Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-c4f8m Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T09:43:18.378Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Archaeology in the Sirte Basin: Preliminary Results of Mitigation Surveys carried out for Shell 2007–2009

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 March 2015

Charles LeQuesne ,
Laura S. Basell  and
Ramadan Sheibani
Charles LeQuesne
Affiliation:
RPS Planning, Transport and Environment, Mallams Court, 18 Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon.UK
Laura S. Basell
Affiliation:
Palaeoenvironmental Laboratory, School of Geography, Highfield Campus, University of Southampton, UK
Ramadan Sheibani
Affiliation:
Libyan Department of Antiquities, Tripoli, Libya
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This paper presents in summary form the results of three years of remote sensing and ground-truthing of archaeological sites falling within concession areas held by Shell Libya in the Sirte Basin. This area spans the frontier of Tripolitania and Cyrenaica, ranging from Wadi ben Jawwad in the west to Ajdabiyah in the east and south to Jebel Zelten. The work was commissioned by Shell to inform them of archaeological sensitivities during their ongoing operations in the region. The results presented here include the identification of thousands of previously unknown sites of all periods, dating from the Lower Palaeolithic to the Second World War. Prehistoric discoveries include significant numbers of Middle Palaeolithic sites, particularly at Jebel Zelten, and large numbers of Pastoralist Neolithic sites in the coastal hinterland and on palaeoshorelines around sabkhas further north. Traces of Libyan tribes of the first millennium BC have been found in the form of large numbers of pastoralist desert campsites. Extensive evidence for Roman and late antique settlement has been found in the coastal hinterland on both sides of the Gulf of Sirte, as well as evidence for indigenous ‘long hut’ settlements along the desert fringe.

Type
Articles
Information
Libyan Studies , Volume 41 , 2010 , pp. 7 - 32
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Libyan Studies 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abadi, A.M., van Wees, J.-D., van Dijk, P. M. and Cloetingh, P.L. 2008. Tectonics and subsidence evolution of the Sirt Basin, Libya. American Association of Petroleum Geologists 92.8: 993–1027.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Abdussaid, A. 1964. Islamic Monuments at Ajdabiyah. Libya Antiqua 1: 115–119.Google Scholar
Abdussaid, A. 1976. The Old City of Ajdabiyah. In Some Islamic Sites in Libya, Art and Archaeology Research Papers. London: 19–24.Google Scholar
Anketell, J.M. 1989. Quaternary Deposits of Northern Libya – Lithostratigraphy and Correlation. Libyan Studies 20: 1–29.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barker, G. (ed.) 1996. Farming the Desert. The UNESCO Libyan Valleys Archaeological Survey. Volume One: Synthesis. London: UNESCO/Department of Antiquities (Tripoli)/Society for Libyan Studies.Google Scholar
Barker, G., Basell, L., Brooks, I., Cartwright, C., Cole, F., Davison, J., Farr, L., Grün, R., Hamilton, R., Hunt, C., Inglis, R., Jacobs, Z., Legge, T., Leitch, V., Morales, J., Morley, I., Pawley, S., Pryor, A., Roberts, B., Reynolds, T., el-Rishi, H., Simpson, D., Twati, M., and van der Veen, M. 2008. The Cyrenaican Prehistory Project 2008: the second season of investigations of the Haua Fteah cave and its landscape, and further results from the initial (2007) fieldwork. Libyan Studies 39: 175–221.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barker, G., Antoniadou, A., Barton, H., Brooks, I., Candy, I., Drake, N., Farr, L., Hunt, C., Abdulhamid Ibrahim, A., Inglis, R., Jones, S., Morales, J., Morley, I., Mutri, G., Rabett, R., Reynolds, T., Simpson, D., Twati, M. and White, K. 2009. The Cyrenaican Prehistory Project 2009: the third season of investigations of the Haua Fteah cave and its landscape and further results from the 2007–2008 fieldwork. Libyan Studies 40: 1–42.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barich, B.E. (ed.) 1987. Archaeology and Environment in the Libyan Sahara. The excavations in the TadrartAcacus 1978–1983. Cambridge Monographs in African Archaeology, 23. BAR International Series, 368. Oxford.Google Scholar
Barich, B.E. 2006. The Archaeology of the Jebel Gharbi. Contributions to the Knowledge of the Pleistocene-Holocene Transition in Northern Libya. Archaeology of Early Northeastern Africa. Studies in African Archaeology 9. Poznan Archaeological Museum: 959–969.Google Scholar
Basell, L.S. in press. Sangoan-Lupemban Lithic Assemblages of Africa. In Allsworth-Jones, , (ed.), West African Archaeology, New Developments, New Perspectives. BAR International Series, Oxford.Google Scholar
Bates, O. 1914. The Eastern Libyans. Macmillan, London.Google Scholar
Beechey, F.W. and Beechey, H.W. 1828. Proceedings of the Expedition to Explore the Northern Coast of Africa. John Murray, London.Google Scholar
