The Tihāmah c. 5000 to 500 BCAuthor(s): Carl PhillipsSource: Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies, Vol. 28, Papers from the thirty-first meeting of the Seminar for Arabian Studies held in Oxford, 17-19 July 1997 (1998), pp.233-237Published by: ArchaeopressStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41223629 .

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The Tihämah с. 5000 to 500 ВС

Carl Phillips

The aim of this paper is to present a brief overview of the results of recent excavations and surveys along the course of the Wadi Sihäm, from the point where the Wadi emerges on to the Tihamah plain, near the site of al-Hämid, to the point where it reaches the shores of the Red Sea, a short distance south of Hudaydah. The sites presented can be dated to the first half of the first millennium ВС, which is, in South Arabian terms, the 'Most Ancient Sub-Period, the Sub-Period of the Mukarribs of Saba' (Korotayev 1995). In a recent publication, Robin has stated how the history of the pre-Islamic Tihamah is difficult to write, due to a paucity of inscriptions, a lack of pottery studies and problems in the dating of architectural remains. Also, there are few references to the Tihamah in the corpus of inscriptions from the Sabaean, Qatabanian and Himyarite Kingdoms (Robin 1995). The latter point is especially relevant for the sites being presented here since there are no external, contemporary, references to the Tihamah, despite the fact that strong Sabaean influences, including monumental inscriptions, begin to appear in the Tigray region of Ethiopia during this time. As difficult as it might be to write a history of the pre- Islamic Tihamah, particularly in the earliest historical times, it is hoped that further information of the sort presented in this paper will enable the eventual integration of the Tihamah into a more comprehensive picture of pre-Islamic South Arabia. However, in order to achieve this goal, it is considered necessary to view the evidence that exists from the early first millennium ВС from a more long term perspective which includes the periods prior to

the first millennium. In adopting this approach patterns might emerge in which the more long term, durable features of the Tihamah's history and

prehistory, and its role in the development of Ancient South Arabia will become more evident.

Tihämah prehistory Evidence of neolithic occupation has been documented in two areas of the Tihämah. One area is located in the northern Tihamah, north and south of Jizan (Zarins, Murad & Al-Yaish 1981; Zarins & Zahráni 1985; Zarins & Al-Badr 1986). The second area is that extending from the lower reaches of the Wadi Rummam, 22 kilometres south of Hudaydah, north towards the lower reaches of the Wadi Surdud, in the vicinity of Ras Salif (Tosi 1985; 1986). All of these sites can be considered as predominantly coastal sites.

The sites reported by Zarins appear to represent campsites, characterized by shell midden deposits containing hearths, indicated by fire cracked stones, and a range of artefacts. The latter includes

fragments of grinding stones, and a chipped stone assemblage which includes the use of obsidian. Also reported are examples of bifacially worked projectile points. These sites are all of limited size, less than 10,000 square metres, and lack evidence of structural remains. However, the sites have several important implications. In addition to establishing a neolithic

presence on the Tihamah, they also indicate a degree of contact with inland sites. This not only includes

nearby inland sites located on major wadis, but also the neolithic sites of much of interior Arabia where

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CARL PHILLIPS

bifacially worked projectile points form part of a widespread Arabian Bifacial Tradition.

The sites reported by Tosi appear to share some of the same characteristics with shell midden deposits again being common. More importantly, Tosi has suggested that the neolithic sites from this second area represent two distinct phases, indicated by a number of С 14 dates, and that there are important changes, particularly in the range of fauna present, that indicate the development from

predominantly hunter-gatherer communities to

herding, and possibly farming, communities. The earlier of these two phases dates from the

sixth millennium ВС and is present at the sites of Gahabah and Wadi Surdud 1 . The site of Ghabah (JHB) is located five kilometres north of al- Durayhimi, on the lower reaches of the Wadi Rummam, and is a midden with lithics made of

rhyolite, basalt and obsidian. The obsidian pieces include tanged bifacial types which can be compared with those from the Arabian Bifacial Tradition elsewhere in Arabia. The fauna comprises equids and cattle.

