Proposed Chronology of Burial Activity by Period in the Necropolis of Al-Qusais (Dubai, UAE)

The archaeological site of Al-Qusais (Dubai, UAE) contains an extensive necropolis, including 267 simple graves and three communal graves, excavated at various times from 1974 to the present. 77 intact simple graves have been documented, providing an opportunity for chronological study as they have not been reused. According to the typology of the grave goods found, these graves date between the second and first millennium BC. Thanks to the first studies of absolute dating through bioapatite analysis, it has been possible to develop a proposal for chronological periodization, defining four chronological periods ranging from 1400 BC to 750 BC, among which similarities and differences are described in terms of funerary rites and the objects used in them.

Keywords: Late Bronze Age, Iron Age I, Iron Age II, bioapatite, Al-Qusais