Boaz, N.T., El-Arnauti, A., Gaziry, A.W., de Heinzelin, J., Boaz, D.D. 1987. Neogene Paleontology and Geology of Sahabi. Alan Riss Inc., New York.Google Scholar
Boaz, N., Gaziry, A.W., El-Arnauti, A. 1979. New fossil finds from the Libyan Upper Neogene site of Sahabi. Nature 280: 137–139.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bouzouggar, A., Barton, R.N.E., Blockley, S., Bronk-Ramsey, C., Collcutt, S.N., Gale, R., Higham, T.F.G., Humphrey, L.T., Parfitt, S., Turner, E., Ward, S. 2008. Reevaluating the Age of the Iberomaurusian in Morocco. African Archaeological Review 25: 3–19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Casford, J.S.L., Rohling, E.J., Abu-Zied, R.H., Fontanier, C., Jorissen, F.J., Leng, M.J., Schmidl, G., Thomson, J. 2003. A dynamic concept for eastern Mediterranean circulation and oxygenation during sapropel formation. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 190: 103–119.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chiotti, L., Dibble, H.L., McPherron, S.P., Olszewski, D. I., Schurmans, U.A. (2009) Prospections sur les plateaux désertiques du desert libyque égyptien (Abydos, Moyenne Egypte). Quelques examples de technologies lithiques. L'Anthropologie 113: 341–355.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cerrata, L. 1933. Sirtis (Studio Storico). Tipografia Pergola, Avellino.Google Scholar
Cooke, R., Warren, A., and Goudie, A. 1993. Desert Geomorphology. UCL Press, London.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Di Lernia, S. and Garcea, E.A. 1997. Some remarks on Saharan terminology. Pre-pastoral archaeology from the Libyan Sahara and the Middle Nile Valley. Libya Antiqua n.s. 3: 4–12.Google Scholar
Domaci, L. 1985. Geological Map of Libya, 1:250,000 Sheet Bi'r Zaltan, NH34–14, Explanatory Booklet, Industrial Research Centre, Tripoli.Google Scholar
Donaldson, P. 1976. Excavations at Ajdabiyah. Libyan Studies 7: 115–119.Google Scholar
Dore, J., Leone, A., and Hawthorne, J. 2007. Pottery and Other Finds. In Mattingly 2007.Google Scholar
Edmunds, W.M. and Wright, E.P. 1979. Groundwater Recharge and Palaeoclimate in the Sirte and Kufra Basins, Libya. Journal of Hydrology 40: 215–241.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fehérvári, G., Hamdani, A., Shaghlouf, M & Bishop, H. 2002. Excavations at Surt (Medinat al-Sultan) between 1977 and 1981. Department of Antiquities, Tripoli/London: The Society for Libyan Studies.Google Scholar
Fontes, J. Ch. and Gasse, F. 1991. PALHYDAF (Palaeohydrology in Africa) program: objectives, methods, major results. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology: 84: 191–215.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Garcea, E.A.A. and Giraudi, C. 2006. Late Quaternary human settlement patterning in the Jebel Gharbi. Journal of Human Evolution 51: 411–421.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gasse, F. 2000. Hydrological changes in African Tropics since the Last Glacial Maximum. Quaternary Science Reviews 19: 189–211.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gasse, F., Fontes, J.C., Plaziat, J.C., Carbonel, P., Kaczmarksa, I., DeDecker, P., Soulié-Marsche, I., Callot, Y. and Dupeuble, P.A. 1987. Biological Remains, Geochemistry and Stable Isotopes for the Reconstruction of Environmental and Hydrological Changes in the Holocene Lakes from North Sahara. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 60: 1–46.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Geological Researches and Mining Department 1985. Geological Map of Libya, 1:1,000,000. Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. Industrial Research Centre.Google Scholar
Giglia, G. 1984. Geological Map of Libya, 1:250,000 Sheet. Ajadabiya NH36-6, Explanatory Booklet. Industrial Research Centre, Tripoli.Google Scholar
Giraudi, C. 2005. Eolian sand in peridesert northwestern Libya and implications for Late Pleistocene and Holocene Sahara expansions. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 218: 161–173.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goodchild, R.G. 1954. Tabula Imperii Romani: Sheet H.I. 34 Cyrene. Society of Antiquaries, London.Google Scholar
Goodchild, R.G. 1976. Libyan Studies: Select Papers of the late RG Goodchild (ed. Reynolds, J.). Paul Elek, London.Google Scholar
Hallett, D. 2004. Petroleum Geology of Libya. Elsevier, Amsterdam.Google Scholar
Hoelzmann, P., Gasse, F., Dupont, L.M., Salzmann, U., Staubwasser, M., Leuschner, D.K., Sirocko, K. 2004. Palaeoenvironmental changes in the Arid and Subarid Belt (Sahara-Sahel-Arabian Peninsula) from 150 kyr to Present. In Battarbee, R.W., Gasse, F. and Stickley, C.E. (eds), Past Climate Variability through Europe and Africa. Springer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.Google Scholar
Holmboe, K. 1936. Desert Encounter. An adventurous journey through Italian Africa. G.G. Harrap and Co. Ltd, London.Google Scholar
