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Wadi Andur covers the central part of a vast pre-desert area located behind Jabal Samhan (eastern Dhofar). A contribution to the area's flora, of which till now scarce data was available owing to the inaccessibility, is presented. Among the species collected, Schweinfurthia latifolia is new to Oman; Zygophyllum qatarense is new to Dhofar. Other species like Cornulaca monacantha, Farsetia dhofarica, Herniaria maskatensis and Polycarpaea repens are rare in this region. The presence in the Andur area of Boswellia sacra, so far recorded only on the Hasik mountains and on the mountains behind Jibjat, is discussed.

The mountainous area surrounding Hasik is renown from antiquity as one of the areas where the frankincense tree, Boswellia sacra, grows in abundance. However, the botanical knowledge of this area is limited since up to 2003, Hasik had remained isolated due to the absence of a connecting road with Habdin. The construction of a road has allowed reaching the Hasik area, studying the Boswellia sacra populations on the mountains surrounding this small town, and carrying out floristic collections both in the Boswellia sacra area, and inside some small coastal wadis. The floristic list includes 93 taxa; among these Schweinfurthia pedicellata is new to Oman, while Convolvulus ulicinus, Limonium sarcophyllum, and Tephrosia subtriflora are new to Dhofar.

On the basis of morphology and distribution, the carallumas with creamy-white flowers distributed along the coastal area of Dhofar, considered by Bruins & Jonkers as a form of C. flava N.E. Br. (now Desmidorchis flavus (N.E. Br.) Meve & Liede), have been recognized as a new species under the name Desmidorchis tardellii sp. nov.

Dhofar, the southern region of Oman is, together with Yemen and N Somalia, where the Frankincense tree Boswellia sacra grows. The aim of this research was to investigate the location and floristic peculiarities of the most relevant populations of Boswellia in order to propose future measures for their safeguard and improvement. The most important Frankincense sites in Dhofar are described and mapped. A floristic list of 180 taxa is also given: some are new to Oman or to the Dhofar region.

The Mozabite people constitute a well-known Berber ethnic group who have lived in Algeria for centuries. The Mzabi dialect is their native tongue and Arabic is spoken by many as a second language. Therefore, this paper is an attempt to look into certain parameters surrounding this case of bilingualism. It aims more precisely to check whether or not constant contact with dialectal Arabic in particular might have any effect on the use and maintenance of the Mzabi dialect and tries to figure out the underlying reasons behind it. Accordingly, data are mainly collected using structured interviews with a sample that consists of twenty-five Mozabite merchants in the city of Constantine. The investigation generated comparable results and reveals that Mozabites intentionally speak both dialects separately, depending on context and purpose. It also demonstrates that Mzabi resists change and attrition due to its speakers’ deep sense of belonging to a highly conservative community.

ملخص: تهدف هذه الدراسة إلى تقصي الدور التطبيبي الذي اضطلعت به جمعية مرسلي إفريقيا التنصيرية في منطقة مزاب بعد تطور علم الطب في أوروبا خلال القرن التاسع عشر، واستعماله كأحد أهم الوسائل التي اعتمدت عليها الإدارة الفرنسية لاختراق المجتمع الجزائري ولتطبيع علاقتها به، وقد تعاونت بشكل كبير مع الحركة التنصيرية على فتح المستشفيات والمستوصفات للجزائريين لتحقيق أهدافها الاستعمارية، و تبعا لذلك انتشر المنصرون في كل مناطق الجزائر، مع تركيز أكثر على بعض الجهات التي اعتقدوا أنها ملائمة أكثر لنشاطهم كمنطقة القبائل والأوراس ومزاب والهقار، و اشتغلوا وفق محورين مهمين هما التعليم و التطبيب، وتسعى الدراسة أيضا الى البحث عن الأهداف الخفية للحركة التنصيرية من وراء تكثيف نشاطها التطبيبي في منطقة مزاب من خلال فتح مستشفى وعدة مستوصفات للأهالي، مجندة في ذلك الأخوات البيض للعمل الميداني في محاولة لاختراق النواة الصلبة لمجتمع مزاب، وللتغلغل داخل الأوساط النسائية الأكثر تحصينا، وخلافا لمأمولهم كانت الحصيلة لسنوات طويلة من النشاط التطبيبي للمنصرين ضئيلة، وغير متناسبة مع ضخامة الجهد المبذول. Abstract: This study aims to investigate the medical role played by the Christian Missionaries of Africa Association in the M'zab region after the development of medical science in Europe during the nineteenth century and its use as one of the most important means upon which the French administration relied to penetrate Algerian society and normalize its relationship with it. It actively cooperated with the Christian movement on Hospitals and dispensaries were opened for Algerians to achieve their colonial goals. Accordingly, missionaries spread throughout all regions of Algeria.

