Reports by CHUNG-TO Guillaume
The Thāj Archaeological Project. Report on the 2019/2020 Field Seasons
Papers by CHUNG-TO Guillaume
The ramparts of Khaybar. Multiproxy investigation for reconstructing a Bronze Age walled oasis in Northwest Arabia
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, Dec 31, 2023
The multidisciplinary investigation carried out between 2020 and 2023 by the Khaybar Longue Durée... more The multidisciplinary investigation carried out between 2020 and 2023 by the Khaybar Longue Durée Archaeological Project (CNRS-RCU-AFALULA) demonstrates that the Khaybar Oasis was entirely enclosed by a rampart in pre-Islamic times, like several other large regional walled oases in north-western Arabia (Tayma, Qurayyah, Hait, etc.). The cross-referencing of survey and remote sensing data, architectural examinations and the dating of stratified contexts have revealed a rampart initially some 14.5 km long, generally between 1.70 m and 2.40 m thick, reinforced by 180 bastions. Preserved today over just under half of the original route (41 %, 5.9 km and 74 bastions), this rampart dates back to the Bronze Age, between 2250 and 1950 BCE, and had never been detected before due to the profound reworking of the local desert landscape over time. This crucial discovery confirms the rise of a walled oasis complex in northern Arabia during the Bronze Age, a trend that proved to be central to the creation of indigenous social and political complexity.
Supplement of the Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies, 2022
The Khaybar oasis is a cultural landscape that has been shaped over thousands of years by human o... more The Khaybar oasis is a cultural landscape that has been shaped over thousands of years by human occupation and where communities continue to live to the present day. It lies on the edge of a large lava field called Ḥarrāt Khaybar in north-west Saudi Arabia and combines unique geology, rich archaeology, and spectacular traditional heritage. It has been preserved for millennia, and human presence seems to have been continuous from the earliest prehistoric times to the birth of Islam and beyond. This article presents a preliminary general assessment of the archaeology of this major Arabian oasis. It aims to introduce the objectives and methods of our new survey and excavation project, the Khaybar Longue Durée Archaeological Project (2020–2024), supported by the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), the French Agency for AlUla Development (AFALULA), and the French Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). It also highlights the preliminary results of field surveys carried out inside the RCU oasis core zone in Khaybar in November 2020 and June 2021. The project yielded important discoveries in its first seasons of activity, such as the presence of Palaeolithic and Neolithic occupations, the identification of specific patterns of local desert kites, the first analyses of protohistoric funerary structures, the discovery of a monumental pre-Islamic outer wall that surrounded the oasis in the past, new pre-Islamic and Islamic sites, as well as a significant number of inscriptions and rock art from different periods and traditions.
Geoarchaeology, 2025
The Sadd al‐Bint is one of the largest known ancient dams in Saudi Arabia, and yet, its construct... more The Sadd al‐Bint is one of the largest known ancient dams in Saudi Arabia, and yet, its construction date, function and collapse remained uncertain. This study presents the first numerical chronology for the dam, integrating radiocarbon dating, Bayesian modelling, geomorphological analysis and hydrological modelling to reconstruct its history. Results indicate a multiphase construction, with initial building between 596 and 686 CE, followed by repairs or extensions between 725 and 907 CE, and a final maintenance phase between 947 and 1015 CE. Structural and sedimentological evidence suggests that the dam's collapse was not due to poor engineering but rather prolonged lack of maintenance, leading to progressive infiltration until a sudden
hydrological event triggered failure. Hydrological reconstructions confirm a maximum reservoir capacity of 12 million m³, potentially supporting extensive irrigation at nearby al‐Thamad oasis. The study brings new insights on the dating of Arabian dams, perhaps its most challenging issue, demonstrating a major hydraulic investment during the Rashidun and Umayyad periods and its continuity into the Abbasid period. The dam's strategic location and its role in regional water management suggest a broader state‐driven infrastructure policy in early Islamic Arabia. These findings enhance our understanding of longterm water management strategies in northwestern Arabia and their socio‐political implications.
Hespéris-Tamuda, 2023
The starting point of this article is the statement that the movement networks of medieval Morocc... more The starting point of this article is the statement that the movement networks of medieval Morocco had been so far studied only by a literary and not a cartographic approach of spaces. As a consequence, this article sets out to develop an archaeogeographical approach to the ancient routes of the Maghrib al-Aqsā by comparing textual data drawn from al-Idrīsī's ʾUns al-Muhāj wa-Rawḍ al-Furaj and planimetric data drawn from the 1:50,000 map coverage of the Moroccan territory. After outlining the goals, methods and limitations of this approach, which has already demonstrated its considerable contribution to historical knowledge in other chrono-cultural contexts, this article sets out to analyse first globally and then individually the routes described by al-Idrīsī in the course of the 12 th century. The aim is to locally test the potential of the archaeogeographical approach, in order first to locate unknown ancient place names and thus potential new archaeological sites, and then to understand the settlement and implementation of these ancient routes.
