Barāqish/Yathill (Yemen) 1986-2007

This richly illustrated volume presents the remarkable results of the Italian Archaeological Mission’s investigations at the site of the walled town of Baraqish in interior Yemen, ancient Yathill of the Sabaeans and Minaeans, between 1986 and 2007.

The walled town of Baraqish in interior Yemen – ancient Yathill of the Sabaeans and Minaeans – was for Alessandro de Maigret (1943-2011) ‘one of the archaeological marvels not just of Yemen, but of the entire Near East’. Established as an oasis settlement in the semi-desert depression of the Jawf, it became in the 1st millennium BCE a thriving caravan station on the ‘incense’ route and a famed place of worship, controlled by rich rulers and merchants. Topography and trade made it a crucible of South Arabian and foreign traditions, and on several occasions, it was a border town disputed between rival powers. A sustained archaeological effort to investigate the site and area began in 1986 by the Italian Archaeological Mission, led by de Maigret, and developed in two phases. In 1989-1992 the temple of the patron god was excavated, while between 2003-2007 a range of new excavations were undertaken, including a second temple, a sounding, a dissection of the tell’s edge outside the Minaean wall, and a cemetery. Presented across two volumes, Volume 1: Excavations of Temple B and related research and restoration is particularly devoted to the temple of god ‘Athtar dhu-Qabd (Temple B), dated to the second half of the 1st millennium BCE. Six chapters fully illustrate its excavation, architecture, restoration, findings, inscriptions, and dating. The contribution of this work and monument to regional history transcends its local significance. The report is framed by ten chapters detailing the historiography of research on Baraqish, the initial surveys carried out in 1986-1987, the architecture and restoration of Temple A together with the extramural excavation at the adjacent curtain wall, the cultic equipment, and radiocarbon datings. The nine contributors are leading scholars in the above fields and include recognized experts in South Arabian archaeology. The core of Volume 2: Extramural excavations in Area C and overview studies is a final report on Area C, an exploratory dissection through the western edge of the Baraqish mound outside the curtain wall, and a unique operation for Yemen until now. Eight chapters detail the excavation, stratigraphy, and geoarchaeology (from about 800 BCE to the present), in addition to radiocarbon chronology, cultural finds, animal and plant remains, economy, major historical events, and unique evidence for trade. Four further chapters offer a glimpse of settlement archaeology for Sabaean Yathill and the survey of a religious centre to the west, together with a first typology of Minaean pottery and an epigraphic and political-historical overview for Baraqish and the Jawf. The contributors are recognized experts in South Arabian archaeology.

