Tributes have been paid to Dr Geoffrey RD King, a distinguished archaeologist who oversaw the discovery and study of major UAE sites, particularly on Abu Dhabi's islands.
Dr King, who died in the UK this month at the age of 77, was also a talented scholar and author who worked across the Middle East, mentored countless students and helped preserve historic buildings.
His work in Abu Dhabi helped to unearth an ancient monastery on Sir Bani Yas Island – about 260km west of the capital – along with significant neolithic coastal settlements on Dalma, Marawah and Ghagha Islands. He also led a British excavation team at Julfar in Ras Al Khaimah from 1989 to 1993.
Dr King and his teams showed that the modern-day UAE had a rich and thriving ancient history, with evidence of sophisticated communities connected to and trading with others across the region and the wider world. “He was brilliant,” Dr Mark Jonathan Beech told The National. “He was full of knowledge but entertaining – one of those amazing professor types. He was an infectious character."
Dr Beech, now scientific research lead for the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, arrived in the UAE in 1994 to work with Dr King, who was academic director of the Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey. Adias was established by Abu Dhabi in 1992 to examine the coast and islands of Abu Dhabi's western region. Its executive director was the late Peter Hellyer. It was a time of huge opportunity in archaeology with increasing efforts by Abu Dhabi to study what was largely a blank canvas.
“He put together great teams of archaeologists,” said Dr Beech, who was part of the archaeological team that discovered the Sir Bani Yas church and monastery, and worked from 1994 to 2024 as a palaeontologist and archaeologist for the Abu Dhabi government.
The surveys Dr King oversaw from 1992 onwards on Abu Dhabi’s islands shaped understandings about the modern-day UAE. It led to digs on Sir Bani Yas Island in the early 1990s unearthed the Christian site that dated to the 7th to 8th century. Also found was a Bronze Age settlement with connections to the Dilmun civilisation in Bahrain and traces of Al Zahr village, a 250-year-old abandoned settlement of Bani Yas tribe fishermen and pearl divers.
The surveys also led to digs on Marawah Island where evidence for a major neolithic settlement with stone architecture dating to 5,800BC was found. On Ghagha Island, incredible stone architecture was discovered "dating to 6,500BC, the earliest evidence for such a site within the entire Arabian Gulf region”, Dr Beech said.
Safeguarding historic buildings
Dr King was also committed to safeguarding historic buildings and helped preserve a pearl trader's house (the Bait Al Muraykhi, which is today the Dalma Museum) and three mosques (Al Muraykhi, Al Dawsari and Al Muhannadi) on Dalma Island that were built of local materials and without minarets.
“They were abandoned and one had trees growing through it,” Dr Beech said. "He noted they were dilapidated and wrote to authorities about the need to preserve those important buildings. He helped save them."
Born in the UK in 1947, Dr King’s career took him across the Middle East and beyond, directing surveys of Byzantine and Islamic sites in Jordan in the 1980s; the Islamic pilgrimage road site of Rabadha in Saudi Arabia in the late 1980s; and also in Qatar in the early 2000s where he worked to advise on protecting the country’s archaeological heritage.
“He had explored everywhere – from Lebanon to Oman,” said Dr Beech of his late colleague. “He had been a professorial cultural nomad throughout the whole Arab region. His excitement for studying Arabia and his passion for Islamic culture really rubbed off on you.”
Dr King was also reader emeritus in Islamic art and archaeology at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, and a respected scholar. His books The Traditional Architecture of Saudi Arabia and Old Mosques of the Coasts of Abu Dhabi are important works.
Dr King was also committed to informing the public about his work, noted Dr Beech, contributing to the BBC and TV programmes across the world to keep people informed.
In the years since Dr King arrived in the UAE, archaeological work has continued to paint a rich picture of the country. Work on Al Sinniyah Island in Umm Al Quwain, for example, found another Christian monastery – the UAE’s second after that found following Dr King’s survey – along with a major pearling settlement.
“It was sad that Geoffrey didn’t stay alive to see the recent discovery,” said Dr Beech, referring to the monastery. “I did tell him about that – but it was a shame he didn’t see it.”
He added that Dr King will be deeply missed by family, friends and colleagues along with the countless students and people he mentored, not only for his scholarly achievements but also for his generosity, wit and curiosity.
“I learnt a lot from him," said Dr Beech. “I couldn’t have had anyone better as a professor or teacher. His work sowed the seeds for other archaeologists. He certainly has left an important legacy.”
