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Essouk - Tadmekka
An Early Islamic Trans-Saharan Market Town
Series: - Journal of African Archaeology Monograph Series, Volume: 12
Volume Editor:
Essouk-Tadmekka presents the first archaeological exploration of one of the most important market towns on the trans-Saharan camel-caravan routes in the early Islamic period, supplying West African gold, slaves, and ivory to the Mediterranean world. Excavation of Essouk-Tadmekkaâs ruins â in Saharan West Africa â has enabled Sam Nixon and a team of scholars to better understand this town described by early Arabic geographers, therein providing insights into such wider questions as the origins of trans-Saharan trade, the commerce in gold, and the arrival of Islamic culture in West Africa. This window into the earliest period of trans-Saharan exchange includes illustration of some of the best-preserved ruins along the camel-caravan routes, the earliest-known Arabic writing in West Africa, and rare gold-working remains.
Contributors are: Stephanie Black, Sophie Desrosiers, Laure Dussubieux, Thomas Fenn, Dorian Fuller, James Lankton, Kevin MacDonald, Paulo de Moraes Farias, Mary-Anne Murray, Sam Nixon, Thilo Rehren, Peter Robertshaw, Jane Sidell, and Benoit Suzanne.
Contributors are: Stephanie Black, Sophie Desrosiers, Laure Dussubieux, Thomas Fenn, Dorian Fuller, James Lankton, Kevin MacDonald, Paulo de Moraes Farias, Mary-Anne Murray, Sam Nixon, Thilo Rehren, Peter Robertshaw, Jane Sidell, and Benoit Suzanne.
Sam Nixon (Ph.D. 2008, UCL) is a Senior Research Associate at the University of East Anglia. He has produced various publications on African archaeology and history and is currently writing a monograph on early trans-Saharan trade with Thames & Hudson, entitled The Gold Route.
'In the last few years, there have been a series of major studies on centres across the Sahara and this volume sits comfortably alongside these. It is exemplary of a modern excavation with lavish illustration in colour and discussion throughout. It is to be hoped that the opportunities for new directions in studying the archaeology of the Sahara during the historic periods will now be realised'. - Martin Sterry, University of Durham, in: Libyan Studies 49 (2018)
'In summary, the book is a great success. Although essentially an archaeological monograph, its compelling argument transcends the presentation of results and even the reconstruction of the cultural history of Essouk-Tadmekka itself to offer important and often revealing reflections on trans-Saharan commerce (including the gold trade), Islam in West Africa, Tuareg culture and history, and the tramission of technologies and ideas. It is therefore highly recommended to scholars and students interested in the history and archaeology of West Africa and of the Islamic world system in the Middle Ages'. - José C. Carvajal López, University of Leicester, in: Medieval Archaeology 62/2 (2018)
'In summary, the book is a great success. Although essentially an archaeological monograph, its compelling argument transcends the presentation of results and even the reconstruction of the cultural history of Essouk-Tadmekka itself to offer important and often revealing reflections on trans-Saharan commerce (including the gold trade), Islam in West Africa, Tuareg culture and history, and the tramission of technologies and ideas. It is therefore highly recommended to scholars and students interested in the history and archaeology of West Africa and of the Islamic world system in the Middle Ages'. - José C. Carvajal López, University of Leicester, in: Medieval Archaeology 62/2 (2018)
Preface
Acknowledgements
1 Overview
âSam Nixon
2 An Unexplored Market Town of the Early Trans-Saharan Trade
âSam Nixon
3 The Essouk-Tadmekka Locality: Environment and Human Geography
âSam Nixon
4 The Essouk-Tadmekka Ruins and Their Prospection
âSam Nixon
5 Arabic and Tifinagh Inscriptions
âPaulo Fernando de Moraes Farias
6 Excavation Programme and Methods
âSam Nixon
7 Excavations in the Mosque Quarter (Unit Ek-A)
âSam Nixon
8 Excavations Near the Eastern Cliffs (Unit Ek-B)
âSam Nixon
9 Excavations on the Island (Unit Ek-C)
âSam Nixon
10 Chronology
âSam Nixon
11 Architecture
âSam Nixon and Benoit Suzanne
12 Pottery
âSam Nixon and Kevin MacDonald
13 Glass Vessels
âSam Nixon, James Lankton and Laure Dussubieux
14 Beads
