THE BELGIAN ARCHAEOLOGICAL MISSION AT MLEIHA (EMIRATE OF SHARJAH, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES) PRELIMINARY REPORT OF THE Ist SEASON 25.10.2009 - 24.11.2009 Directed by The Belgian Archaeological Mission at Mleiha worked in close collaboration with the Department of Cultu Information, Directorate of Antiquities, based in the Emirate of Sharjah, During the first season, the Belgian mis Lot Directors: Prof. Dr. Ernie Haerinek Prof. Dr. Bruno Overlact Field team Field Director: Prof. Dr. Bruno Overlaet Junior archaeologists: Thomas. Van de Velde n Van Hecke yet) draughtsman: Erik The Department of Culture and Infor labor force of 9 10 12 men, the equipment, accommodation and logistic suppor. undertook maj at the vast site of Mleiha, The period of occupation can be situated between the 3rd. c, BC and the 4th. ¢ AD. A division into 4 main phases of occupation as been proposed Phases A & B the last three centuries. site and to explore its easter par in BC).Itis the aim of the Belgian team order to determine the Both domestic and to expand knowledge on the early areas for more ex structures, phases of occupation at Mlciha,a site during the followin with enormous potential Indeed problems about the prop. 1B During the first season it was our inan al still exist, particularly conceming intention to get acquainted with the structur =pO rane ate etree cen tne nn stein) The Norwegian Expedition for underwater excavations Carl Philips & Marek E. Jasinski Excavationa at Kalba 1993-1995 C. Phillips 10 The Belgian Archaeological Excavations at Mleiha, Sharjah 2009 E, Haerinck & B. Overlaet 28 The Belgian Archaeological Excavations at Mleiha, Sharjah 2010 E, Haenrick & B Overlact 34 The French archaeological expedition in the United Arab Emirates: Excavations at Mleiha- Emirate of Sharjah 2010 S.Mery & M. Mouton 38 The French archaeological expedition in the United Arab Emirates: Excavations at Mleiha- Emirate of Sharjah 2011 S. Mery & M. Mouton Vol. 13.2018Furthermore we would attempt to explore its social stratification and to understand the religious ideas behind the funerary tradition. In future, we envisage to include a exploration of the selected area Three areas were explored during the first season: areas AV, AI & P. During the first day area AV (for location see Archaeological Surveys in the Sharjah Emirate U.A.E. Third Report 1997: 33) was selected. On Google Earth the area was visible as a low mound. On the spot, these remains were approx. 16m. in diameter and raised 0.50 to 1 m. above plain level ASx5 meter grid was set out and four ‘squares were explored. The top layer was clearly wind blown sand, with some irregular whitish mud(brick) debris, in an irregular compacted mass. Below this there was only loose sand containing only very few sherds, No real architectural remains were found and an additional sounding was made down to virgin soil. A lange amount of sherds (some 2000) were found, concentrated in a pocket in squares 3111 and 2111, but none turned ‘ut to belong to complete vessels. Some of these sherds were diagnostic (PAV.15-059, PAV.063, P.AV073- (079) but most were not (PAV.060/1- 1392, PAV.080/1-89, PAV.I15/1- 370). Nevertheless, the whole group was kept as a reference study group and stored in the excavation-house at Mleiha Possibly the whole concentration of bits of pottery is to be considered as dump. Seemingly the area was occupied during Late fron Age-Early PIR A period. Amongst the sherds there was only one fragment of a ‘ghved vessel. Amongst the other recognizable sherds there was a piece ‘of a twinspouted vessel. This type of vessel started somewhere in the early ‘Noch wall of area SIH with the pockst of sherds above ain he white mudbrick materi ‘Achaemenian period (if not already during the Iron Age) and lasted until the Sassanian period in a vast area of the Near East, However. the paste and ook of the sherd does not allow for a precise dating. Furthermore, a sherd ‘with part of the Old Arabian leter “b was found (AV.P028), a sherd with ceamel decoration (AV.P027), as well asa pottery fragment of a camel head »E(AV.E.003), ‘The lowerlayerof white brick material seals two major layers with irregular buff mudbrick material separated with several thin layers of sand and ‘gravel, but no other diagnostic sherds were found. Virgin soil was reached and the excavation is considered as being completed. ‘The remains of mudbrick in its earlies ‘occupation phase maybe indicate the base of a simple habitation or of fa fenced area built with twigs and covered with mud. These could be the remains of a late Iron Age / PIR A. structure, overlain. by a sherd pocket and mudbrick remains to be attributed to the PIR A phase. On the whole, the interpretation of Area AV remains enigmatic. Perhaps it has to be considered, particularly in its latest phase, as a kind of dump on the NE~ limits of the site. For safety reasons the ‘excavated trenches were back filled. AREA Al Further work consisted of “evaluation-trenches” in the vici of area C, where tower/platform-like tombs of PIR A & B — periods were excavated by the French team, The first area, labeled Al is a low mound, west of the “deep well”. During the previous French surveys it was initially identified as a “eraft area’ During the first day of excavation, ‘mudbrick walls were found as well | 30 “Test tench (210m) with maabrck walls. Among the finds were a bronze next of bones«a concentration of some fish bones, next to a bronze ladle and a bitumen- coated reed basket. Amongst the pottery there were fragments of e.g, gized fishplates, which are common in the Near East between the 3rd c. BC-Ist c. AD. Further excavations, provided a bronze coin of the classical Abiel-type as well as a blackish sto gem of Westen origin, most likely Roman. The intaglio shows the bust in profile of a male person, draped in ‘tunica, Laurel leafs are put on his, hhead and he is facing left. Roman (2) ntagio from area AL A more or less square room made of mudbrick and with an entrance and mud floor were discovered. A sounding in the NE-side of the room was made, but there are no indications ‘0 far fora tomb beneath. Only sterile sand was found beneath floor level. A Jong wall running in N-S direction was found at a lower level, to the W-side Of the room, below the western wall of the square room. However, the small initial trench was far too small tocevaluate the extension of the room and the wall beneath. No conclusion ‘ean be made as yet on the exact nature of this area. It is clear that further work and a larger exposure is needed toclarify and to understand the area. ‘The material discovered so far in area AAI point to the Ist. c. BC, but most likely tothe Ist.c. AD. (=PIR C). Area fis trench with the architctral remains of the tomb (view from the East) AREA P Area P, on the eastern outskirts of the site and to the South of AreaC. showed up as a low mound with plaster traces ‘on the surface. An exploratory trench of 2 by 10 m. directed South-West was set out across the highest poi ‘of the mound. Almost immediately below the surface, a large number of nicely produced whitish mudbrick crenellated battlements and other architectural decoration discovered. The crenell several shapes and sizes. To expose ‘more of the structure, the trench was enlarged, bringing the excavated surface in area P to a total of 48m? It is clear that area P is a burial ‘ground with two large, unfortunately plundered, tombs. The largest one, more of less in the centre of the test trench was fully excavated. The second tomb, immediately tothe west of it, was not further excavated due to time restraints. Traces of robber's holes were visible at the centre of both tombs, indicating that they both had been plundered in antiquity. ‘The larger tomb, with comers ‘oriented almost to the cardinal points, hhad a solid mudbrick upper structure of ca, 3.40 m x 3.60 m. This tower or platform was constructed with mud 31bricks of 38 x 38 x 12 em and was preserved to a height of about 30 em above the original surface. Its outside ‘was covered with a whitish plaster. The rectangular subterranean burial ‘chamber measured 2.10 x 1.28 x 0.80 1m, and was cut out in the marl. The hole made by the robbers was clearly visible. They left almost nothing inside the tomb except for some glazed sherds, a corroded group of 10 lanceolate arrowheads and a cowri shell with cut-off dorsum. Fragments of the architectural decoration were found all around the square outline of the tomb, Different types and sizes were discovered bbut a larger exposure is needed to ‘Area View from the West. On the front part ofthe second (sil unexplored tomb is visible, ‘hind iv isthe peincipa om that was fully excavatedestablish whether all of them belong to this tomb or whether some may be from neighbouring tomb structures. Production traces were visible on several ofthe stones. Some small finds were made between ‘and immediately next to the tombs, ‘There are some small bronze and iron fragments, some shells and some sherds. Of special interest isa stamped Rhodian jar handle. The stamp shows 1 caduceus (kerykeion)with the name Antimachos. This allows us to place the production of the amphora at Rhodos between 188 and 150/147 B.C. Jars with Antimachos stamps are also known from e.g. Tell Halaf and Babylon, their presence throughout the Near East reflects the importance of the Rhodian wine production and the island’s economic and maritime importance. ‘Area P clearly belongs to the early phases (PIR A & B) at Mleiha (3rd- 2nd cent. BC). Apart from the second tomb which remains to be explored, there are strong indications that and rituals related to the funerary suggest more tombs of this type are practices, The 2nd excavation season present in the immediate vicinity. It of the Belgian team (fall 2010) will is our aim to expand the excavated focus on the exploration of this part planning of the bur order to understand the of the Mleiha graveyard. ground as well as its possible social stratigraphy E. Haerinck & B, Overlaet (Crenetatd btlements ofthe min tom side and comer element Roa ar handle showing a caduceus and the name Antimachos.