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Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology

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Posted at Oct 11/2007 11:53AM:
Audrey von Maluski: Haram literally means 'forbidden' or 'unlawful.' It is used mainly in reference to certain foods that Muslims are not permitted to consume (alcohol, pork, improperly slaughtered meats), but also refers to forbidden behaviors such as adultery, lying, immodesty, abuse, apostasy, etc.

Haram is significant in an archaeological sense because it may be possible to determine the nature of an excavated settlement from evidence of consumption left behind. A settlement that is not clearly Muslim may be able to be identified as such if there is no evidence of alcohol or swine in the remains. However, the presence of haram items within a settlement does not preclude its being Muslim, as many communities may not have fully followed or enforced the laws in the early days of Islam.

Halal means 'permitted' and encompasses an entire spectrum of actions within Islam. There are fard (obligatory), mandub (recommended), muhbah (permissible), and makruh (disliked) behaviors.

Halal can also be evident in the archaeological record. For example, it is fard for Muslims to pray five times daily. While it is possible to do this on one's own, without a mosque, a community of Muslims would likely have a mosque properly oriented towards Mecca. This, along with other evidence of halal practices being upheld, can give strong support for the existence of a Muslim community in an area.

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Posted at Oct 15/2007 09:37AM:
Ian: While the most visible of the practices covered by these categories are those mentioned, these are temrs that concern all practice. Remember as well that these categories are also distinguished in temrs of the spiritual rewards that come from those actions. Might this allow us to then measure the piety of a community through the archaeological traces of hilal and haram? Just a thought.