Further to the north, on the north bank of the Wadi Surdud, the site SRD 1 appears to have had two phases of occupation. The first phase dates to the late sixth millennium ВС, slightly later than at Gahabah, followed some 150 years later by a fourth millennium occupation. The site consists of concentrated patches of shells and artefacts forming areas 25 to 30 metres in diameter. At least eleven such areas were recorded along with two distinct

activity areas. One of these was a bead-making workshop and the second an area characterized by a concentration of finely flaked round scrapers. The fauna from the site consisted mainly of fish bones in addition to equids, domesticated cattle and

sheep/goat. Assuming that most of the material is associated with the later, fourth millennium

occupation, the site SRD1 would appear to indicate an important economic transformation taking place in the Tihãmah region during the middle holocene

period. This important change from a predominantly

hunter-gatherer economy to one that also includes

herding activities, is also evident t about the same time in other parts of Arabia and although the evidence from the Tihãmah is still admittedly sparse

it nevertheless shows that the Tihamah did not lie outside the general trend of developments. Contact between the Tihamah and inland regions of Arabia has been alluded to already, as illustrated by stone tools belonging to the Arabian Bifacial Tradition. Similarly, examples could be given of inland sites, including those located in the Rub al-Khali, where marine shells have been recovered, thus once more indicating the links between inland and coastal sites. It is also possible that some of the obsidian found on the sites reported above is of East African as well as more local origin, and thus indicative of contacts across the Red Sea.

The Tihamah during the Bronze Age Whilst in recent years the neolithic horizon in highland Yemen has become more fully documented so also has the ensuing Bronze Age. During this period, which dates from the early third millennium until the advent of the Kingdoms of South Arabia at the beginning of the first millennium, the sites in the highlands witness an intensification of the earlier neolithic economy which sees the introduction of agriculture. Also, the occurrence of pottery becomes widespread, a feature which appears lacking from the earlier neolithic period.

In the Tihamah the Bronze age period is now represented by a number of sites. However, the bulk of the evidence is polarized, with a concentration of evidence from the no Tihamah rthern part of the Tihãmah in the region around Jizan, and a further concentration of evidence that extends from the hinterland of Aden east towards Abyan.

The site of Sihi is located approximately 60 kilometres south of Jizan and is situated a short distance inland of the present day shoreline. The site is described by Zarins (Zarins & Zahráni 1985; Zarins & Al-Badr 1986) as a large midden covering an area 900 by 100 metres with dense concentrations of potsherds and other artefactual material. The stratigraphy is shallow with occupation deposits amounting to between 30 to 40 centimetres. The central part of the site appears to have been more densely occupied over an area 300 by 50 metres with discrete clusters of artefacts in clusters measuring 2 by 2 metres. It has therefore been suggested that the extent of the site increased through time and thus the occupation deposits became widely distributed rather

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THE TIHÃMAH с. 5000 ТО 500 ВС

than accumulating any great depth. Hearths are present but no structural remains have yet been identified. Initially, three С 14 dates were obtained from Sihi and these, when calibrated, indicated a period from 1540 to 1200 BC (Zarins & Zahráni 1985). However, a fourth С 14 date was later added and this extended the possible occupational range of the site from 2400 to 1300 ВС (Zarins & Aal-Badr 1986).

The midden deposits indicate the exploitation of the available marine resources which include shellfish, fish and turtle. Faunal remains also indicate the presence of sheep/goat, cattle and possibly camel.

The abundant use of obsidian is indicated at the site, in a lithic industry which is different from that of the preceding neolithic period. Important categories of finds lacking from the earlier neolithic sites include metal and pottery. Copper objects are present and comprise a number of tapered reamers or punches of various sizes, a small ribbed blade, rings and possible fish hooks. Pottery is abundant and has been divided in to two groups.

The first, and most abundant group comprises a red ware characterized by burnishing and occasional punctuate dot decoration. The second group comprises a very distinctive blackware, characterized by solid burnishing and frequent punctuate decoration. Zarins has compared the latter group with pottery of the Nubian С group с 2100 -1500 ВС and pottery from the Kerma culture, an off-shoot of the Nubian С group, с 1700 -1500 ВС. On the other hand, Zarins has compared the red ware from Sihi with the pottery from Subr, a site located in the hinterland of Aden.

