpus includes some panels in situ (from the miḥrāb and qiblī wall) and around 500 diagnostic fragments. The stratigraphic data and the analytical study of the techniques and compositions of the stuccoes made it possible to identify different production phases pertaining to the two Abbasid phases of the mosque. The book proposes a reconstruction of the stucco decoration of the qiblī wall of the first mosque (767 CE), a kind of architectonic backdrop divided into at least two horizontal registers, which constitutes one of the earliest visual renderings of the decorative programme of a mosque.

This report presents the preliminary results of the study of the pottery collected during the excavation campaign carried out in 2012 in the framework of the joint Iranian-Italian Archaeological Mission in Estakhr. The ceramic finds relate to a time span ranging from the 9th to the 12th century, corresponding to the occupation phases identified within the stratigraphy. Moreover, the use of archaeometry made it possible to identify both imported and locally manufactured wares

Premessa Davide Zoletto Dal concetto di Africa alle oratiche af rica ne UN PENSIERO POSTCOLONIALE? Kwame Anthony Appiah ll "post" di "postmoderno" è il "post" di "postcoloniale"? Achille Mbembe Che cos'e il nensiero oostcoloniale? COSTRUZIONI DELUAFRICA Sandro Mezzadra At the Edge of a Black World. Limmaginazione geografica di W.E.B. Du Bois, la scoperta dell'Af rica e la reinvenzione del mondo Giovanni Leghissa Antichità egizie: la critica postcoloniale come decostruzione dell'origine Raoul Kirchmayr, Chiara Mengozzi Sartre e le retoriche del I'oppressione. Dal l"'Orfeo negro" alla "Prefazione" ai "Dannati della terra" di Fanon Miguel Mellino Memorie dal sottosuolo: Frantz Fanon, lAf rica e la poetica del reale 17 46 69 B1 104 R v Saggia PRATICHE AFRICANE Marco Aime Politiche triball o tribalismo potitico? r+z Cristiano Lanzano ll ghetto, lAfrica, il mondo. Pratiche cosmopolite e tentazioni af rocentriche tra i giovani rapper di Dakar Roberta Altin Mediascape africani: dai "talking drums" all"'hiplife" ghanese 179 Raphael dîbdon ll movimento dei poeti-btoggers nel Sudaf rica del post-apartheid Sergia Adamo Non-Africa: pratiche (e teorie) delle rappresentazioni al femminile 208 Politiche tribali o tribalismo politico? MARCO AIME 1. "Mi chiamo Birahima e sono un p'tit nègre. Non perché sono nero e bambino. No I Sono p 'tit nègre perché parlo male il francese. Proprio così, dawero." Inizia con queste parole e con questo tono il travolgente romanzo di Amadou Kourouma Attah non è mica obbligato.l Birahima è un bambino soldato che finisce a combattere nelle guerre fratricide di Liberia e Sierra Lcone. Guerre che sono sempre "ffibali", e qui compare uno dei tormentoni che percorre il libro: bisogna uccidere a sangue freddo, è la guerra tribale che lo esige; dobbiamo essere spietaii, è la guerra tribale che lo esige, e così via. Lironia di Kourouma diventa subito sarcasmo, sarcasmo amaro, nella bocca del bambino-soldato. Qualunque nefand ezza sembra essere giustificata perché c'è una guerra, una guerra "tribale", come noi occidentali siamo abituati a definire qualsiasi conflitto africano. L'ultimo esempio, in ordine cronologico, è stato quello del Kenya all'inizio deI2008, dove gli sconrri, seguiti a evidenti brogli elettorali sono stati immediatamente battézzatidai media nostrani etnici o tribali, così come vengono letti in chiave etnica la maggior parte dei conflitti africani. Non si è assistito a un'analoga lettura di ar,.venimenti simili accaduti, per esempio, in Ucraina,ìn Pakistan o in altre parti del mondo, dove la g.ri. ha manifesraro, anche con violenza, per gli abusi del potere in carica, esattamente come in Kenya. 1. A. Kour.um;t, Allah ron à ntiu ohhltgato \2000),Edizioni e/o. Roma 2002. aut aut. 1 l(). 2OtJ3. I.]/ | ,i

The castillo de Arenas is one of the most interesting archaeological sites in Sierra Mágina due to its stra-tegic  position  and  the  magnificence  of  its  emerging  remains.  The  historiography  has  listed  it  on  many  occasions,  focusing  its  analysis  on  documentary  sources and confirming its defensive role in the pas-sage  of  the  Puerta  de  Arenas.  However,  this  case  study  has  not  been  the  subject  of  archaeological  research. In this article we present the results of our analysis  of  its  structures  under  the  application  of  archaeology of architecture. Thanks to it, it has been possible  to  identify  different  historical  phases  and  correlate  them  materially  with  those  attributed  by  the aforementioned historiography.