Mosques are one of the physical representations of Islam and of Muslim communities in the archaeological record. The workshop will present a number of archaeological case studies in the Levant, the Arabian Peninsula, Africa, and Spain between the seventh and the thirteenth centuries. Mosques will be introduced in relation to water systems and burials, to earlier and later structures, and to specific types of settlements. In particular, the workshop will treat the question of Islamization, the definitions of the term, and its validity. The event will also include launching a database for excavated mosques until the 9^th century in OpenContext.org and discuss methods and approaches for open data in archaeology.

Presentation

Mosques are one of the physical representations of Islam and of Muslim communities in the archaeological record. The workshop will present a number of archaeological case studies in the Levant, the Arabian Peninsula, Africa, and Spain between the seventh and the thirteenth centuries. Mosques will be introduced in relation to water systems and burials, to earlier and later structures, and to specific types of settlements. In particular, the workshop will treat the question of Islamization, the definitions of the term, and its validity. The event will also include launching a database for excavated mosques until the 9^th century in OpenContext.org and discuss methods and approaches for open data in archaeology.

Programme

Friday, December 3rd

14:00 registration

14:30-15:30 Open data and archaeology.

Chair: Catharine Judson

• Françoise Vandooren (Université libre de Bruxelles) Why would you like to share your research data?
• Sarah Whitcher Kansa (The Alexandria Archive Institute) Opportunities and challenges in archaeological data publishing: perspectives from Open Context [online]
• Hagit NOL (Université libre de Bruxelles) Introducing the Early Islamic mosques database

15:30 coffee break

15:50-17:20 Ancient mosques session I.

Chair: Marie-Odile Rousset

• Denis Genequand (SMRA, Avenches) Early and Middle Islamic mosques in Palmyra and Qasr al-Hayr al-Sharqi
• Abed al-Razeq Matani (independent scholar) Al-Khanka al-Salahiya Mosque (complex) in Hittin

17:20 coffee break

• 17:40-19:10 keynote Timothy Insoll (University of Exeter) Comparative perspectives on Islamisation. An archaeological view from Sub-Saharan Africa [online]

19:10 reception

Saturday, December 4th

9:30 coffee

10:00-11:30 Ancient mosques session II.

Chair: Nicolò PINI

• Marie-Odile Rousset (CNRS – Archéorient, Lyons) The pre-Crusader mosque of Sour / Tyre (Lebanon)
• Louise BLANKE (University of Edinburgh) The congregational mosque in Jarash (Jordan) before and after the earthquake of 749 CE

11:30 coffee break

12:00-13:30 Ancient mosques session III.

Chair: Agnès Vokaer

• Jérémie Schiettecatte (CNRS Orient & Méditerranée, Paris) The Early Islamic mosque at al-Yamāma (Najd, central Arabia)
• Carmen González Gutiérrez (University of Córdoba) Mosques in al-Andalus: state of the art from archaeology and experiences from Córdoba

13:30 lunch

15:00-16:30 Ancient mosques session IV.

Chair: Laurent Bavay

• Stéphane Pradines (The Aga Khan University) Early mosques in West Africa and the Swahili coast: the role of Ibadi and Ismaili communities
• Hagit NOL (Université libre de Bruxelles) Mosque and the city: rethinking early Islamic concepts and links

16:30 coffee break

• 17:00-18:30 keynote José C. Carvajal López (University of Leicester) Mosques and the material fabric of Islam: two questions for archaeologists

19:00 dinner