The beginnings of Islam in the Gulf are usually associated with the establishment of important urban centres, such as Baghdad, Basra, Siraf and Sohar, to tap into the Indian Ocean trade, and in particular with the centres of China. However, recent research suggests that nomadic groups in the Gulf shores played a crucial role in the development of this connectivity even before the foundation of some of the major centres. This lecture will explore the archaeological evidence related to this question and will suggest avenues of research to address it.
We are very much looking forward to hearing from José. His specialist field as an archaeologist is pottery and material culture in general, primarily in Iberia and Qatar, but he also has experience in landscape and architectural archaeology. He focuses on archaeological study of the Islamic culture, mainly in the process of Islamization and in interactions of Islam with other cultures. He searches for approaches that combine anthropological theory on material culture and analyses with scientific techniques.
