At what is supposed to be a prehistoric site in Syria, archaeologists have found two dead bodies that they have been able to identify as early Muslims based on their burial method and bioarchaeological evidence. They have been dated to the Umayyad era of the late 7th and early 8th centuries and, according to genetic information, may have belonged to a group of immigrants from the Arabian Peninsula. They testify to the interesting transitional period in which Islam spread through the Levant, say the researchers.
The Middle East is known for its deep and complex history: this region at the interface between three continents has been shaped by many ethnic groups, cultures and religions over the course of thousands of years. Knowledge of these aspects is based primarily on historical records and archaeological findings. The current study by the international team of archaeologists, on the other hand, now makes it clear how bioarchaeological clues can make a decisive contribution to insights into history. “In this case, we could not have come to a conclusion without combining archaeological, historical and bioarchaeological data, as each of these factors provided important clues, underlining the importance of a multidisciplinary approach,” says co-author Torsten Günther from Uppsala University, Sweden .
Unusual Graves
Actually, the scientists were initially looking for evidence of early farming cultures in the Levant: They excavated the archaeological site of Tell Qarassa in modern-day Syria, known for its relics from the Neolithic era. But then the team came across the graves of a young man and a young woman who looked unusual. “After radiocarbon dating, it became clear that we had discovered something unexpected and special,” reports co-author Cristina Valdiosera from the Spanish University of Burgos: The tombs have been dated to the Umayyad era in the 7th and early 8th centuries.
Given this surprising information, a re-evaluation of the burial style found it to be consistent with Muslim practices: the dead were buried facing Mecca, the researchers report. They also managed to extract genetic material from the bones that could be used to study ethnicity. “The genomic results were also surprising as the two individuals appeared to be genetically distinct from most ancient or modern Levantines. The most similar modern groups were Bedouins and Saudis, suggesting a possible connection to the Arabian Peninsula,” says co-author Megha Srigyan of Uppsala University.
Traces of the beginning of the Islamic era
As part of their study, the researchers also researched what is known from historical sources about developments in the region in the 7th and early 8th centuries. Basically, it was an era of cultural and religious upheaval in the Middle East: In the first half of the seventh century AD, the formerly Byzantine Syria-Palestine was conquered by Islamic Arabs from the south. With the founding of the Umayyad Caliphate in Damascus in 661, this region then also became the political center of their empire. However, the Arabization and Islamization of the area did not take place until the last decade of the seventh century, the researchers say. According to them, several sources document nomadic groups that either inhabited the region around Tell Qarassa or migrated to Syria from the Arabian Peninsula during the Umayyad era.
Against this historical background and together with the other findings, there are clues to the history of the two dead, the scientists say: “This young man and this young woman may have belonged to Islamic groups who lived far away from their homeland – in the countryside in Syria,” explains Günther. Valdiosera concludes: “It is extraordinary that by examining just two people, we were able to uncover a small but remarkable piece of the colossal puzzle that represents the history of the Levant,” says the archaeogeneticist.
Source: Uppsala University, professional article: Commun Biol, doi: 10.1038/s42003-022-03508-4