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MONUMENTS OF SOCOTRA
The history of exploration
The first archaeological survey of Socotra was carried out in 1897 by Theodore Bent, who wrote about the existence of ancient relics on the island. l The next researcher to merit mention was P.L. Shinnie, a participant in the Oxford expedition of 1956. 2 A more notable contribution to the study of the Socotran archaeological monuments was made by D.B. Doe, who visited the island in 1967. 3
P. Shinnie arrived at the following conclusion : « The results of the survey of Socotra were not spectacular. Expectation of finding remains of Classical antiquity were not fulfilled and, though it is not impossible that further investigation might find them, it will not be on the bare limestone plains of the north, where there is virtually no accumulation of soil. It must be assumed that those early traders, from whom the author of the Periplus got his information, spent little time on the island. We can well imagine that they came, as do the modem traders from South Arabia and India, for a few days only at a time, perhaps pulled their boats up on the beach, replenished their supplies of food and water and passed on to India or up the Red Sea leaving little behind them ». 4 Now it is clear that the Oxford expedition overlooked the most interesting objects, but then, P. Shinnie was virtually the pioneer of the archeological exploration of Socotra.
The expedition gave particular attention to the study of remains of churches, defence installations, and dwelling houses. A study was made of the ruins of forts in the Feragey valley, around the village of Suq.
1 . J. T. and Mrs Bent, Southern Arabia, London, 1900.
2. P.L. SHINNIE, « Socotra », Antiquity, XXXIV (1960), London, p. 100-110.
3. D.B. Doe, Socotra. An Archaeological Reconnaissance in 1967, Miami, 1970.
4. Shinnie, « Socotra », op. cit., p. 108.
Topoi 3 (1993) fase. 2 p. 569-623
