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On
the cover:
Umayyad mosaics from within the Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem.
The panel appears on thr Drum supporting the Dome above the
Sacred Rock. Commissioned by the Caliph Abd al-Malik in 692
CE (72AH), the mosaic features colored glass, glass sandwiching
gold and silver foil, stone as well as mother of pearl. The
complete mosaics are reproduced in The
Dome of the Rock (NY: Rizzoli, 1966) ©
Saïd Nuseibeh. San Fransisco
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Palestine in the Early
Islamic Period: Luxuriant Legacy
Robert Schick
Encompassing over four centuries from the Islamic conquest
in the 630s to the arrival of the Crusaders in 1099 the Early
Islamic period left a prominent and singularly beautiful imprint
upon Palestine. While in the past archaeologists were often
disinterested in the period, its legacy has recently attracted
increased attention. Exciting new data have begun to illuminate
a period once known exclusively from historical sources.
After beginning with an overview of the history
of the era, the author turns to historical geography and the
history of exploration. Next, Jerusalem, Christians and Muslims,
as well as church building, the destruction of images, and
early mosques all receive special attention. A portrait of
the nature of Early Islamic settlement ranges from housing
to human osteology. An overview of art and architecture concludes
the synopsis of a period rich in archaeological remains and
historical drama.
A Stone Metaphor of Creation
Denise Schmandt-Besserat
The petite, nude stone statuette from 'Ain Ghazal, Jordan boasts
neither female genitalia nor conspicuous breasts. Yet it is
a female form, carved to focus attention on the abdomen whose
size and profile leave no question that the figure is pregnant.
Who is this female exulting in her pregnant state, and what
did she signify to the Neolithic villagers?
Review/Essay: Archaeology's
Publication Problem
Giorgio Buccellati
Lamentations over the condition of archaeological publication
abound these days. A recent volume of essays–of distinguished
provenance–rounds up the usual suspects. Yet a fundamental
point is altogether missing from its discussion. What archaeologists
observe and can readily document is emplacement, i.e., the cultural
remains they identify in the ground. What retards publication
is concentrahon on the depositional inferences from this record.
Focusing on emplacement would both speed publication and enforce
a truly essential methodological distinction.
The Weight Standards of
the Judean Coinage in the Late Persian and Early Ptolemaic Period
Yigal Ronen
During the late Persian through the early Ptolemaic period,
Judean authorities minted small, silver coins known today as
ychud coins. Surprisingly, under Persian rule the weights
of the yehud coins were inconsistent with the Greek (obol)
system of weights that prevailed overall. During the Ptolemaic
period, however, the standard returned to conformity. What can
explain this numismatic enigma? |
