Abstract
Two seasons of excavation and survey at the late Islamic town of al-Furay¿ah (commonly, Freiha) in north-west Qatar are providing an insight into the development, occupation, and final abandonment of this once-prominent settlement. This paper presents the interim results of fieldwork, focusing first on the morphology of the town as a whole, followed by an analysis of the domestic and religious architecture. At its peak the town may have covered an area of 17.8 ha followed by a gradual southwards migration, the final phase of occupation being focused on the communal structures of the mosque and the fort. This long-term migration pattern is complemented by evidence of regular collapse and reconstruction in the mosque and domestic courtyard buildings. These may indicate short-term abandonment as well as fluctuations in the economy of the settlement and the region as a whole.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 23 |
| Journal | Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies |
| Volume | 42 |
| Pages (from-to) | 319-330 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| ISSN | 0308-8421 |
| Publication status | Published - 2012 |
Keywords
- Faculty of Humanities
- Archaeology
- Arabia
- Historical Archaeology
- urbanism