The aim of this study is to analyze the attention has been given by the Omani Arabic dailies; Al-Watan, Oman, Shabiba, and Al-Roya for the Syrian crisis. This study depends on content analysis methodology to analyze all related materials published by the Omani Arabic dailies in 2017. A total of 1903 materials will be analysed using content analysis.

The Dhofar movement which lasted for ten years was initially influenced by Arabian nationalism led by Jamal Abdul Nasser, but shifted towards the Eastern bloc after the Arabs’ defeat by Israel (1967 AD). Shortly before England’s withdrawal from Persian Gulf when Sultan Qaboos entered Oman’s political scene (1970 AD), Iran suppressed the movement with support of England and America. The influences of Arabian nationalism and communism current were the two major challenges during this decade shaping Iran’s political response to the movement. Iran implicitly declared neutrality to the movement despite confirming legitimacy of its religious leader. However, with arrival of Sultan Qaboos, Iran directly participated in its suppression, and the main subject of this paper is to know why. Findings represent that the above-mentioned challenges significantly impacted on Iran’s adoption of two distinct political approaches. While affirming legitimacy of Sultan’s adversaries, Iran first avoided bolstering the movement’s position against the West and maintained positive neutrality and refrained from any actions. Later on, to consolidate Sultan Qaboos authority and to confront the growing influence of the East, Iran suppressed the movement. This article is compiled using a historical method and is written with a descriptive analytical approach.

يعنى هذا العمل بالبحث في الإرث الإباضي بمدينة نفطة بالجنوب التونسي، وهو المذهب السائد بمجال بلاد الجريد خلال العصر الوسيط من القرن الثامن إلى القرن الثالث عشر ميلادي، باعتماد مدونة شفوية محلية (سرديات ومرويات وذهنيات) ثم مسائلتها بمؤلفات أعلام الإباضية ببلاد المغرب خلال العصر الوسيط (على غرار الوسياني والورجلاني والدرجيني) وبالمراجع، لاسيما التي تناولت بالدراسة المذهب الإباضي بجنوب إفريقية منها (صالح باجية، الإباضية بالجريد ومحمد المريمي، إباضية جزيرة جربة خلال العصر الحديث)، من أجل المقارنة والتحليل. ويعنى العمل الحالي أيضا بدراسة ميدان البحث، اجتماعيا وأثريا بالمعايشة والتدوين ويناقش عددا من الممارسات العقدية، في العبادة على وجه الخصوص، كمسألة سدل اليدين في الصلاة، ويبحث في الممارسات الاجتماعية والطقوس الموروثة عن بعض فرق الإباضية، وفي المصطلحات اللغوية والإثنوغرافية والطوبونيمية الحالية الراجعة إلى العصر الوسيط، التي صمدت رغم الطمس الاجتماعي والنفي الفكري الموجه. وينظر إضافة إلى ذلك في بعض الظواهر الاجتماعية المتداولة بمجال الدراسة، ليتساءل عن حقيقة انتمائها إلى المذهب الإباضي الأصلي. ويعتمد منهج البحث على الخروج عما هو متداول من أن المقاربة التاريخية ملزمة باعتماد مادي على المصادر والمراجع والآثار في حين يمكن أن تعتمد أيضا على الإرث الشفوي والأنثروبولوجيا ليكونا منطلقين لكتابة قطعة هامة من التاريخ المحلي لم تعره الدراسات السابقة العناية اللازمة.

Four species of Spheciformes wasps belonging to two families and two genera Crabronidae Latreille, 1802 (one species to the genus Tachysphex Kohl, 1883) and Philanthidae Latreille, 1802 (three species to the genus Cerceris Latreille, 1802) are reported for the first time from Djerba Island in Tunisia. The distribution in Tunisia and morphological description for reported species are given and illustrated.

The newly discovered Early Bronze Age site of Ibrāʾ South at the southern outskirts of the modern town of Ibrāʾ offers a range of archaeological features dating to the Umm an‑Nar period. In this paper, the results of the first season of fieldwork conducted by the Goethe University Frankfurt are presented, including a detailed surface survey and finds collection as well as small-scale excavations of two domestic buildings. The site also allows a study of different functional zones within the settlement, among others an area of copper processing and systems of water management, as well as indications of a planned settlement layout.

