Failaka, Archaeological Research Project (Kuwait)
Dates of work: 27 March – 6 May 2013
Team:
General Project Director: Prof. Piotr Bieliński (PCMA UW)
Field directors: Dr. Agnieszka Pieńkowska, archaeologist (PCMA UW), Dr. Hamed Al-Mutairi (Excavation and Surveying Sector, Kuwaiti National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters)
Archaeologists and archaeological team support: Mustafa Al-Ansari, Talal Al-Saie (all Department of Antiquities and Museums of State of Kuwait), Joanna Ciesielska (Institute of Archaeology, University of Warsaw), Dr. Karol Juchniewicz (independent), Jakub Kaniszewski (independent)
Underwater archeologists: Magdalena Nowakowska, Szymon Lenarczyk (both Institute of Archaeology, University of Warsaw)
Topographer: Jolanta Juchniewicz, Antoni Mrozowski (both independent), Piotr Zakrzewski (Institute of Archaeology, University of Warsaw)
Archaeologist/ceramologist: Marta Mierzejewska (PCMA UW)
Photographer: Adam Oleksiak (freelance)
Student-trainees: Rafał Bieńkowski, Jakub Brochocki, Katarzyna Cieślak, Karol Ochnio, Katarzyna Pawłowska (Institute of Archaeology, University of Warsaw)
The site of Kharaib el-Desht on Failaka Island, Kuwait, was explored by an archaeological Kuwaiti–Polish team for the first time in 2013. The project included a survey and underwater archaeological research. Preliminary results indicate a dating of the site to the late Islamic period. Pottery collected from the survey of the site and from the excavations has been studied in a separate appendix to this report. As for the underwater and waterfront archaeology project, the main objective was to locate and describe seashore archaeological sites, provide documentary evidence and manage proper preservation of the discoveries in order to further educational opportunities.
We would like to express our gratitude to the Kuwaiti National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters, especially Mr. Shehab A.H. Shehab for his constant support. We are grateful to all the staff of the Department of Antiquities and Museums of the State of Kuwait, particularly Dr. Sultan Al-Duweish, Mr. Talal Al-Saie and Dr. Hamed Al-Mutairi, for their active participation. All members of the Polish spring team greatly appreciate the constant support and friendly advice of the Director of the Kuwaiti–Polish Mission, Prof. Piotr Bieliński.
[Text: Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean 24/1]