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Northwest Arabia at the Eve of Islam: Decline, Collapse or Transformation? A Reassessment of the Archaeological Evidence (Third–Eighth Century CE)

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Title: Northwest Arabia at the Eve of Islam: Decline, Collapse or Transformation? A Reassessment of the Archaeological Evidence (Third–Eighth Century CE)
Authors: Chung‐To, Guillaume1 (AUTHOR) guillaumechungto@gmail.com, Rohmer, Jérôme2 (AUTHOR), Charloux, Guillaume2 (AUTHOR)
Source: Arabian Archaeology & Epigraphy. Jul2026, p1. 26p. 19 Illustrations.
Subject Terms: *Land settlement patterns, *Middle Ages, *Archaeological discoveries, *World history, *Social change, *Historical archaeology
Geographic Terms: Saudi Arabia
Abstract: ABSTRACT This paper reexamines settlement dynamics in northwest Arabia between the third and eighth centuries CE, drawing on recent archaeological research conducted across multiple oases in Saudi Arabia. Traditionally, scholarship has emphasised a narrative of decline in the region during Late Antiquity, largely shaped by historiographical interpretations and supported by limited archaeological evidence. However, a new synthesis of available data offers a more nuanced understanding of settlement patterns. Rather than experiencing a sudden collapse, the region underwent a gradual process of abandonment and contraction, occurring in two distinct phases: one in the third century and another at the end of the fifth century. Various factors—including political, economic and social dynamics—contributed to these changes at different times. Rather than a single, catastrophic crisis, Late Antiquity in Arabia was marked by a slow transformation, ultimately leading to a reconfiguration of settlement networks and site distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Database: Academic Search Index
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  – Url: https://resolver.ebsco.com/c/fiv2js/result?sid=EBSCO:asx&genre=article&issn=09057196&ISBN=&volume=&issue=&date=20260702&spage=1&pages=1-26&title=Arabian Archaeology & Epigraphy&atitle=Northwest%20Arabia%20at%20the%20Eve%20of%20Islam%3A%20Decline%2C%20Collapse%20or%20Transformation%3F%20A%20Reassessment%20of%20the%20Archaeological%20Evidence%20%28Third%E2%80%93Eighth%20Century%20CE%29&aulast=Chung%E2%80%90To%2C%20Guillaume&id=DOI:10.1111/aae.70031
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  Data: Northwest Arabia at the Eve of Islam: Decline, Collapse or Transformation? A Reassessment of the Archaeological Evidence (Third–Eighth Century CE)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chung‐To%2C+Guillaume%22">Chung‐To, Guillaume</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> guillaumechungto@gmail.com</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rohmer%2C+Jérôme%22">Rohmer, Jérôme</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Charloux%2C+Guillaume%22">Charloux, Guillaume</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Arabian+Archaeology+%26+Epigraphy%22">Arabian Archaeology & Epigraphy</searchLink>. Jul2026, p1. 26p. 19 Illustrations.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Land+settlement+patterns%22">Land settlement patterns</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Middle+Ages%22">Middle Ages</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Archaeological+discoveries%22">Archaeological discoveries</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22World+history%22">World history</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+change%22">Social change</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Historical+archaeology%22">Historical archaeology</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Saudi+Arabia%22">Saudi Arabia</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: ABSTRACT This paper reexamines settlement dynamics in northwest Arabia between the third and eighth centuries CE, drawing on recent archaeological research conducted across multiple oases in Saudi Arabia. Traditionally, scholarship has emphasised a narrative of decline in the region during Late Antiquity, largely shaped by historiographical interpretations and supported by limited archaeological evidence. However, a new synthesis of available data offers a more nuanced understanding of settlement patterns. Rather than experiencing a sudden collapse, the region underwent a gradual process of abandonment and contraction, occurring in two distinct phases: one in the third century and another at the end of the fifth century. Various factors—including political, economic and social dynamics—contributed to these changes at different times. Rather than a single, catastrophic crisis, Late Antiquity in Arabia was marked by a slow transformation, ultimately leading to a reconfiguration of settlement networks and site distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1111/aae.70031
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 26
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Saudi Arabia
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Land settlement patterns
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Middle Ages
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Archaeological discoveries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: World history
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social change
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Historical archaeology
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Northwest Arabia at the Eve of Islam: Decline, Collapse or Transformation? A Reassessment of the Archaeological Evidence (Third–Eighth Century CE)
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          Name:
            NameFull: Chung‐To, Guillaume
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          Name:
            NameFull: Rohmer, Jérôme
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Charloux, Guillaume
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          Dates:
            – D: 02
              M: 07
              Text: Jul2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 09057196
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            – TitleFull: Arabian Archaeology & Epigraphy
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