Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-02T23:43:54.115Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Ostrich distribution and exploitation in the Arabian peninsula

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

D. T. Potts
D. T. Potts*
Affiliation:
Archaeology, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Ethnohistoric and representational as well as egg-shell evidence shows that the ostrich was widely distributed in Arabia. However, the absence of ostrich bones in the archaeological record suggests that they were not hunted for meat.

Keywords

ostrich eggArabian peninsula
Type
Papers
Information
Antiquity , Volume 75 , Issue 287 , March 2001 , pp. 182 - 190
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd. 2001

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

Anati, E. 1968. Rock-art in Central Arabia 1: The ‘oval-headed’ people of Arabia. Louvain: Bibliothèque du Muséon. 50.Google Scholar
Anati, E. 1974. Rock-art in Central Arabia 4: Corpus of the rock engravings (contd.). Louvain: Institut Orientaliste de Louvain. Publication 4.Google Scholar
Aspinall, S. 1998. New ostrich shell finds, Tribulus 8/2: 28.Google Scholar
Audouin, R. 1996. Étude du décor des temples des Banat ‘Ad, in Robin, C.J. (ed.), Arabia Antiqua: Early origins of South Arabian states: 121–42. Rome: ISMEO. Serie Orientale Roma 70/1.Google Scholar
Bent, T. & Mrs, T. 1900. Southern Arabia. London: Smith, Elder.Google Scholar
Bibby, T.G. 1954. Fern af Bahrains hundrede tusinde gravhøje (Five among Bahrain’s hundred thousand grave-mounds), Kuml 1954: 116–41.Google Scholar
Blunt, W.S. 1880. A visit to Jebel Shammar (Nejd): New routes through Northern and Central Arabia. Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society 2: 81–102.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bodenheimer, F.S. 1960. Animal and man in Bible lands. Leiden: Brill.Google Scholar
Bowen, R. Leb. 1958. Archaeological survey of Beihân, in LeB, R.. Bowen, Jr. & Albright, F.P., Archaeological discoveries in South Arabia: 3–33. Baltimore (MD): American Foundation for the Study of Man. Publication 2.Google Scholar
Camps-Fabrer, H. 1995. L’homme et l’autruche à travers le temps, in Chenorkian, R. (ed.), L’homme méditerranéen: Mélanges offerts à Gabriel Camps: 427—52. Aix-en-Provence: Université de Provence.Google Scholar
Cardi, B. De. 1978. Qatar archaeological report: Excavations 1973. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Cardi, B. De. 1988. The grave-goods from Shimal Tomb 6 in Ras al-Khaimah U.A.E., in Potts, D.T. (ed.), Araby the Blest: 44–71. Copenhagen: Carsten Niebuhr Institute. Publication 7.Google Scholar
Carruthers, D. 1910. A journey in north-western Arabia, The Geographical Journal 35: 225–48.Google Scholar
Carruthers, D. 1922a. Captain Shakespeare last journey, The Geographical journal 59: 401–18.Google Scholar
Carruthers, D. 1922b. The Arabian ostrich, The Ibis: 471–4.Google Scholar
Caubet, B. 1983. Les œufs d’autruche au Proche Orient ancien, Report of the Department of Antiquities Cyprus: 193–8.Google Scholar
Charpentier, V. 1996. Entre sables du Rub’ al Khali et mer d’Arabie, préhistoire recente du Dhofar et d’Oman: Les industries à pointes de ‘Fasad’, Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 26: 1–12.Google Scholar
Cheesman, R.E. 1923a. From Oqair to the ruins of Salwa, Geographical Journal 62: 321–35.Google Scholar
Cheesman, R.E. 1923b. Recent notes on the Arabian ostrich, The Ibis: 208–11.Google Scholar
Clarke, C. 1975. The rock art of Oman 197’5, Journal of Oman Studies 1: 113–22.Google Scholar
Cleveland, R.L. 1965. An ancient South Arabian necropolis: Objects from the second campaign (1951) in the Timna’ cemetery. Baltimore (MD): American Foundation for the Study of Man. Publication 4.Google Scholar
