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This study examines the distribution and function of ritual sites across the Oman Peninsula during the Iron Age. Spatial analysis reveals concentrations of cultic activity in specific topographical settings, such as mountain summits and wadi heads. Functional analysis of associated material culture suggests complex social rituals involving animal sacrifice and communal feasting.
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This is a story of failure and success, of disappointment and elation. World wars, a market glutted with cheap oil and geologists unable to access areas of interest hampered the search. Early expeditions provided the first maps of the mountains and Dhofar, and glimpses of the geology of the interior, but no evidence of oil.
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Paleolithic research in the Sultanate of Oman, which is still in its formative stage compared to neighboring regions such as the Levant and the Iranian Plateau, requires extensive application of absolute dating methods on undisturbed cave and rock-shelter deposits to establish a reliable and detailed chronological framework for early human occupation and environmental change. In 2023, our field surveys across the governorates of Ad Dakhiliyah and Ad Dhahirah identified a wide range of rock shelters, each with distinct geomorphological and archaeological potential (Beshkani 2023). For the first time, we propose that several inselbergs surrounding the Wilayat of Manah- most notably Karsha Rock (Jabal Sarouj), located within the residential area of Karsha and previously known primarily for its Islamic- period villages and fortifications- were likely occupied during the Late Paleolithic and Neolithic periods. In the outskirts of Ibri, where the Umm er Radhuma Formation provides a favorable lithological context for speleogenesis, our preliminary studies attribute the dispersed lithic artifacts discovered at the entrances of rock shelters to the Late Paleolithic.This evidence corresponds with increased precipitation during the Early Holocene and suggests a demographic expansion and intensification of habitation along the foothills of the Al Hajar Mountains (Preston et al., 2015). We also registered three relatively large caves in Wadi Dhank. The characteristics and composition of the cemented deposits within these caves indicate the former presence of enclosed water basins prior to the collapse and subsequent exposure of their entrances. The occurrence of speleothems in Al Mihayniyah-2 Cave, located adjacent to the Dhank–Fida road, provides a valuable opportunity to reconstruct the paleoclimate of the western Al Hajar Mountains, a region that today exhibits a semi-arid to arid landscape.
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Agricultural terraces are prominent features in landscapes across the world. Terraces enable the cultivation of steep land for crops including cereals, fruit, vegetables, flowers and trees, and can be irrigated where careful water management is required. They allow the redistribution of sediment to create soils with improved root penetration and water retention. Terraces are highly variable, their regional development reflecting a combination of natural factors (differing geologies, geomorphology, hydrological conditions) and landscape histories (manuring, field management, crop selection, water availability). The histories of terraced landscapes remain poorly understood, including in Oman. Little is known about when they were constructed, and how they were used and developed across different periods and environments. A key reason for this lack of knowledge is that terraces have proven exceptionally difficult to date using conventional or scientific archaeological methods. This research project uses a new method developed by the research team to date terraces in Oman for the first time and use geoarchaeological methods to investigate how they were used in the past. In March 2023, targeted fieldwork in two villages of Jabal Akhdar (Ash Shuraijah and Wadi Bani Habib) allowed collection of sediment samples for dating and geoarchaeological analysis.
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Topic
- Archéologie -- Oman (1)
- Géologie -- Oman (1)
- Pétrole -- Oman (1)
Resource type
- Journal Article (2)
- Presentation (3)