Islamic Archaeology in Global Perspective

Islamic archaeology is expanding rapidly, and Islamic Archaeology in Global Perspective provides the first critical overview of the subject. No book has ever provided such a comprehensive review of Islamic archaeology, and it will set the research agenda for years to come. This book is informally divided into three sections, with the first section providing a chronological discussion of research on Islamic archaeological material from the origins of Islam in the early seventh century to the end of the Ottoman Empire in the early twentieth century and primarily focusing on the Levant, Arabian Peninsula, and Egypt. The second section examines the archaeology of the Indian Ocean and land-based trade and pilgrimage routes. The third section adopts a geographical approach to explore North Africa, the Iberian Peninsula and Sicily; the sub-Saharan African regions of the West African Sahel and Sudan; and Ethiopia, South and Southeast Asia, as well as Iran, Afghanistan, and Central Asia. With extensive use of illustrations and box texts throughout to consider particular themes, technologies, and archaeological materials, such as types of ceramics, coins, and glass, this book will be indispensable for all students and researchers of Islamic archaeology and Islamic Studies.