Cornwall, P.B. 1943. The tumuli of Bahrein, Asia and the Americas 43: 230–34.Google Scholar
Cornwall, P.B. 1946. On the location of Dilmun, Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research 103: 3–11.Google Scholar
Deeming, D.C. and AR, A. 1999. Factors affecting the success of commercial incubation, in Deeming, D.C. (ed.), The ostrich: biology, production and health: 159–90. Oxford: CABI Publishing.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Doughty, C.M. 1921. Travels in Arabia Deserta. London: Jonathan Cape. 3rd edition.Google Scholar
Driesch, A. Von Den. 1994. Viehhaltung, Jagd und Fischfang in der bronzezeitlichen Siedlung von Shimal bei Ras al-Khaimah/U.A.E., in Calmeyer, P. Hecker, K. Jakob-Rost, L. & Walker, C.B.F. (ed.), Beitrage zur altorientalischen Archeologie und Altertumskunde: Festschrift für Barthel Hrouda zum 65. Geburtstag: 73–85. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz.Google Scholar
Dutton, R.W. (ed.). 1988. The scientific results of the Royal Geographical Society’s Oman Wahiba Sands Project 1985–1987. Muscat: Office of the Adviser for Conservation of the Environment. Journal of Oman Studies Special Report 3.Google Scholar
Edens, C. 1988. Archaeology of the Sands and adjacent portions of the Sharqiyah, in Dutton, (ed.): 113–30.Google Scholar
Euting, J. 1886. Ueber seine Reise in Inner-Arabien 1883/84, Verhandlungen der Gesellschaft fur Erdkunde zu Berlin 13: 262–84.Google Scholar
Fakhry, A. 1952. An archaeological journey to Yemen (March-May, 1947) 1. Cairo: Government Press.Google Scholar
Field, H. 1952. The ostrich in South-Western Asia, Man 52: 48.Google Scholar
Field, H. 1958. The ostrich in South-Western Asia: A further note, Man 58: 67.Google Scholar
Finet, A. 1982. L’œuf d’autruche, in Quaegebeur, J. (ed.), Studia Paulo Naster Oblata II. Orientalia antiqua: 69–77. Leuven: Peeters.Google Scholar
Gallagher, M.D. 1988. Birds of the Wahiba sands of Oman, in Dutton, (ed.): 415–36.Google Scholar
Gautier, A. & Van Neer, W. 1999. Étude générale des restes vertébrés de Mleiha, in Mouton, M. (ed.), Mleiha I: Environnement, stratégies de subsistance et ai1isanats:W7-20. Lyon: Travaux de la Maison de l’Orient 29.Google Scholar
Greenway, J.C., Jr. 1967. Extinct and vanishing birds of the world. New York (NY): Dover. 2nd revised edition.Google Scholar
Guarmani, C. 1971. Northern Najd: A journey from Jerusalem to Anaiza in Qasim. Amsterdam: N. Israel. Reprint of 1938 edition.Google Scholar
Harris, A. 1998. A Late Stone Age site south of the Liwa Oasis, Tribulus 8/2: 24–7.Google Scholar
Heard-Bey, F 1996. From Trucial States to United Arab Emirates. London: Longman.Google Scholar
Hellyer, P. 1992. Birds extinct in the Emirates, Tribulus 2/1: 24.Google Scholar
Hellyer, P. & Asitnall, S.. N.d. The presence of Ostrich and ‘Proto-Ostrich’ eggshell in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region, in King, G.R.D. Hellyer, P. & Aspinall, S.P. (ed.), Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey (ADIAS)) Final Report to the Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations (ADCO) on an archaeological baseline study of the ADCO oil fields. Unpublished ms. quoted with permission of the authors.Google Scholar
Höfner, M. 1965. Siidarabien (Saba’, Qataban u.a.), in Haussig, H.W. (ed.), Gutter und Mythen im vorderen Orient: 485–552. Stuttgart: Wörterbuch der Mythologie 1.Google Scholar
Hølund, F. & Andersen, H.. 1994. Qala’at al-Bahrain 1. The northern city wall and the Islamic fortress. Aarhus: Jutland Archaeological Society. Publication 30/1.Google Scholar
Hooper, E.M. 1894. The use and care of feathers, Ladies Home fournal 16/5: 24.Google Scholar
Howe, B. 1950. Two groups of rock engravings from the Hijaz, Journal of Near Eastern Studies 9: 8–17.Google Scholar
Huntingford, G.W.B. 1980. The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea. London: Hakluyt Society.Google Scholar