Research towards the reconstruction of various archaeological landscapes in the Al-Ḥajar mountains is still ongoing. Past investigations in the Wādī Tanūf canyon have revealed long-term transformation of landscapes of higher places, such as hilltops and a cave on a cliff. However, the function of the wadi terraces has not been sufficiently investigated. In the 2022–2023 season, we surveyed the site of WTN07 on a wadi terrace and documented 123 Islamic graves, as well as one probable Wādī Sūq tomb (Tomb 122). A detailed examination indicates that Tomb 122 is a rare collective tomb in North-Central Oman and has composite characteristics represented by a U-shaped chamber, a possible entrance corridor, and an attached annex with a few subsidiary tombs. Furthermore, we have identified eight non-mortuary features, including a newly discovered building (Structure 01) in Wādī Tanūf, as well as a platform (Structure 02) and a long wall (Structure 04). These findings highlight the importance of the terrace in the canyon, given the limited flat space available. We assume that the small terrace running along the river was a place for different activities over time, with most of the evidence related to the movement of people in the trans-Ḥajar region, since the canyon can be considered as a corridor.

The Bisya region is rich in archaeological heritage, with thousands of protohistoric funerary monuments (fourth–first millennium BC), making it an ideal place to study the diversity of burials in the region. This article presents the results of two survey and excavation seasons in the Bisya region. Remote sensing identified over 5500 tombs in a vast area, and ground surveys made it possible to document their variability and spatial distribution. The article discusses the architectural diversity, topographical location, and chronological assignment of these tombs and sheds light on the transition from the Hafit to the Umm an-Nar period as well as on further possible reuses. The excavation of three tombs (Tomb F4170, Tomb F2276, and Tomb F4169), revealed their architectural features and deposits and shed light on their possible dating. The imported pottery found in Tomb F4169 indicates connections with Mesopotamia, Iran, and Baluchistan. Beads, small objects, and copper alloy artefacts were recovered, providing further insight into the burial practices and trade networks of the time. This research in the Bisya region contributes with new data to our understanding of the burial landscape and socio-cultural development during the Early Bronze Age in the Arabian Peninsula, illuminating the architectural evolution and the trade and cultural networks in which the population was involved.

In 2023, a primary goal of the Archaeological Water Histories of Oman (ArWHO) Project fieldwork involved intensive mapping of architecture at sites near Yanqul, Oman to gain a better understanding of social relations during the Iron Age (1300–300 BC) in south-east Arabia. Small settlements (less than 2 ha) proliferated in remote mountainous areas during the Iron Age, reflecting broader changes in social organization. How were mountain communities organized, and what was their larger role in Iron Age societies that were engaged in wide-reaching networks producing and trading copper and softstone? Through mapping of architecture, surface collections, and test excavation, our ongoing research examines how small communities in the mountains and piedmonts were socially configured. Here we report on three of the four sites studied in early 2023: ʿAqīr al‑Shamūs, Ḥayy Ukur, and al-ʿAqar. Mapping of the fourth site, Raki 2, relies on alternative methods that are still being processed and will be reported in detail elsewhere. Our work has begun evaluating differences in the size, shape, abundance, and construction of architecture and surrounding water management and field systems. Preliminary results reveal a dense architectural plan with a possible public building at al-ʿAqar and broad similarities in architectural plans between ʿAqīr al-Shamūs, a specialized softstone production site, and Ḥayy Ukur, which lacks evidence of specialized production, suggesting autonomy as a likely social driver of the Iron Age settlement pattern.

Analyses of archaeological fuel remains can provide insight into pyrotechnologies, resource management, and the local environment. In this paper, we examine archaeological charcoals from Hafit period (3300–2700 BC) levels in Building V at al‑Khashbah (al-Khashaba), Oman, to understand fuel harvesting and burning preferences associated with early copper production. Building V is currently thought to be the earliest identified copper-production site in Oman based on the presence of abundant pyrotechnological remains, copper slag, and stratified radiocarbon results. Here, we build on previous anthracological work reconstructing woodland composition from the site. Anthracologists are increasingly recognising that fuelwood collection is often based on social or functional grounds rather than species availability. To that end, we have combined traditional taxonomic analysis with the application of dendro-anthracological methods to examine how intensive wood harvesting was for copper production and whether it had effects on the local vegetation. Dendrological reconstruction of wood calibre and condition at burning combined with spatial patterning of remains provides a more nuanced view of these preferences than can be achieved through taxonomic analysis alone.

The early Islamic period was marked by a resurgence in large-scale copper production in south-east Arabia. This is in contrast to the preceding era (early first millennium BCE to the mid-first millennium CE) and its notable lack of evidence of copper production. Various external and internal factors, including a flourishing Indian Ocean trade and environmental limitations, have been suggested as factors in this renewal and in its subsequent decline. However, the socio-political and economic factors that formed the framework for industrial growth during this transformative period are rarely considered. This paper delves deeper into the socio-political background of the early Islamic period in relation to industrial growth in south-east Arabia. To bridge the gap between historical and archaeological evidence, we also present new data from surveys and excavations conducted at early Islamic industrial sites in Wadī al‑Rākī, Oman. These findings offer new insights into the history of large-scale copper processing in the region.

