Tributes to British archaeologist who helped oversee discovery of major UAE sites

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.”

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