Köhler, C.M., Heslop, D., Krijgsman, W., Dekkers, M.J. 2010. Late Miocene paleoenvironmental changes in North Africa and the Mediterranean recorded by geo-chemical proxies (Monte Gibliscemi section, Sicily). Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 285: 66–73.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Laronde, A. 1987. Cyrène et la Libye hellénistique. «Libykai Historiai» de l'époque républicaine au principat d'Auguste. CNRS, Paris.Google Scholar
Laurence, R. and Berry, J. 2001. Cultural Identity in the Roman Empire. Routledge.Google Scholar
Mattingly, D. 1995. Tripolitania. Batsford, London.Google Scholar
Mattingly, D. 2000. Syrtica. In Talbert, R. (ed), Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton: map 37 and Map-by-Map Directory: 552–57.Google Scholar
Mattingly, D. (ed), 2007. The Archaeology of the Fazzan. Volume 2, Site Gazeteer, Pottery and Other Survey Finds. Department of Antiquities, Tripoli and Society for Libyan Studies, London.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McBurney, C. 1947. The Stone Age of the Libyan Littoral: the Results of a War-time Reconnaissance. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 13: 56–85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McBurney, C. and Hey, R.W. 1955. Prehistory and Pleistocene Geology in Cyrenaican Libya. Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Oberlander, T.M. 1994. Rock Varnish in Deserts. In Abrahams, A.D. and Parsons, A.J. (eds), Geomorphology of Desert Environments. Chapman and Hall, London.Google Scholar
Pachur, H.-J. 1973. Geomorphologische Untersuchungen im Raum der Serir Tibesti (zentral Sahara). Geographisches Institut, Berlin. Spec. Pap.Google Scholar
Pachur, H.-J., 1975. Zur spätpleistozänen und holozänen Formung auf der Nordabdachung des Tibestigebirges. Erde 106: 21–46.Google Scholar
Preece, C. 1999. Boreum, an Educational Resource. Libyan Studies 30: 53–68.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Preece, C. 2000. Marsa al-Brega: a fatal port of call. Evidence for shipwreck, anchorage and trade in antiquity in the Gulf of Sirte. Libyan Studies 31: 29–57.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reddé, R. 1988. Prospections des vallées du nord de la Libye (1979–1980). La région de Syrte à l'époque romaine. L'Armée romaine et les provinces 4, Paris.Google Scholar
Rebuffat, R. 1970. Routes de la Libye Interieure. Studi Maghrebini 3: 1–20.Google Scholar
Rebuffat, R. 1982. Recherches dans le désert de Libye. Comptes Rendus de l'Academie des Inscriptions. 188–99.Google Scholar
Rebuffat, R. 1987. Les fermiers du désert. Africa Romana 5: 33–68.Google Scholar
Riley, J.A. 1982. Islamic Wares from Ajdabiyah. Libyan Studies 13: 85–104.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Riley, J.A. 1983. Pre-Islamic Pottery from Ajdabiyah. Libyan Studies 14: 138–142.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Selley, R. C. 1966. The Miocene Rocks of the Marada and Jebel Zelten Area, Central Libya. The Petroleum Society of Libya.Google Scholar
Sidebotham, S., Hense, M. and Nouwens, H. 2008. The Red Land. American University in Cairo Press, Cairo.Google Scholar
Swezey, C. 2001. Eolian sediment responses to late Quaternary climate changes: temporal and spatial patterns in the Sahara. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 167: 119–155.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tawadros, E.E. 2001. Geology of Egypt and Libya. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam.Google Scholar
Uheida, I.M. and Goulty, N.R. 2000. Seismic penetration problem in the Wadi Field, Sirte Basin, Libya. First Break 18.4: 129–187.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vita-Finzi, C. 1971. Alluvial History of Northern Libya since the last Interglacial. In Gray, C. (ed.), Symposium on the Geology of Libya. University of Libya, Tarabulus: 409–429.Google Scholar
Walston, J. 1997. History and Memory of the Italian Concentration Camps. The Historical Journal 40.1: 169–183.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
White, K. and Drake, N. 2007. Report on the Shell Concessions of the Gulf of Sirt. In Oil & Gas Exploration in the Sirte Basin, Libya: Archaeological Risk Assessment. Unpublished RPS report prepared for Shell Libya.Google Scholar
Wendorf, F. and Schild, R. 1980. Prehistory of the Eastern Sahara. Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
White, T., Suwa, G., Richards, G., Watters, J.P., Barnes, L.G. 1983. “Hominoid clavicle” from Sahabi is actually a fragment of cetacean rib. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 61: 239–244.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Whitehouse, D. 1972. The Excavations at Ajdabiyah. An Interim report. Libyan Studies 3: 12–21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Whitehouse, D. 1973. Excavations at Ajdabiyah. Second Interim report. Libyan Studies 4: 20–27.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ziegert, H. 1966. Climatic changes and palaeolithic industries in Eastern Fazzan, Libya. In Williams, J.J. (ed.), South Central Libya and Northern Tchad, A Guidebook to the Geolgoy and Prehistory. Petroleum Exploration Society, Libya. Tripoli.Google Scholar