Life-sized Neolithic camel sculptures in Arabia: A scientific assessment of the craftsmanship and age of the Camel Site reliefs
Maria Guagnin
(1, 2)
,
Guillaume Charloux
(3)
,
Abdullah Alsharekh
(4)
,
Rémy Crassard
(5)
,
Yamandú Hilbert
(5)
,
Meinrat Andreae
(6)
,
Abdullah Alamri
(4)
,
Frank Preusser
(7)
,
Fulbert Dubois
,
Franck Burgos
(8)
,
Pascal Flohr
(9)
,
Pascal Mora
(10)
,
Ahmad Alqaeed
,
Yasser Alali
1
MPI-SHH -
Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History
2 Freie Universität Berlin
3 OM - ORIENT ET MÉDITERRANÉE : Textes, Archéologie, Histoire
4 KSU - King Saud University [Riyadh]
5 Archéorient - ARCHEORIENT - Environnements et sociétés de l'Orient ancien
6 MPIC - Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
7 University of Freiburg [Freiburg]
8 Chercheur indépendant
9 University of Oxford
10 CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
2 Freie Universität Berlin
3 OM - ORIENT ET MÉDITERRANÉE : Textes, Archéologie, Histoire
4 KSU - King Saud University [Riyadh]
5 Archéorient - ARCHEORIENT - Environnements et sociétés de l'Orient ancien
6 MPIC - Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
7 University of Freiburg [Freiburg]
8 Chercheur indépendant
9 University of Oxford
10 CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Maria Guagnin
- Fonction : Auteur
- PersonId : 1065900
Rémy Crassard
- Fonction : Auteur
- PersonId : 20393
- IdHAL : remy-crassard
- ORCID : 0000-0002-2403-1894
- IdRef : 117605565
Yamandú Hilbert
- Fonction : Auteur
- PersonId : 792035
- ORCID : 0000-0002-5469-2933
- IdRef : 181237512
Meinrat Andreae
- Fonction : Auteur
- PersonId : 792138
- ORCID : 0000-0003-1968-7925
- IdRef : 085954985
Frank Preusser
- Fonction : Auteur
- PersonId : 760115
- ORCID : 0000-0002-5654-1346
- IdRef : 150042566
Fulbert Dubois
- Fonction : Auteur
Ahmad Alqaeed
- Fonction : Auteur
Yasser Alali
- Fonction : Auteur
Résumé
The life-sized, naturalistic reliefs at the Camel Site in northern Arabia have been severely damaged by erosion. This, coupled with substantial destruction of the surrounding archaeological landscape, has made a chronological assessment of the site difficult. To overcome these problems, we combined results from a wide range of methods, including analysis of surviving tool marks, assessment of weathering and erosion patterns, portable Xray fluorescence spectrometry, and luminescence dating of fallen fragments. In addition, test excavations identified a homogenous lithic assemblage and faunal remains that were sampled for radiocarbon dating. Our results show that the reliefs were carved with stone tools and that the creation of the reliefs, as well as the main period of activity at the site, date to the Neolithic. Neolithic arrowheads and radiocarbon dates attest occupation between 5200 and 5600 BCE. This is consistent with measurements of the areal density of manganese and iron in the rock varnish. The site was likely in use over a longer period and reliefs were reworked when erosion began to obscure detailed features. By 1000 BCE, erosion was advanced enough to cause first panels to fall, in a process that continues until today. The Camel Site is likely home to the oldest surviving large-scale (naturalistic) animal reliefs in the world.
Domaines
Archéologie et PréhistoireFormat du dépôt | Fichier |
---|---|
Type de dépôt | Article dans une revue |
Titre |
en
Life-sized Neolithic camel sculptures in Arabia: A scientific assessment of the craftsmanship and age of the Camel Site reliefs
|
Résumé |
en
The life-sized, naturalistic reliefs at the Camel Site in northern Arabia have been severely damaged by erosion. This, coupled with substantial destruction of the surrounding archaeological landscape, has made a chronological assessment of the site difficult. To overcome these problems, we combined results from a wide range of methods, including analysis of surviving tool marks, assessment of weathering and erosion patterns, portable Xray fluorescence spectrometry, and luminescence dating of fallen fragments. In addition, test excavations identified a homogenous lithic assemblage and faunal remains that were sampled for radiocarbon dating. Our results show that the reliefs were carved with stone tools and that the creation of the reliefs, as well as the main period of activity at the site, date to the Neolithic. Neolithic arrowheads and radiocarbon dates attest occupation between 5200 and 5600 BCE. This is consistent with measurements of the areal density of manganese and iron in the rock varnish. The site was likely in use over a longer period and reliefs were reworked when erosion began to obscure detailed features. By 1000 BCE, erosion was advanced enough to cause first panels to fall, in a process that continues until today. The Camel Site is likely home to the oldest surviving large-scale (naturalistic) animal reliefs in the world.
|
Auteur(s) |
Maria Guagnin
1, 2
, Guillaume Charloux
3
, Abdullah Alsharekh
4
, Rémy Crassard
5
, Yamandú Hilbert
5
, Meinrat Andreae
6
, Abdullah Alamri
4
, Frank Preusser
7
, Fulbert Dubois
, Franck Burgos
8
, Pascal Flohr
9
, Pascal Mora
10
, Ahmad Alqaeed
, Yasser Alali
1
MPI-SHH -
Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History
( 527959 )
- Kahlaische Str. 10, 07745 Jena, Germany
- Allemagne
2
Freie Universität Berlin
( 307126 )
- Kaiserswerther Str. 16-18, 14195 Berlin
- Allemagne
3
OM -
ORIENT ET MÉDITERRANÉE : Textes, Archéologie, Histoire
( 542221 )
- 27 rue Paul Bert 94204 IVRY SUR SEINE CEDEX
- France
4
KSU -
King Saud University [Riyadh]
( 302265 )
- King Saud University, Riyadh 12372
- Arabie saoudite
5
Archéorient -
ARCHEORIENT - Environnements et sociétés de l'Orient ancien
( 619 )
- Maison de l'Orient et de la Méditerranée Jean-Pouilloux 7 rue Raulin 69365 LYON Cedex 07
- France
6
MPIC -
Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
( 185724 )
- Hahn-Meitner-Weg 1, 55128 Mainz
- Allemagne
7
University of Freiburg [Freiburg]
( 68615 )
- Friedrichstr. 39 79098 Freiburg
- Allemagne
8
Chercheur indépendant
( 107396 )
- France
9
University of Oxford
( 302612 )
- Wellington Square, Oxford OX1 2JD
- Royaume-Uni
10
CNRS -
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
( 441569 )
- France
|
Date de publication |
2022-04
|
Volume |
42
|
Langue du document |
Anglais
|
Nom de la revue |
|
Vulgarisation |
Non
|
Comité de lecture |
Oui
|
Audience |
Internationale
|
Page/Identifiant |
103165
|
Domaine(s) |
|
Projet(s) ANR |
|
Mots-clés |
en
Rock Art, Neolithic, Arabia, Prehistory, Chippedstone tools
|
DOI | 10.1016/j.jasrep.2021.103165 |
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