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Desert Migrations Project XVIII: The archaeology of the northern Fazzan. A preliminary report

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 April 2014

Stefania Merlo ,
Susanne Hakenbeck  and
Andrea Luca Balbo
Stefania Merlo
Affiliation:
School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
Susanne Hakenbeck
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge, UK
Andrea Luca Balbo
Affiliation:
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Barcelona, Spain
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Abstract

The first reconnaissance survey of the Wadi ash-Shati, the northernmost line of the oases of the Fazzan, was carried out in 2007 and 2008. This survey aimed to locate archaeological sites of the Garamantian and historic periods in a region that, despite being on record as the most populated of the Fazzan in the historic period, was never previously systematically surveyed. Following the field survey, further examination of high-resolution satellite imagery was carried out. This allowed for the discovery of more sites and the detailed tracing of a number of cemeteries that were only partially surveyed during fieldwork. The report presents the first cross-chronological map of the Wadi ash-Shati and some interpretations of the history of occupation of the area. The future investigation of specific sites, a structured dating programme and further, more detailed, study of historic sources will provide a fuller understanding of this region.

Type
Archaeological Reports
Information
Libyan Studies , Volume 44 , 2013 , pp. 141 - 161
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Libyan Studies 2013

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