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| Titel |
New age estimations for the western outer city wall of ancient Tayma (NW Saudi Arabia) based on OSL and radiocarbon data and geomorphologic evidence |
| VerfasserIn |
M. Engel, N. Klasen, H. Brückner, R. Eichmann, A. Hausleiter, M. H. Al-Najem, S. F. Al-Said, P. I. Schneider |
| Konferenz |
EGU General Assembly 2009
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| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| Digitales Dokument |
PDF |
| Erschienen |
In: GRA - Volume 11 (2009) |
| Datensatznummer |
250022884
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| Zusammenfassung |
| Since 2004 tremendous progress has been achieved in deciphering the cultural genesis of the
Tayma oasis (NW Saudi Arabia), due to the joint investigations of the German
Archaeological Institute Berlin (DAI), the General Commission for Tourism and Antiquities,
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Department of Archaeology and Epigraphy, King Saud
University Riyadh. Nevertheless, archaeological research is still suffering from a lacking
locally-based absolute chronology of buildings.
The pattern of ancient constructions at Tayma is dominated by a prominent city wall
system surrounding the ancient town center (Qraya) and stretching 15 km around the
oasis. Its internal structure indicates several building periods, i.e. phases of wall
modification or extension of the entire system. So far, according to silex and carnelian
fragments included in the mud bricks and a previous 14C age of charcoal remains
from the central excavation district (wall section at Area A), an initial construction
date of the wall between the late 3rd and the early 2nd millennium BC seemed
likely.
At the excavated western outer city wall a new systematic dating approach – combining
the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and 14C methods – has been applied to generate
a reliable age for the oldest branch of the wall system which nowadays is covered by
aeolian sand. The dune deposit is genetically related to the existence of the wall and,
therefore, dating its accumulation provides termini ante quem for the construction of the
wall.
Five OSL dates were generated from the dune deposit providing ages between 4,900 and
3,500 yrs. Two radiocarbon ages support the dating sequence and also contribute to its
consistency. By combining the results with geomorphologic evidence we draw the following
conclusions: Initial settlement activities at Qraya were accompanied by a regulation of wadi
dynamics and the construction of the outer city wall, indicated by the abrupt boundary
between the pre-settlement alluvial silt and the overlying wall-related dune deposit.
According to the OSL and 14C dating results from this deposit, the wall section at C1
(western part of the ancient settlement, north of Area A) dates back to the middle of the 3rd
millennium BC or even earlier. Furthermore, the burying of the still existing remains of the
city wall at C1 by sand was already completed at the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC. |
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