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
Healthy tips to remember
Here, Dr Mohamed El Abiary, paediatric consultant at Al Zahra Hospital Dubai, shares some advice for parents whose children are fasting during the holy month of Ramadan:
Gradual fasting and golden points - For children under the age of 10, follow a step-by-step approach to fasting and don't push them beyond their limits. Start with a few hours fasting a day and increase it to a half fast and full fast when the child is ready. Every individual's ability varies as per the age and personal readiness. You could introduce a points system that awards the child and offers them encouragement when they make progress with the amount of hours they fast
Why fast? - Explain to your child why they are fasting. By shedding light on the importance of abstaining from food and drink, children may feel more encouraged to give it there all during the observance period. It is also a good opportunity to teach children about controlling urges, doing good for others and instilling healthy food habits
Sleep and suhoor - A child needs adequate sleep every night - at least eight hours. Make sure to set a routine early bedtime so he/she has sufficient time to wake up for suhoor, which is an essential meal at the beginning of the day
Good diet - Nutritious food is crucial to ensuring a healthy Ramadan for children. They must refrain from eating too much junk food as well as canned goods and snacks and drinks high in sugar. Foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and proteins, like fruits, fresh meats and vegetables, make for a good balanced diet
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
Voices: How A Great Singer Can Change Your Life
Nick Coleman
Jonathan Cape
The chef's advice
Troy Payne, head chef at Abu Dhabi’s newest healthy eatery Sanderson’s in Al Seef Resort & Spa, says singles need to change their mindset about how they approach the supermarket.
“They feel like they can’t buy one cucumber,” he says. “But I can walk into a shop – I feed two people at home – and I’ll walk into a shop and I buy one cucumber, I’ll buy one onion.”
Mr Payne asks for the sticker to be placed directly on each item, rather than face the temptation of filling one of the two-kilogram capacity plastic bags on offer.
The chef also advises singletons not get too hung up on “organic”, particularly high-priced varieties that have been flown in from far-flung locales. Local produce is often grown sustainably, and far cheaper, he says.
The specs
Engine: 2.3-litre, turbo four-cylinder
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Power: 300hp
Torque: 420Nm
Price: Dh189,900
On sale: now
About Okadoc
Date started: Okadoc, 2018
Founder/CEO: Fodhil Benturquia
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Healthcare
Size: (employees/revenue) 40 staff; undisclosed revenues recording “double-digit” monthly growth
Funding stage: Series B fundraising round to conclude in February
Investors: Undisclosed
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
How much of your income do you need to save?
The more you save, the sooner you can retire. Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.com, says if you save just 5 per cent of your salary, you can expect to work for another 66 years before you are able to retire without too large a drop in income.
In other words, you will not save enough to retire comfortably. If you save 15 per cent, you can forward to another 43 working years. Up that to 40 per cent of your income, and your remaining working life drops to just 22 years. (see table)
Obviously, this is only a rough guide. How much you save will depend on variables, not least your salary and how much you already have in your pension pot. But it shows what you need to do to achieve financial independence.
TV (UAE time);
OSN Sports: from 10am
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
Tottenham's 10 biggest transfers (according to transfermarkt.com):
1). Moussa Sissokho - Newcastle United - £30 million (Dh143m): Flop
2). Roberto Soldado - Valencia - £25m: Flop
3). Erik Lamela - Roma - £25m: Jury still out
4). Son Heung-min - Bayer Leverkusen - £25m: Success
5). Darren Bent - Charlton Athletic - £21m: Flop
6). Vincent Janssen - AZ Alkmaar - £18m: Flop
7). David Bentley - Blackburn Rovers - £18m: Flop
8). Luka Modric - Dynamo Zagreb - £17m: Success
9). Paulinho - Corinthians - £16m: Flop
10). Mousa Dembele - Fulham - £16m: Success
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Day 5, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Given the problems Sri Lanka have had in recent times, it was apt the winning catch was taken by Dinesh Chandimal. He is one of seven different captains Sri Lanka have had in just the past two years. He leads in understated fashion, but by example. His century in the first innings of this series set the shock win in motion.
Stat of the day This was the ninth Test Pakistan have lost in their past 11 matches, a run that started when they lost the final match of their three-Test series against West Indies in Sharjah last year. They have not drawn a match in almost two years and 19 matches, since they were held by England at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi in 2015.
The verdict Mickey Arthur basically acknowledged he had erred by basing Pakistan’s gameplan around three seam bowlers and asking for pitches with plenty of grass in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. Why would Pakistan want to change the method that has treated them so well on these grounds in the past 10 years? It is unlikely Misbah-ul-Haq would have made the same mistake.
How to increase your savings
- Have a plan for your savings.
- Decide on your emergency fund target and once that's achieved, assign your savings to another financial goal such as saving for a house or investing for retirement.
- Decide on a financial goal that is important to you and put your savings to work for you.
- It's important to have a purpose for your savings as it helps to keep you motivated to continue while also reducing the temptation to spend your savings.
- Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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Things Heard & Seen
Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, James Norton
2/5
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
