Nabataean or not? The ancient necropolis of Dumat. First stage: a reassessment of al‐Dayel's excavations

Abstract

Nabataean or not? The ancient necropolis of Dumat. First stage: a reassessment of al-Dayel's excavations Two reports on excavations carried out in 1985-1986 by archaeologist Khaled Abdulaziz al-Dayel and published in the journal Atlal (1988Atlal ( , 1986 have revealed the existence of 'Hellenistic tombs' in the D umat al-Jandal oasis (ancient Adummatu/ Dumat/Dumata) in northern Saudi Arabia. Although attributed more precisely to the Nabataeans by Khalil al-Muaikel (1994), these tombs nevertheless appear not to have interested specialists of this historical period in the least. Moreover, a re-examination of the architectural data and of the grave-goods indicates the difficulty of establishing a link between the unearthed remains and a purely 'Nabataean' cultural sphere (i.e. of the Petra type). This study therefore attempts to reassess published archaeological data, formulate questions on the Nabataean presence in the oasis, and also to demonstrate the relations connecting Dumat to the great Levantine and Mesopotamian cultural spheres between the first century BC and the second century AD.

Marking the sacral landscape of a north Arabian oasis: a sixth-millennium BC monumental stone platform and surrounding burials

“…Radiocarbon dating was undertaken on human bone from these cairns, revealing at least four periods of use (Figure 6 & OSM 1): Fifth millennium BC, between 4685 and 4075 BC.Second half of the fourth millennium BC to the second half of the third millennium BC (3485–2345 BC).Mid second millennium BC (between 1610 and 1435 BC).First millennium BC to the beginning of the first millennium AD (between 768 BC and AD 55).One radiocarbon date obtained on a charcoal sample from a cairn burial excavated on the promontory (Tomb L2204, SD31) suggests that it was used at the very end of the first millennium BC to the beginning of the first millennium AD, although the material found in the tomb could suggest an earlier date from the first half of the first millennium BC (Figure 10; see also OSM 1 & 4–5). Continuity in the use of the local funerary landscape is also noted for later periods, with evidence of a Nabataean–Roman necropolis inside the oasis (Figure 6; OSM 1; also see Charloux et al 2014).

Figure 10.Artefacts from tomb L2204, SD31: A) Dentalium sp.

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“…One radiocarbon date obtained on a charcoal sample from a cairn burial excavated on the promontory (Tomb L2204, SD31) suggests that it was used at the very end of the first millennium BC to the beginning of the first millennium AD, although the material found in the tomb could suggest an earlier date from the first half of the first millennium BC (Figure 10; see also OSM 1 & 4-5). Continuity in the use of the local funerary landscape is also noted for later periods, with evidence of a Nabataean-Roman necropolis inside the oasis ( Figure 6; OSM 1; also see Charloux et al 2014).…”

The art of rock relief in ancient Arabia: new evidence from the Jawf Province

“…The Camel Site is located 5–9km to the east of several Nabataean sites: al-Qal‘ah (DaJ16), Qârat al-Mazâd (DaJ156) and Sakâkâ (DaJ25) (Theeb [Dhuyayb] (al-) 2010: 891–929, 935) (Figure 3). Furthermore, study of the Dûmat al-Jandal necropolis has demonstrated the presence of Parthian objects dating to the turn of the first century BC/AD (Charloux et al 2014: 193–206). The mix of Nabataean and Mesopotamian influences in the representations at the Camel Site is consistent with the location of the Sakâkâ basin on a route between Transjordan and southern Mesopotamia, and on the fringes of the Roman trade routes (Charloux et al 2014: 208).…”

“…Furthermore, study of the Dûmat al-Jandal necropolis has demonstrated the presence of Parthian objects dating to the turn of the first century BC/AD (Charloux et al 2014: 193–206). The mix of Nabataean and Mesopotamian influences in the representations at the Camel Site is consistent with the location of the Sakâkâ basin on a route between Transjordan and southern Mesopotamia, and on the fringes of the Roman trade routes (Charloux et al 2014: 208). Dûmat al-Jandal is, incidentally, often considered the eastern limit of the Nabataean kingdom and an important caravan staging post on the route leading to Mesopotamia and the Persian Gulf (Glueck 1944: 11–15; Sartre 2001: 20; Schmid 2007: 67–68).…”

The “walled oases” phenomenon. A study of the ramparts in Dūmat al‐Jandal and other pre‐Islamic sites in north‐western Arabia

“…Another characteristic common with Taymāʾ is the presence of elongated voids in the masonry of the ramparts in Dūmat (Charloux et al, 2014: fig. 20; Schneider, 2012: pl.…”