Hearths,ovens and fishery: Kharaib al‐Dasht as a case of Late Islamic fishing village (Jazirat Faylaka)

Investigations conducted in 2013–2018 by the Kuwaiti‐Polish Archaeological Mission on the northern coast of Jazirat Faylaka revealed remains of a Late Islamic settlement with an extensive fishing infrastructure located both on land and in nearby waters. The present research focused on one element of this infrastructure, namely the concentration of hearths and ovens, unique to this part of the island. In order to identify their function and understand their role, the installations were analysed in terms of their structural features and distribution across the site. It was revealed that the concentration of installations on a limited area resulted largely from the need for efficient fish processing. Furthermore, the abundance of ovens and hearths coupled with the presence of nearby fish traps and the diversity of osteological material found in the context of installations indicates that fish processing capacity at this settlement greatly exceeded the needs of the local population.