âJames Lankton, Sam Nixon, Peter Robertshaw, and Laure Dussubieux
15 Gold Processing Remains
âSam Nixon and Thilo Rehren
16 Crucible-Steel Making and Other Metalworking Remains
âThilo Rehren and Sam Nixon
17 Coins and Other Metal Artefacts
âSam Nixon
18 Miscellaneous Material Culture
âSam Nixon
19 Eggshell
âJane Sidell
20 Faunal Remains
âKevin MacDonald
21 Plant Remains
âDorian Fuller, Mary-Anne Murray and Sam Nixon
22 Excavated Sequence
âSam Nixon
23 A New Cultural History of Essouk-Tadmekka
âSam Nixon
24 Debating trans-Saharan Commerce and Culture
âSam Nixon
Conclusion
A Early Arabic Documentary Records of Tadmekka
âSam Nixon
B Plans of Essouk-Tadmekka Town Ruins and Cemeteries
âBenoit Suzanne
C Essouk Arabic Non-Funerary Inscriptions, New (Previously Unpublished) Series
âPaulo Fernando de Moraes Farias
D Context Descriptions for Excavation Units
âSam Nixon
E Pottery Analysis Tables And Additional Illustrative Materials
âSam Nixon and Kevin MacDonald
F Glass Vessels Tables
âSam Nixon and James Lankton
G Glass Bead Tables
âSam Nixon and James Lankton
H Vessel and Bead Glass Chemical Compositional Analysis
âJames Lankton, Peter Robertshaw, Laure Dussubieux, and Sam Nixon
I Archaeometallurgical Waste
âThilo Rehren
J Digital X-ray Imaging and Conservation Treatment of Silver Coins and Related Finds
âStephanie Black
K Preliminary Chemical and Technical Analyses of Essouk Metal Artefacts
âTom Fenn, Thilo Rehren and Laure Dussubieux
L Note sur le damas et sur le «voile» de soie dâEssouk-Tadmekka
âSophie Desrosiers
M Faunal Remains Tables
âKevin MacDonald
N Species Counts of Plant Remains
âDorian Fuller, Mary-Anne Murray and Sam Nixon
Bibliography
Index
Acknowledgements
Part 1: Introduction
1 Overview
âSam Nixon
2 An Unexplored Market Town of the Early Trans-Saharan Trade
âSam Nixon
3 The Essouk-Tadmekka Locality: Environment and Human Geography
âSam Nixon
Part 2: Site Overview and Surface Remains
4 The Essouk-Tadmekka Ruins and Their Prospection
âSam Nixon
5 Arabic and Tifinagh Inscriptions
âPaulo Fernando de Moraes Farias
Part 3: Excavations and Architecture
6 Excavation Programme and Methods
âSam Nixon
7 Excavations in the Mosque Quarter (Unit Ek-A)
âSam Nixon
8 Excavations Near the Eastern Cliffs (Unit Ek-B)
âSam Nixon
9 Excavations on the Island (Unit Ek-C)
âSam Nixon
10 Chronology
âSam Nixon
11 Architecture
âSam Nixon and Benoit Suzanne
Part 4: Finds
12 Pottery
âSam Nixon and Kevin MacDonald
13 Glass Vessels
âSam Nixon, James Lankton and Laure Dussubieux
14 Beads
âJames Lankton, Sam Nixon, Peter Robertshaw, and Laure Dussubieux
15 Gold Processing Remains
âSam Nixon and Thilo Rehren
16 Crucible-Steel Making and Other Metalworking Remains
âThilo Rehren and Sam Nixon
17 Coins and Other Metal Artefacts
âSam Nixon
18 Miscellaneous Material Culture
âSam Nixon
19 Eggshell
âJane Sidell
20 Faunal Remains
âKevin MacDonald
21 Plant Remains
âDorian Fuller, Mary-Anne Murray and Sam Nixon
Part 5: Synthesis and Discussion
22 Excavated Sequence
âSam Nixon
23 A New Cultural History of Essouk-Tadmekka
âSam Nixon
24 Debating trans-Saharan Commerce and Culture
âSam Nixon
Conclusion
Appendices
A Early Arabic Documentary Records of Tadmekka
âSam Nixon
B Plans of Essouk-Tadmekka Town Ruins and Cemeteries
âBenoit Suzanne
C Essouk Arabic Non-Funerary Inscriptions, New (Previously Unpublished) Series
âPaulo Fernando de Moraes Farias
D Context Descriptions for Excavation Units
âSam Nixon
E Pottery Analysis Tables And Additional Illustrative Materials
âSam Nixon and Kevin MacDonald
F Glass Vessels Tables
âSam Nixon and James Lankton
G Glass Bead Tables
âSam Nixon and James Lankton
H Vessel and Bead Glass Chemical Compositional Analysis
âJames Lankton, Peter Robertshaw, Laure Dussubieux, and Sam Nixon
I Archaeometallurgical Waste
âThilo Rehren
J Digital X-ray Imaging and Conservation Treatment of Silver Coins and Related Finds
âStephanie Black
K Preliminary Chemical and Technical Analyses of Essouk Metal Artefacts
âTom Fenn, Thilo Rehren and Laure Dussubieux
L Note sur le damas et sur le «voile» de soie dâEssouk-Tadmekka
âSophie Desrosiers
M Faunal Remains Tables
âKevin MacDonald
N Species Counts of Plant Remains
âDorian Fuller, Mary-Anne Murray and Sam Nixon
Bibliography
Index
All interested in early trans-Saharan trade, medieval West Africa, and the early Islamic cultures of West Africa, as well as those more broadly interested in pre-colonial African history and archaeology.