Chung-To G., An Abbasid settlement horizon in the oasis of Khaybar: the al‑Ḥurḍah site
Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies, 2023
Chung-To G., Traverser la péninsule Arabique aux débuts de l’Islam : une histoire d’eau
Archéo.doct 17, 2024
Cet article aborde la question de la gestion de la ressource en eau le long des itinéraires carav... more Cet article aborde la question de la gestion de la ressource en eau le long des itinéraires caravaniers de la péninsule Arabique aux débuts de l’Islam et plus particulièrement à partir de la seconde moitié du VIIIe siècle. S’appuyant principalement sur les données produites dans les années 1980-1990 par des chercheurs saoudiens, il présente les limites de ces approches archéologiques mais également ce qu’elles apportent à notre connaissance des structures hydrauliques le long de ces routes. Cet article explore les aspects fonctionnels de ces haltes dans leur rapport à l’eau, abordant les questions d’approvisionnement, de gestion et de contrôle de l’eau.
This paper addresses the issue of water resource management along the caravan routes of the Arabian Peninsula in the early Islamic period, and more particularly from the second half of the 8th century onwards. Based mainly on data produced in the 1980s and 1990s by Saudi researchers, it presents the limitations of these archaeological approaches but also the way in which they contribute to our knowledge of the hydraulic structures along these routes. This study explores the functional aspects of these halts in their relationship to water, addressing issues of water supply, management and control.
Priestman, S., Kennet, D., MacDonald, E., al-Jahwari, N., al-Balushi, T., Brown, P., Campbell, K., Chung-To, G., MacDonald, R., al-Mahroqi, W., al-Maqbali, S., Marrast, A., Mamalashvili, T., Naskidashvili, D., Al-Sharqi, S., Santi, A., Shiokawa, T. & Smith, K. 2024: ‘Sohar Project: the archaeolog...
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2024
The multidisciplinary investigation carried out between 2020 and 2023 by the Khaybar Longue Durée... more The multidisciplinary investigation carried out between 2020 and 2023 by the Khaybar Longue Durée Archaeological Project (CNRS-RCU-AFALULA) demonstrates that the Khaybar Oasis was entirely enclosed by a rampart in pre-Islamic times, like several other large regional walled oases in north-western Arabia (Tayma, Qurayyah, Hait, etc.). The cross-referencing of survey and remote sensing data, architectural examinations and the dating of stratified contexts have revealed a rampart initially some 14.5 km long, generally between 1.70 m and 2.40 m thick, reinforced by 180 bastions. Preserved today over just under half of the original route (41 %, 5.9 km and 74 bastions), this rampart dates back to the Bronze Age, between 2250 and 1950 BCE, and had never been detected before due to the profound reworking of the local desert landscape over time. This crucial discovery confirms the rise of a walled oasis complex in northern Arabia during the Bronze Age, a trend that proved to be central to the creation of indigenous social and political complexity.
Route de l'encens et pistes caravanières en Arabie
Dossiers d'Archéologie, Jan 1, 2023
Events by CHUNG-TO Guillaume
XXVes rencontres de l'association des doctorantes et doctorants en histoire des mondes musulmans ... more XXVes rencontres de l'association des doctorantes et doctorants en histoire des mondes musulmans médiévaux et modernes.
Coordination: Chaimaa Cherkaoui, Yoan Parrot, Guillaume Chung-To, Enki Baptiste
Reviews by CHUNG-TO Guillaume
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Reports by CHUNG-TO Guillaume
Papers by CHUNG-TO Guillaume
hydrological event triggered failure. Hydrological reconstructions confirm a maximum reservoir capacity of 12 million m³, potentially supporting extensive irrigation at nearby al‐Thamad oasis. The study brings new insights on the dating of Arabian dams, perhaps its most challenging issue, demonstrating a major hydraulic investment during the Rashidun and Umayyad periods and its continuity into the Abbasid period. The dam's strategic location and its role in regional water management suggest a broader state‐driven infrastructure policy in early Islamic Arabia. These findings enhance our understanding of longterm water management strategies in northwestern Arabia and their socio‐political implications.
This paper addresses the issue of water resource management along the caravan routes of the Arabian Peninsula in the early Islamic period, and more particularly from the second half of the 8th century onwards. Based mainly on data produced in the 1980s and 1990s by Saudi researchers, it presents the limitations of these archaeological approaches but also the way in which they contribute to our knowledge of the hydraulic structures along these routes. This study explores the functional aspects of these halts in their relationship to water, addressing issues of water supply, management and control.
Events by CHUNG-TO Guillaume
Coordination: Chaimaa Cherkaoui, Yoan Parrot, Guillaume Chung-To, Enki Baptiste
Reviews by CHUNG-TO Guillaume