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The ancient oasis of Salut, located on the desert's fringes in the heart of the Oman Peninsula, not far from the modern cities of Nizwa and Bahla, is distinguished by its rich archaeological landscape, which the Italian Mission to Oman has been investigating for more than ten years. The impressive Iron Age site of Husn Salut was the focus of the coeval settlement of the area, and in all likelihood it was also a key site at the regional level. Founded in the second half of the second millennium BC, Husn Salut was a place for public gatherings which also entailed a degree of rituality, an aspect enhanced by its monumental architecture, merging, as it does, with the location on top of a small hill which dominated the surrounding plain and made the site visible from the distance. Agricultural exploitation of the plain, made possible by a sophisticated water management, stood at the basis of the site' s subsistence. The site was largely abandoned after almost one millennium of continuous settlement, probably around 300 BC, with some evidence indicating a possible later date. While the investigation of the associated settlement of Qaryat Salut is just started, this book provides a general overview of the excavation at Husn Salut and its results, together with an exhaustive discussion of its material culture, with a specific attention paid to the pottery assemblage from selected, highly significant stratigraphic sequences. The site' s chronology is also specifically addressed, as an array of radiocarbon determinations, which, when considered together with the associated material culture, indicate its fundamental relevance in the discussion about the chrono-cultural phasing of the Early Iron Age of South East Arabia
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During the 3rd millennium BC, a series of oases located along the western foothills of the al-Hajar Mountains saw the establishment of intensive human occupation, associated with the construction of large buildings (the so-called “towers”) and residential structures. These settlements were supported by the onset of agriculture and their development was often associated with and made possible by the introduction of substantial water management systems, including simple wells and complex, large ditches. The oasis of Salūt, near Bisya in the central Sultanate of Oman, is one such Early Bronze Age (EBA) centre. There, extensive investigation of ancient hydraulic structures provided an opportunity to study contexts preserving significant information on ancient climate change and water availability, from the late 3rd to the second half of the 1st millennium BC. A geoarchaeological investigation targeted the huge ditch surrounding the EBA stone tower of Salūt-ST1. Its complete layout was revealed and large portions were fully excavated, allowing the documentation of its infillings and the geological substratum. At the same time, wells excavated at the bottom of the ditch witness the attempt to cope with the lowering water table at the turn of the 3rd millennium BC. Exploration of Iron Age (IA) wells, paired with the geoarchaeological study of sediments from the plain, further extended the chronological scope of the research, while a survey of the area identified ancient and more recent underground and open-air channels, including the exceptional radiometric dating for the introduction of the aflaj (the local term – plural – for the underground water tunnels) network serving the oasis in the late Holocene. This contribution presents the first synthesis including fresh data on how water was harvested and managed in the area of Salūt over almost two millennia, with a diachronic approach that finds little parallels in the region.
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The geoarchaeological investigation around the Bisya and Salut Archaeological Park disclosed the complexity of local archaeological landscape dating to the last millennia of the Holocene and the main steps in developing sophisticated systems for land exploitation. Recent fieldwork focused on the importance of rock art in the region, which needs to be systematically surveyed and documented. Rock art sites feature various representations dating from the second millennium BCE onwards and the research carried out in 2022 aimed to assess its archaeological potential, as well as identify any threats to its preservation. The investigation confirms that local rock art is a valuable asset for Oman’s archaeology and potential tourism. It suggests the development of geo-cultural tourism routes that combine archaeological sites and rock art with the natural landscapes. Nonetheless, the preservation of rock art and the issues threatening it need careful consideration and assessment for future planning.
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Marine shells containing greenish or blackish pigments are frequently found at pre-Islamic archaeological sites in Southeast Arabia and are generally interpreted as ancient eye makeup, representing a long-standing tradition that continues to the present day. While these ‘cosmetic’ shells are primarily found in funerary contexts, their presence in residential areas suggests broader use within the community. Although relatively abundant, these shells have undergone limited chemical and mineralogical analysis, hindering a deeper understanding of their composition and production. This study presents the first archaeometric results from six marine shells excavated at Bronze and Iron Age sites in the Salūt and Bisya oasis (Sultanate of Oman). Chemical analyses reveal copper- and manganese-bearing minerals as the primary components of the greenish and blackish pigments, respectively. The presence of these minerals near the Salūt oasis suggests local pigment sources. This study represents the first step in a broader analytical programme aimed at the characterisation of samples from other archaeological sites of Southeast Arabia spanning over a wider chronological time frame.
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