par Nehmé, Laila;Arnoux, Thomas;Bessac, Jean-Claude;Braun, Jean-Pierre;Dentzer, Jean-Marie;Kermorvant, Alain;Sachet, Isabelle;Tholbecq, Laurent 
Référence Arabian archaeology and epigraphy, 17, 1, page (41-124)
Publication Publié, 2006-05
Référence Arabian archaeology and epigraphy, 17, 1, page (41-124)
Publication Publié, 2006-05
Article révisé par les pairs
| Résumé : | Cette communication fait l’état des problématiques de recherche de la mission franco-saoudienne de Madain Saleh, et présente de manière approfondie les premiers résultats des campagnes 2001-2003. |
| This contribution presents the preliminary results of the Madain Salih archaeological project, which started in 2001 and which, in December 2004, completed its fourth field season. The aims of this five-year project are a systematic recording of the archaeological remains at the site as well as an analysis of its agricultural potential. The former include not only the tombs, sanctuaries, wells, quarries, walls, buildings, etc., but also the inscriptions written in various scripts and languages. Parallel to this exploration of what is visible on the surface, an extensive geophysical survey was undertaken in the so-called residential area, in the central part of the site, in order to obtain an image of the sub-surface remains. This contribution begins with a presentation of the sources, followed by a brief history of the exploration of Madain Salih. The focus is on the conditions which allowed this project to be established as well as the problematics which guided it. J.-B. Rigot then presents his analysis of the agricultural potential of the site, demonstrating the existence, in antiquity, of a large oasis. Finally, a preliminary description of the main components of the sites: the necropoleis, the sanctuaries and the residential area, is given. |