Ibrahim, M. 1982. Excavations of the Arab Expedition at Sar el-Jisr, Bahrain. Manama: Ministry of Information.Google Scholar
Ingraham, M., Johnson, T. Rihani, B. & Shatla, I.. 1981. Preliminary report on a reconnaissance survey of the Northwestern Province (with a note on a brief survey of the Northern Province, Atlal 5: 59–84.Google Scholar
Jouannin, A. 1905. Les tumuli de Bahrein, Mémoires de la Délégation en Perse 8: 149–57.Google Scholar
Kabawi, A. 1989. Some basic elements of rock art in Saudi Arabia, in Frifelt, K. & Sørensen, P. (ed.), South Asian Archaeology 1985: 55–9. London: Curzon Press.Google Scholar
Kabawi, A., Khan, M.K.H. Al-Zahrani, A.A. Al-Mubarak, A.Y. Al-Samir, M.H. & Al-Shawati, M.A.. 1996. Comprehensive rock art and epigraphic survey (Southern Region, Wadi Dawasir-Najran), sixth season 1411 Ah/1990 Ad, Atlal 14: 56–72.Google Scholar
Koenig, J. 1971. Le site de Al-Jaw dans l’ancien pays de Madian. Paris: Geuthner.Google Scholar
Laufer, B. 1926. Ostrich egg-shell cups of Mesopotamia and the ostrich in ancient and modern times. Chicago (IL): Field Museum of Natural History. Anthropology Leaflet 23.Google Scholar
Lombard, P. 1999. Early Dilmun burial offerings, in Bahrain, the civilisation of the two seas: From Dilmun to Tylos: 56–71. Paris: Institut du Monde Arabe.Google Scholar
Lowe, P.R. 1933. Appendix Ostrich C. eggs: Report on some stmthious egg-shell fragments, collected by Mr. Philby on his recent journey across Arabia, in Stf, H. Philby, H, The Empty Quarter, being a description of the Great South Desert of Arabia known as Rub’ al Khali: 390–92. London: Constable.Google Scholar
Mackay, E., Lankester Harding, G. & Pétrie, F.. 1929. Bahrein and Hemamieh. London: British School of Archaeology in Egypt. Publication 48.Google Scholar
Mashkour, M. & Van Neer, W.. 1999. Analyse des vestiges fauniques du fort ot de la zone d’habitat de Mleiha (3e/ 4e siècles de notre ère), in Mouton, M. (ed.), Mleiha I: Environnement, stratégies de subsistance et artisanats: 121–44. Lyon: Maison de l’Orient. Travaux de la Maison de l’Orient 29.Google Scholar
McClure, H.A. 1971. The Arabian Peninsula and prehistoric populations. Coconut Grove (FL): Field Research Projects.Google Scholar
McClure, H.A. 1984. Late Quaternary palaeoenvironments of the Rub’ al Khali. Unpublished Ph.D thesis, Department of Geography, University College London.Google Scholar
Meinertzhagen, R. 1954. Birds of Arabia. Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd.Google Scholar
Miles, S.B. 1877. On the route between Sohár and el-Bereymi in ‘Omán, with a note on the Zatt, or gipsies in Arabia, journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 46: 41–60.Google Scholar
Moorey, P.R.S. 1994. Ancient Mesopotamian materials and industries: The archaeological evidence. Oxford: Clarendon Press.Google Scholar
Moritz, B. 1923. Arabien: Studien zur physikalischen und historischen Géographie des Landes. Hannover: Lafaire.Google Scholar
Parr, P.J., Zarins, J. Ibrahim, M. Waeghter, J. Garrard, J. Clarke, C. Bidmead, M. & Al-Badr, H.. 1978. Preliminary report on the second phase of the Northern Province survey 1397/1977, Atlal 2: 29–50.Google Scholar
Philby, H. St, J.B. 1933. Rub’ Al Khali: An account of exploration in the Great South Desert of Arabia under the auspices and patronage of His Majesty ‘Abdul ‘Aziz ibn Sa’ud, King of the Hejaz and Nejd and its Dependencies, The Geographical Journal 81: 1–26.Google Scholar
Philby, H. St, J.B. 1950. Motor tracks and Sabaean inscriptions in Najd, The Geographical Journal 116: 211–15.Google Scholar
Pieper, W. 1923. Der Pariastamm der Slêb, Le Monde Oriental 17: 1–75.Google Scholar
Pollog, C.H. 1934. Das ‘leere Viertel’ von Arabien, Geographische Zeitschrift 40: 134–41.Google Scholar