Volume 1: Excavations of Temple B and related research and restoration / Scavi del Tempio B e ricerche e restauri connessi Preface Premessa Baraqish: Reference Map and Plan Introductory Information Chapter 1: A History of Archaeological Research at Baraqish and in Its Area - Sabina Antonini and Francesco G. Fedele Chapter 2: Risultati della prima prospezione della Missione archeologica italiana a Baraqish nel 1986 - Sabina Antonini The Temple of 'Athtar dhu-Qabd (Temple B) Chapter 3: Il tempio di 'Athtar dhu-Qabd. Lo scavo - Alessio Agostini Chapter 4: Il tempio di ?Athtar dhu-Qab?. Le iscrizioni - Alessio Agostini Chapter 5: Il tempio di ?Athtar dhu-Qab?. Gli oggetti - Sabina Antonini Chapter 6: An Obsidian Cache from Temple B - Francesco G. Fedele Chapter 7: The Temple of 'Athtar dhu-Qabd. The Pottery - Vittoria Buffa Extramural Excavation at Recess R44/45 (Minaean Wall) Chapter 8: Lo scavo fuori mura in R44/45 a Baraqish - Sabina Antonini con Rosario Valentini Chapter 9: Lo scavo fuori mura in R44/45 a Baraqish. Le iscrizioni - Alessio Agostini Architecture and Cult Chapter 10: L'architecture des Temples de Nakra? et 'Athtar dhu-Qabd a Baraqish - Christian Darles Chapter 11: Le mobilier de culte dans le temple de Nakrah a Baraqish - Solene Marion de Proce Chapter 12: La brique de terre crue dans les fortifications de l'Arabie du sud. L'exemple de Baraqish - Christian Darles Restoration: Temples A and B Chapter 13: Restauro conservativo e strutturale degli elementi architettonici della sala ipostila del Tempio di Nakra? (Tempio A) a Baraqish - Saverio Bruno Scigliano e Alessandra Paladino Chapter 14: Restauro, movimentazione e messa in sicurezza degli elementi architettonici del tempio di 'Athtar dhu-Qabd (Tempio B) a Baraqish - Saverio Bruno Scigliano e Alessandra Paladino Baraqish/Yathill: Corings and Radiocarbon Chapter 15: Exploratory Coring at Baraqish, 1987 and 1990 - Francesco G. Fedele Chapter 16: Radiocarbon Determinations 1987-2006: Corings, Temples A and B, Area D. A Survey and Reappraisal - Francesco G. Fedele Bibliography for Volume 1 Volume 2: Extramural excavations in Area C and overview studies / Scavi fuori mura (Area C) e studi di sintesi Chapter 17: Excavations in Area C. Setting, Stratigraphy, and Geoarchaeology - Francesco G. Fedele Chapter 18: Excavations in Area C. Chronology and the Historical Sequence - Francesco G. Fedele Chapter 19: Excavations in Area C. Economy, Trade, and the Environment - Francesco G. Fedele Chapter 20: The Area C Collection Catalogue and Related Works - Francesco G. Fedele Chapter 21: Area C. The Objects - Francesco G. Fedele and Sabina Antonini Chapter 22: Area C. The Minaean Pottery - Vittoria Buffa Chapter 23: Area C. The Sabaean Pottery: a Survey - Francesco G. Fedele Chapter 24: Area C. Il materiale epigrafico - Alessio Agostini Ceramic Typology, Territory, and a Historical Outline of the Jawf Chapter 25: The Typological Classification of the Minaean Pottery from the Temple of 'Athtar dhu-Qabd and the Extramural Excavations in Area C - Vittoria Buffa Chapter 26: A Glimpse of 'Greater Yathill': Sabaean Settlement and Tell Evolution - Francesco G. Fedele Chapter 27: Les inscriptions de Baraqish : apport a la connaissance de l'antique cite de Yathill et du royaume de Ma?in - Jeremie Schiettecatte avec la collaboration de Mounir Arbach Chapter 28: Risultati di una prospezione archeologica nel sito di Darb al-?abi - Rosario Valentini Abstracts of Chapters (in English and Arabic) Bibliography for Volume 2, Volume 1: Excavations of Temple B and related research and restoration / Scavi del Tempio B e ricerche e restauri connessi Preface ;
Premessa ;
Barāqish: Reference Map and Plan ;
Introductory Information Chapter 1: A History of Archaeological Research at Barāqish and in Its Area – Sabina Antonini and Francesco G. Fedele Chapter 2: Risultati della prima prospezione della Missione archeologica italiana a Barāqish nel 1986 – Sabina Antonini The Temple of ʿAthtar dhu-Qabḍ (Temple B) Chapter 3: Il tempio di ʿAthtar dhu-Qabḍ. Lo scavo – Alessio Agostini Chapter 4: Il tempio di ʿAthtar dhu-Qabḍ. Le iscrizioni – Alessio Agostini Chapter 5: Il tempio di ʿAthtar dhu-Qabḍ. Gli oggetti – Sabina Antonini Chapter 6: An Obsidian Cache from Temple B – Francesco G. Fedele Chapter 7: The Temple of ʿAthtar dhu-Qabḍ. The Pottery – Vittoria Buffa Extramural Excavation at Recess R44/45 (Minaean Wall) Chapter 8: Lo scavo fuori mura in R44/45 a Barāqish – Sabina Antonini con Rosario Valentini Chapter 9: Lo scavo fuori mura in R44/45 a Barāqish. Le iscrizioni – Alessio Agostini Architecture and Cult Chapter 10: L’architecture des Temples de Nakraḥ et ʿAthtar dhu-Qabḍ à Barāqish – Christian Darles Chapter 11: Le mobilier de culte dans le temple de Nakraḥ à Barāqish – Solène Marion de Procé Chapter 12: La brique de terre crue dans les fortifications de l’Arabie du sud. L’exemple de Barāqish – Christian Darles Restoration: Temples A and B Chapter 13: Restauro conservativo e strutturale degli elementi architettonici della sala ipostila del Tempio di Nakraḥ (Tempio A) a Barāqish – Saverio Bruno Scigliano e Alessandra Paladino Chapter 14: Restauro, movimentazione e messa in sicurezza degli elementi architettonici del tempio di ʿAthtar dhu-Qabḍ (Tempio B) a Barāqish – Saverio Bruno Scigliano e Alessandra Paladino Barāqish/Yathill: Corings and Radiocarbon Chapter 15: Exploratory Coring at Barāqish, 1987 and 1990 – Francesco G. Fedele Chapter 16: Radiocarbon Determinations 1987-2006: Corings, Temples A and B, Area D. A Survey and Reappraisal – Francesco G. Fedele Bibliography for Volume 1 ;
Volume 2: Extramural excavations in Area C and overview studies / Scavi fuori mura (Area C) e studi di sintesi Chapter 17: Excavations in Area C. Setting, Stratigraphy, and Geoarchaeology – Francesco G. Fedele Chapter 18: Excavations in Area C. Chronology and the Historical Sequence – Francesco G. Fedele Chapter 19: Excavations in Area C. Economy, Trade, and the Environment – Francesco G. Fedele Chapter 20: The Area C Collection Catalogue and Related Works – Francesco G. Fedele Chapter 21: Area C. The Objects – Francesco G. Fedele and Sabina Antonini Chapter 22: Area C. The Minaean Pottery – Vittoria Buffa Chapter 23: Area C. The Sabaean Pottery: a Survey – Francesco G. Fedele Chapter 24: Area C. Il materiale epigrafico – Alessio Agostini Ceramic Typology, Territory, and a Historical Outline of the Jawf Chapter 25: The Typological Classification of the Minaean Pottery from the Temple of ʿAthtar dhu-Qabḍ and the Extramural Excavations in Area C – Vittoria Buffa Chapter 26: A Glimpse of ‘Greater Yathill’: Sabaean Settlement and Tell Evolution – Francesco G. Fedele Chapter 27: Les inscriptions de Barāqish : apport à la connaissance de l’antique cité de Yathill et du royaume de Maʿīn – Jérémie Schiettecatte avec la collaboration de Mounir Arbach Chapter 28: Risultati di una prospezione archeologica nel sito di Darb al-Ṣabī – Rosario Valentini Abstracts of Chapters (in English and Arabic) ;
Bibliography for Volume 2