The archaeology of medieval Islamic frontiers : from the Mediterranean to the Caspian Sea

Different Areas Of The Islamic Polity Previously Understood As Minor Frontiers Were In Fact Of Substantial Importance To Ancient State Formation. Exploring Different Concepts Of Border In Areas Whose Importance Previously Went Unrecognized, Including Maghreb, The Mediterranean, Egypt, Nubia, And The Caucasus Through Archaeological And Documentary Evidence--provided By Publisher. The Archaeology Of Medieval Islamic Frontiers : An Introduction / Asa Eger -- The Western Frontiers : The Maghrib And Mediterranean Sea -- Ibadi Boundaries And Defense In The Jabal Nafūsah (libya) / Anthony J. Lauricella -- Guarding A Well-ordered Space On A Mediterranean Island / Renata Holod And Tarek Kahlaoui -- Conceptualizing The Islamic-byzantine Maritime Frontier / Ian Randall -- The Southern Frontiers : Egypt And Nubia -- Monetization Across The Nubian Border : A Hypothetical Model / Giovanni R. Ruffini -- The Land Of?ar?' And Some New Thoughts On Its Location / Jana Eger -- The Eastern Frontiers : The Caucasus And Central Asia -- Overlapping Social And Political Boundaries : Borders Of The Sasanian Empire And The Muslim Caliphate In The Caucasus / Karim Alizadeh -- Buddhism On The Shores Of The Black Sea : The North Caucasus Frontier Between The Muslims, Byzantines, And The Khazars / Tasha Vorderstrasse -- Making Worlds At The Edge Of Everywhere : Politics Of Place In Late Medieval Armenia / Kathryn J. Franklin. Edited By A. Asa Eger. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. The Archaeology of Medieval Islamic Frontiers demonstrates that different areas of the Islamic polity previously understood as “minor frontiers” were, in fact, of substantial importance to state formation. Contributors explore different conceptualizations of “border,” the importance of which previously went unrecognized, examining frontiers in regions including the Magreb, the Mediterranean, Egypt, Nubia, and the Caucasus through a combination of archaeological and documentary evidence. Chapters highlight the significance of these respective regions to the emergence of new sociopolitical, cultural, and economic practices within the Islamic world. These studies successfully overcome the dichotomy of civilization’s center and peripheries in academic discourse by presenting the actual dynamics of identity formation and the definition, both spatial and cultural, of boundaries. The Archaeology of Medieval Islamic Frontiers is a rare combination of a new reading of written evidence with results from archaeological studies that will modify established opinions on the character of the Islamic frontiers and stimulate similar studies for other regions. The book will be relevant to medieval Islamic studies as well as to research in the medieval world in general. Contributors: Karim Alizadeh, Jana Eger, Kathryn J. Franklin, Renata Holod, Tarek Kahlaoui, Anthony J. Lauricella, Ian Randall, Giovanni R. Ruffini, Tasha Vorderstrasse