Breeze of Continuity: New Evidence for the Occupation of Jumeirah Throughout the Islamic Period

The Jumeirah Archaeological Research Project seeks to reassess the long-term occupation of Jumeirah through an integrated study of three key archaeological sites—Jumeirah 1, 2 and 3. This study builds upon previous excavations and archival data to refine the chronology of the settlement and examine whether these sites functioned as a single entity throughout the Islamic period. A study of architectural decoration, supported by the findings of the architectural analysis, indicates that at a certain period of time, the sites of Jumeirah 1 and 2 functioned within one spatially coherent settlement. Re-examination of the pottery assemblage allows us to identify this phase as Abbasid. While the spatial extent of Jumeirah in other periods is more difficult to establish, pottery evidence confirms continuous occupation of varying intensity throughout the Umayyad, Middle Islamic and Late Islamic periods. The integration of Jumeirah 3 into this reconstruction awaits future excavation.