Nouvelles recherches archéologiques à Byblos

Grimal, Nicolas; Francis-Allouche, Martine

doi:10.3406/crai.2012.93413

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This suggests the moderate stratigraphic impacts of these edifices. A dearth of diagnostic harbour units at Byblos 51 52 , the pearl of the Phoenician coast during the Bronze Age 53 , further corroborates the findings from Beirut, Sidon and Tyre. The difficulties presented by maritime engineering at this time appear to have been overcome by the extensive use of lighter vessels to load and unload larger trade crafts anchored offshore 54 .…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 74%

Ancient harbour infrastructure in the Levant: tracking the birth and rise of new forms of anthropogenic pressure

Marriner

Morhange

Kaniewski

et al. 2014

Sci Rep

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Beirut, Sidon and Tyre were major centres of maritime trade from the Bronze Age onwards. This economic prosperity generated increased pressures on the local environment, through urbanization and harbour development. Until now, however, the impact of expanding seaport infrastructure has largely been neglected and there is a paucity of data concerning the environmental stresses caused by these new forms of anthropogenic impacts. Sediment archives from Beirut, Sidon and Tyre are key to understanding human impacts in harbour areas because: (i) they lie at the heart of ancient trade networks; (ii) they encompass the emergence of early maritime infrastructure; and (iii) they enable human alterations of coastal areas to be characterized over long timescales. Here we report multivariate analyses of litho- and biostratigraphic data to probe human stressors in the context of their evolving seaport technologies. The statistical outcomes show a notable break between natural and artificial sedimentation that began during the Iron Age. Three anchorage phases can be distinguished: (i) Bronze Age proto-harbours that correspond to natural anchorages, with minor human impacts; (ii) semi-artificial Iron Age harbours, with stratigraphic evidence for artificial reinforcement of the natural endowments; and (iii) heavy human impacts leading to completely artificial Roman and Byzantine harbours.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 74%

Ancient harbour infrastructure in the Levant: tracking the birth and rise of new forms of anthropogenic pressure

Marriner

Morhange

Kaniewski

et al. 2014

Sci Rep

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Although this hypothesis has not been confirmed by archaeological or textual data yet, two issues must be considered: (1) during the second part of the third millennium BC, Southern Levant experienced important socio-political changes (e.g. Finkelstein and Langgut, 2014) while (2) at the same time, maritime exchanges developed in Eastern Mediterranean and contacts reinforced between Egypt and Central Levant (Byblos) (Genz, in press; Grimal and Francis-Allouche, 2012). ‘Combed Ware’ jars represented the largest quantity of imported ceramics for the Old Kingdom (Sowada, 2009).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mid- to late-Holocene coastal vegetation patterns in Northern Levant (Tell Sukas, Syria): Olive tree cultivation history and climatic change

Sorrel

Mathis

2016

The Holocene

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A detailed, high-resolution, pollen record conducted on Holocene sediments from Tell Sukas provides an advanced picture of landscape evolution and vegetation dynamics between 6000 and 2600 cal. BP (ca. 4050–650 BCE) in coastal Syria (core TSII). We report a prominent and abrupt increase in Olea pollen content and a coeval decrease in other arboreal essences at 4600 cal. BP, reflecting an intensification of olive horticulture in coastal Syria which is probably contemporaneous with the development of olive oil production in Northern Levant and an increased influence of human activities on vegetation dynamics. Highest abundances of Olea pollen (up to 60%) occurred between ca. 3900 and 3600 cal. BP at Tell Sukas, suggesting that the region became an important olive oil producer. However, the 4200 cal. BP increase in regional dryness widely reported in the Eastern Mediterranean coincides only with a slight decline in olive exploitation in Northern Levant, suggesting that milder conditions prevailed in coastal Syria. Conversely, the abrupt decline of Olea pollen abundances during 3400–3000 cal. BP along with increased values of semi-arid indicators and non-palatable herbs implies a significant drier climate, in accordance with other studies from the Levantine region. This is concurrent with the period of turmoil and crisis characterizing the end of the late Bronze Age and the transition to the Iron Age in the Eastern Mediterranean.

show abstract

The Maritime Approaches to Ancient Byblos (Lebanon)

Francis-Allouche¹,

Grimal²

2016

Journal of Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology and Heritage Studies

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Maritime trade between Levantine coastal cities over the millennia is attested in numerous ancient sources. Information from these textual and iconographic works often describes the timber trade between Byblos and Egypt. However, no physical trace of a Bronze Age harbor has been discovered around ancient Byblos. After 17 years of field investigation, a harbor basin has finally been located at the southern foot of the ancient city. In 2011, the geo-archaeological research program Byblos and the Sea was launched to shed new light on the maritime approaches to Byblos. Several indications confirm the location of a silted-in harbor basin, most probably the harbor, which is so vividly described in the Report of Wenamun.

show abstract

Nouvelles recherches archéologiques à Byblos

Cited by 4 publications

References 0 publications

Ancient harbour infrastructure in the Levant: tracking the birth and rise of new forms of anthropogenic pressure

Ancient harbour infrastructure in the Levant: tracking the birth and rise of new forms of anthropogenic pressure

Mid- to late-Holocene coastal vegetation patterns in Northern Levant (Tell Sukas, Syria): Olive tree cultivation history and climatic change

The Maritime Approaches to Ancient Byblos (Lebanon)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About