انتشر الإسلام في ربوع بلاد السودان الغربي في وقت مبكر، ويعود الفضل في ذلك لمختلف التجار الدعاة الذين استطاعوا بمعاملاتهم التجارية وأخلاقهم الإسلامية السامية أن يؤثروا في عامة شعوب جنوب الصحراء وخاصتهم، وكان التجار الإباضيون من بين أولئك الذين أسلمت على أيديهم جحافل كبيرة من ساكنة المنطقة. فالتجارة الإباضية موغلة في القدم مع تلك الربوع، وقد تحدثت عنها كتب التاريخ فضلا عن كتب الرحلات والجغرافية، وانفردت بذكر أسمائهم المصادر التاريخية الإباضية التي تم تأليفها خلال الفترة الوسيطة مثل: سير الورجلاني وطبقات الدرجيني وسير الشماخي. بتتبّعنا وفق مسار كرونولوجي لقائمة أولئك التجار؛ وجدنا بأن التجارة والتجار الاباضيون كانوا في وتيرة متباينة عبر القرون، وأن التجارة الإباضية كانت ذات أبعاد دينية واجتماعية وسياسية فضلا عن البعد الاقتصادي الرئيس، وأن الأشخاص الذين تداولت أسماؤهم مختلف كتب السير والطبقات لم يكونوا ذوو مستوى عال من العلم، أو مناصب عليا في بلدانهم، لكن أمانتهم ونزاهتهم في معاملاتهم التجارية جعلت سكان مناطق بلاد السودان وممالكها تعتنق الإسلام أفواجا. Islam spread throughout Western Sudan at an early date, who, through their commercial dealings and their lofty Islamic morals, were able to influence the generality of the peoples of sub-Saharan Africa and their own. The Ibadi merchants were among those through whom large hordes of the region’s inhabitants converted to Islam. Ibadi trade with those regions is very ancient, and the Ibadi historical sources that were written during the intermediate period are the only ones mentioned by their names, such as: The Biography of Tabaqat Al-Darjini,. By following a chronological path to the list of these merchants; We found that Ibadi merchants were at a different pace over the centuries, and that had religious, social, and political dimensions in addition to the main economic dimension, However, their honesty and integrity in their commercial dealings made the inhabitants of Sudan’s regions and kingdoms embrace Islam in droves.

تسعى هذه الدراسة إلى تقديم تصنيف جغرافي جديد للمجموعات اللهجية في سلطنة عمان انطلاقا من التصنيف الذي وضعه كلايف هولز (Clive Holes) للمجموعات اللهجية في شمال سلطنة عمان ووسطها في مقالته المنشورة عام 1989، التي حددها - بناء على الوحدات اللغوية الصوتية والصرفية- في أربع مجموعات لهجية: مجموعتين بدويتين ومجموعتين حضريتين. وتروم الدراسة الحالية متابعة عدد من الوحدات اللغوية التي وظّفها كلايف هولز في النطاق الجغرافي المحدد عنده بـ 15 موقعا جغرافيا؛ بغية مقارنة أوجه الاتفاق والاختلاف بين الدراسة الحالية ودراسة هولز، فضلا عن ذلك فإن الدراسة تسعى إلى رصد الصور المنطوقة لهذه الوحدات اللغوية في نطاق جغرافي أوسع من النطاق الذي حدّده هولز، يشمل المجموعات اللهجية في محافظتي ظفار ومسندم، التي استبعدها كلايف هولز من دراسته. وقد جُمعت المادة اللغوية لهذه الدراسة من زيارات ميدانية قام بها الباحث بين عامي 2018 و2019 إلى مختلف محافظات سلطنة عمان. وخلصت الدراسة بناء على الوحدات اللغوية المدروسة إلى أن بعض ما أورده هولز على أنه مجموعة لهجية واحدة يمكن أن يدرج في مجموعتين لهجيتين أو أكثر، إذ إن مجموعة (بدو1) عند هولز تضعها الدراسة الحالية في ثلاث مجموعات لهجية، هي: المجموعة البدوية في محافظة البريمي، والمجموعة البدوية في محافظة شمال الباطنة، والمجموعة البدوية في محافظة جنوب الشرقية. وتضيف الدراسة أيضا مجموعة لهجية جديدة في النطاق الجغرافي الحضري الذي حدده هولز، هي: المجموعة الحضرية في محافظة الظاهرة والمناطق الجبلية المتصلة بها في ولاية الخابورة بمحافظة شمال الباطنة، وتضيف الدراسة كذلك مجموعات لهجية في المناطق التي استبعدها هولز، مثل: المجموعة الحضرية في محافظة مسندم، والمجموعين الحضرية والبدوية في محافظة ظفار. ولعلّ مردّ بعض هذه الاختلافات راجع إلى التطورات الصوتية والصرفية التي حدثت خلال المدة الزمنية بين دراسة هولز والدراسة الحالية.