The site of Subr, or as more recently referred to, Sabir, is located approximately 25 km north of Aden on the delta of the Wadi Tuban. The site is very extensive, includes extensive mud brick buildings and was clearly an agricultural settlement. However, midden sites located along the coast at Aden and Little Aden contain identical pottery to that found at Sabir and thus indicate a coastal component to the overall settlement pattern (Cambridge 1966. For further details about Sabir see Vogt and Sedov, this volume: 263-272). The German Archaeological Mission currently excavating this important site has acquired a significant number of С 14 dates from the

later period of occupation and these give an occupational range from the fourteenth to the early ninth centuries ВС. It can be seen therefore, that there is some overlap between the occupation of Sabir and the lower end of the proposed period of occupation at Sihi. Such an overlap makes the comparison of the ceramics from these two sites feasible to the extent that Zarins, and Vogt and Sedov, have suggested an extensive coastal oriented culture along the length of the Tihãmah. Vogt and Sedov have thus proposed a 'Sabir Culture1 which they suggest is typical of coastal Yemen in the second millennium ВС. Furthermore, they would also maintain that close contacts between Africa and Arabia are evident in this culture.

If one envisages a coastal orientated Bronze Age culture extending from the area of Aden, north towards Jizan, one problem that immediately presents itself is the current lack of sites in the

intervening area. Although Tosi made reference to the pottery from both Subr and Sihi, none of the pottery from the Italian surveys has yet been illustrated. Therefore it is difficult to see how similar or dissimilar it is to the pottery from either group of sites. One pre-Islamic site which might be comparable with Subr is the 'Gas Station' site located on the Wadi Rima, a short distance north of Zabid (Keall 1983). In a recent publication of the pottery from this site a number of comparisons are made with pottery from Subr (Ciuk & Keall 1996). However, whilst there might be some similarities in the range of basic shapes and some decorative elements, the two assemblages are in fact quite distinct. In contrast, the 'Gas Station1 assemblage can be matched almost entirely with the ceramic assemblage from al-Hãmid and should therefore be dated to the early first millennium ВС. The same would also apply to the pottery recently recovered by Keall from the site of al-Midaman, a site located approximately one kilometre from the coast, just north of al-Fazzah (see Keall, this volume: 139-148).

Before concluding this summary of Bronze Age evidence from the Tihãmah it is important to mention the site of al-Muhandid/Wadi Hamili, located south of Hays. This site consists of a megalithic complex which extends over a distance of 350 metres and comprises a number of circles and alignments of standing stones (Bernadelli & Pannello 1970).

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CARL PHILLIPS

Although there is no clear evidence for the date of this complex, elements of the site appear comparable with the standing stones recently excavated by Keall at al-Midaman.

Al-Hämid and other sites dating from the early first millenium ВС

At the time of presenting this paper two short seasons of excavation had been conducted at the site of al- Hamid. The site is located south east of Bajil and situated at the south west corner of the Jabal al- Dhãmir. The Wadi Sihäm passes south of the site. A first note about the site was published by Jamme in 1981, shortly followed by al-Radi and Stone, who provided additional information about the site in 1985. The importance of the site was highlighted by the presence of a number of Sabaic inscriptions indicating the presence of a small temple. At that time the inscriptions represented the only known examples of early Sabaic inscriptions found on the Tihãmah. It was therefore conjectured that this site represented 'the presence of an early community there which, though perhaps not ethnically Sabaean, was at any rate politically adherent to the Sabaean federation' and that the site possibly functioned as 'a quite isolated outpost of the Sabaean realm, established for safeguarding a route to the coast1 (Beeston 1995: 241). A further possibility advanced by Beeston was that 'it might be only one of a much wider pattern of settlements' {op. cit.: 242).

The excavations at the site have gone some way in indicating that the site is far from being small and extends over an area of 30 hectares. Additional inscriptions recovered from the site, and the plan of the now excavated temple all indicate further the site's Sabaean affinities. A large part of the ceramic assemblage from al- Hamid can be compared with sites such as those in the Wadi Yala and to a lesser extent Hajar bin Humeid, and alongside the inscriptions this indicates a probable date of 800 to 500 ВС for the occupation of the site (Phillips 1997). However, a further result of the excavations at al- Hãmid and the recognition of the associated ceramic assemblage is that this now enables other contemporary sites on the Tihãmah to be identified.

During the first season of excavations a second site was located at Wãqir, again located on the Wadi Sihãm at a distance of approximately 15 kilometres

west of al-Hãmid. Here a further inscription was found in situ along with evidence of a once extensive site. The pottery found at Wãqir is identical to that from al-Hãmid. Additional survey along the course of the Wadi Sihãm has further revealed the presence of a large site just inland of the coast at a location called Wadi Nakhel, and although the pottery repertoire at this site appears more limited, it can nevertheless be compared with types from al-Hämid. Finally, a small shell midden located on the present day shore line, just south of Hudaydah has produced a few potsherds which includes diagnostic types known from al-Hãmid. Added to this, an opportunity was taken in 1996 to visit the 'Gas Station' site reported by Keall and it was noted that the pottery from this site is identical to the pottery assemblage from al-Hãmid. It would therefore follow that the ceramic phase of the al-Midaman site, also reported by Keall, is contemporary with al-Hãmid. It therefore becomes apparent that al-Hãmid is not an isolated site and is indeed a component of a wider pattern of settlements.

