MUFONET-BBS GROUP - MUTUAL UFO NETWORK ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS -

MUFONET-BBS GROUP - MUTUAL UFO NETWORK ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS - WIRE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄż ł=START= XMT: 14:59 Tue Feb 25 EXP: 15:00 Wed Feb 26 ł ł ł łARCHAEOLOGISTS EXCAVATE 6,000-YEAR-OLD TOWN AT UMM AL QUWAINł ł ł ł(FEB. 25) MIDDLE EAST NEWS NETWORK - A pre-historic town ł łdating back to about 6,000 years, possibly the biggest ł łwalled town of its kind in the Arabian Gulf is under ł łexcavation at Umm Al Quwain. ł ł ł łWith the support of the Government of Umm Al Quwain and ł łGeneral Motors, a team of archaeologists led by Prof Dan ł łPotts of the University of Sydney, is uncovering evidence ofł łvirtually continuous occupation at Tell Abraq from 3,800 ł łBC to the first century AD. ł ł ł ł''The four-hectare site is a landmark discovery,'' said ł łProfessor Potts. ''It is the largest and longest settled ł łpre-historic town ever found on the southern coast of the ł łArabian Gulf.'' ł ł ł łThe settlement was a regional center of trade with importantł łcities in west and south Asia. ''We have found imported ł łceramics, stone vessels, stone weights, cylinder seals and ł łmetal objects similar to those found in Mesopotamia, Iran, ł łBahrain and the Indus Valley,'' Prof Potts added. ł ł ł ł''We are indebted to the Government of Umm Al Quwain and to ł łGeneral Motors which have provided us with vehicles and ł łfunds to carry out extensive tests on our discoveries.'' ł ł ł łGary K. Rowley, regional director of General Motors, said: ł ł''We are very pleased to be able to help the team piece ł łtogether a picture of the lifestyle and economy of the ł łregion's early inhabitants.'' ł ł ł łThe archaeologists are doing this by analysing the rich ł łfauna, flora, architectural and ceramic remains unearthed onł łthe site. ł ł ł łOne of the most exciting discoveries is a round, fortified ł łbuilding made of stone and mud in a diameter of 40 meters ł łand a height of 7.5 meters. ł ł ł łA circular grave lies at the base of the building and the ł łteam intends to bring in an anthropologist who can deal ł ładequately with the human remains. ł ł ł łAccording to Prof Potts, the town sprawled around the large ł łfort with people living in barastis or tents. A mudbrick ł łplatform covers the mound, into which a deep well had been ł łsunk. ł ł ł ł''From the amount of fishbones and shells recovered, we can ł łtell that fishing was a major occupation of the ł łpopulation,'' Prof Potts added, ''and the discovery of largeł łgrinding stones shows cereals were cultivated. The people ł łwere also great traders with links all around the region.'' ł ł ł łApart from Professor Potts, the international team ł łexcavating Tell Abraq includes Anne-Marie Mortenson, field ł łdirector, Katrina Proust, registrar, Hildreth Potts, ł łdraughtsman, architect Stephanie Licciardo, archaeologist ł łRobyn Stocks and Christian Velde and conservator Wendy ł łReade-Trevett. Also working on the site is Prof Hans-Pater ł łUerpmann, a leading analyst of animal bone remains. ł ł ł łFrom: Khaleej Times ł ł ł ł=END= ł