2025 - Zaylac's Islamic Heritage: Archaeological Investigation of a port-city between the Red Sea and Indian Ocean (12th-16th Century), by Awet Araya
This is a collaborative pilot project at medieval-Islamic port-city of Zaylac. Zaylac, located on the Gulf of Aden in present-day Somaliland, was one of the most significant trading ports on the Somali coast for nearly a millennium. It played a crucial role in linking the interior of the Horn of Africa with the Red Sea and the broader Indian Ocean trade network. Archaeological research indicates Islamization likely began in Zaylac in the late 12th century and by the 14th century, it had become a significant Muslim trade hub.
Archaeological investigations of medieval Islamic Zaylac have uncovered important results, including refuse heaps containing imported ceramics, ruins of historic mosques, and various trade artefacts. However, significant gaps remain, particularly concerning medieval occupation patterns. This project aims to: revisit previously surveyed locations with high concentrations of archaeological material; excavate three test pits at selected sites to recover material remains; systematically record diagnostic finds and sampling organic materials for Carbon-14 dating; and identify contemporary sites near Zaylac through archaeological reconnaissance. The project also includes a training workshop for Somaliland archaeologists and museum professionals to offer them practical experience.
Awet is an archaeologist, museum curator and academic interested in the archaeology and material culture of wider East Africa, the Indian Ocean World and its global interconnections. He is Lecturer in the Arts of Africa at the University of East Anglia.