Poplin, F. 1995. Sur le polissage des oeufs d’autruche en archéologie, in Buitenhuis, H. & Uerpmann, H.-P. (ed.), Archaeozoology of the Near East 2: 126–39. Leiden: Backhuys.Google Scholar
Potts, D.T. 2000a. Ancient Magan: The secrets of Tell Abraq. London: Trident.Google Scholar
Potts, D.T. 2000b. Arabian time capsule, Archaeology 53/5: 44–8.Google Scholar
Potts, D.T. & Weeks, L.. 1999. An AMS radiocarbon chronology for the late Umm an-Nar type tomb at Tell Abraq, Tribulus 9/1: 9–10.Google Scholar
Prater, S.H. 1921. The Arabian ostrich, Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 27: 602–5.Google Scholar
Raswan, C.R. 1945. Vocabulary of Bedouin words concerning horses, Journal of Near Eastern Studies 4: 97–129.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reade, J. and Burleigh, R. 1978. The ‘Ali cemetery: Old excavations, ivory, and radiocarbon dating. Journal of Oman Studies 4: 75–83.Google Scholar
Ryckmans, G. 1949. Inscriptions sud-arabes, huitième série, Le Muséon 62: 55–124.Google Scholar
Ryckmans, J. 1976. La chasse rituelle dans l’Arabie du Sud ancienne, in Al-Bahit: Festschrift Joseph Henninger zum 70. Geburtstag am 12. Mai 1976: 259–308. St Augustin bei Bonn: Verlag des Anthropos-Instituts. Studia Instituti Anthropos 28.Google Scholar
Ryckmans, J. 1993. Rites du paganisme de l’Arabie méridionale avant l’Islam, Académie Royale de Belgique Bulletin de la Classe des Lettres et des Sciences Morales et Politiques, 6th Ser. 4: 125–42.Google Scholar
Sakellarakis, J.A. 1990. The fashioning of ostrich-egg rhyta in the Creto-Mycenaean Aegean, in Hardy, D.A. Doumas, C.G. Sakellarakis, J.A. & Warren, P.M. (ed.), Thera and the Aegean World 3/1: 285–308. London: The Thera Foundation.Google Scholar
Salonen, A. 1973. Vògel und Vogelfang im alten Mesopotamien. Helsinki: Suomlainen Tiedeakate-mia. Annales Academia; Scientiarum Fennicæ Ser. B 180.Google Scholar
Sedov, A.V. 1996. On the origin of the agricultural settlements in Hadramawt, in Robin, C.J. (ed.), Arabia Antiqua: Early origins of South Arabian states: 67–86. Rome: ISMEO. Serie Orientale Roma 70/1.Google Scholar
Serjeant, R.B. 1976. South Arabian hunt. London: Luzac.Google Scholar
Thesigek, W. 1950. Desert borderlands of Oman, The Geographical Journal 116: 137–71.Google Scholar
Thomas, B. 1931. A camel journey across the Rub’ Al Khali, The Geographical Journal 78: 209–42. 1932. Arabia Felix. New York (NY): Charles Scribner’s Sons.Google Scholar
Viré, F. 1993. Na’am, Encyclopaedia of Islam 7: 828–31.Google Scholar
Vogt, B. 1994. Asimah: An account of a two months rescue excavation in the mountains of Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. Dubai: Shell Markets Middle East.Google Scholar
Whybrow, P.J. & Clements, D.. 1999a. Late Miocene Baynunah Formation, Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Fauna, flora, and localities, in Whybrow, & Hill, (ed.): 317–33.Google Scholar
Whybrow, P.J. & Clements, D.. 1999b. Arabian Tertiary fauna, flora, and localities, in Whybrow, & Hill, (ed.): 460–73.Google Scholar
Whybrow, P.J. & Hill, A. (ed.). 1999. Fossil vertebrates of Arabia, with emphasis on the Late Miocene faunas, geology, and palaeoenvironments of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. New Haven (CT): Yale University Press.Google Scholar
Winnett, F.V. & Reed, W.L.. 1970. Ancient records from North Arabia. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. Near and Middle East Series 6.Google Scholar
Zarins, J. 1979. Rajajil: A unique Arabian site from the fourth millennium BC, Atlal 3: 73–77.Google Scholar
Zarins, J., Murad, AL-J. & Al-Yish, K.S.. 1981. The second preliminary report on the Southwestern Province, Atlal 5: 9–42.Google Scholar
Zarins, J., Whalen, N. Ibrahim, M. Al, A. Mursi, J. & Khan, M.. 1980. Preliminary report on the Central and Southwestern Provinces survey: 1979, Atlal 4: 9–36.Google Scholar