Discussion It has been shown how there is now evidence for human occupation on the Tihãmah for at least 5000 years prior to the establishment of the site of al- Hämid and other sites contemporary with it. From the neolithic period onwards it can be seen that while the known sites would appear to have a common, coastal orientation, these sites are not isolated phenomena. There is evidence for contacts between these sites and sites of inland Arabia. And, from an equally early date it appears possible that there were contacts across the Red Sea. Moving towards the third and second millennium ВС the continued occupation of the Tihãmah is reflected at sites such as Sihi and Subr. Whether or not there is a single cultural entity extending throughout the Tihãmah by this time remains to be shown; however, Subr and its nearby contemporary sites, and Sihi, along with contemporary sites such as those reported from the Farasan Islands (Zarins ibid..) all indicate the diversity of sites prevalent at this time. Also, the possible pottery analogies with East Africa are further indication of continued and perhaps increased contacts across the Red Sea. However, despite the gradually emerging picture of an indigenous

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THE TIHÄMAH с. 5000 ТО 500 ВС

settlement pattern characteristic of the Tihãmah, it is still debatable what the Sabaean impact might have been at the beginning of the first millennium ВС. As indicated above, Beeston hinted at the question of the ethnicity of the early inhabitants of al-Hämid. Since al-Hämid can now be shown to be only one component of a wider pattern of settlements, and a pattern which reproduces many of the characteristics evident from the preceding periods of occupation, it is preferable to see al-Hämid and other contemporary sites as primarily a continuation of local developments which, towards the beginning of the first millennium ВС, underwent the same transformation as sites elsewhere in the Yemen. The subsequent contacts that are documented between the Sabaeans and sites in Tigray can therefore be seen as a continuation, and perhaps further intensification, of relations that existed across the Red Sea from much earlier times. This being so, it becomes probable that the Tihãmah played a far more integral role in the early historical development of South Arabia than has previously been acknowledged.

References Beeston, A. F. L. 1995. Sabaeans in Tihama. AAE 6:

236-245 Bernadelli, G & Pannello, A.E. 1970. Note su alcune

località archeologiche del Yemen. AION 20/1: 117-120.

Ciuk, С & Keall, E. 1996. Zabid Pottery Manual 1995. BAR International Series 655. Oxford.

Cambridge, P. 1966. The Shell Eaters: a preliminary study of a Midden Site at Little Aden. Aden Magazine 12: 22-24

Jamme, A. 1981. Pre-Islamic Arabian Miscellanea. In, Al-Hudhud, Festschrift Maria Hofiier zum 80 Geburtstag, Graz 1981, 95-1 12.

Keall, E. 1983. Zabid and its hinterland: 1982 report. PSAS 13: 53-69

Korotayev, A. 1995. Ancient Yemen. Oxford. Phillips, С S. 1997 Al-Hämid: A Route to the Red

Sea ? In, A. Avanzini (ed.) Profumi D'Arabia. Pisa: 287-295

Robin, С. J. 1995. La Tihama yemenite avant l'Islam: notes d'histoire et de géographie historique. AAE 6: 222-235

Stone, F. (ed.) 1985. Studies on the Tihãmah. The Report of the Tihãmah. Expedition 1982 and Related Papers. Harlow.

Tosi, M. 1985. Tihãmah. Coastal Archaeology Survey. East and West 35/4: 363-369

1986. Survey and Excavations on the Coastal Plain (Tihãmah). East and West 36/4: 400-414

Zarins, J & Al-Badr, H. 1986. Archaeological Investigations in the Southern Tihãmah Plain, II. ATLAL 10: 36-57.

Zarins, J & Zahráni, A. 1985. Recent Archaeological Investigations in the Southern Tihãmah Plain. ATLAL 9: 65-107

Zarins, J., Murad, A. & Al-Yaish, K. 1981. The Second Preliminary Report on the Southwestern Province. ATLAL 5: 9-42

Contributor's address C.S. Phillips. Institute of Archaeology, University College London, 31-34 Gordon Square,

London WC1H 0PY, UK

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