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BITUMEN SLAB

BITUMEN SLAB

Ra’s al-Jinz (ash-Sharqiyah South Governorate)
Bitumen
2,300–2,100 BCE (Bronze Age)

Approximately 200 well-preserved bitumen slabs and 100 smaller fragments dating from 2,300−2,100 BCE have been found in the ruins of ancient fishermen’s houses at Ra’s al-Jinz. Barnacle growth on one side of the bitumen attests to its use as a coating for ocean-going boats. Impressions in the bitumen, still apparent after more than 4,000 years, represent two different types of boats. One type was made from sewn wooden planks, possibly of South Asian origin, and the other was made of bundled reeds and mats like the ‘Magan boat’. Geo-chemical analysis has confirmed that the bitumen originated in central Iraq, indicating a flow of basic materials between the heartland of the Mesopotamian civilisation and this outpost on the ocean frontier.

SODRE ASTROLABE

al-Hallaniyyah Island (DhofarGovernorate)
Origin: Kingdom of Portugal and the Algarves
Bronze
901–906 AH/1496–1500 CE (Kingdom of Hormuz and Nabahina Kingdom)

This is the oldest known marine astrolabe in the world. Discovered on 8 May 2014 CE, the astrolabe was one of the 2,800 artifacts excavated by archaeologists from the wreck site of a Portuguese ship (nau), identified as the Esmeralda, from Vasco da Gama’s second voyage to India made in 907–9 AH/1502–03 CE. The bronze astrolabe measures 17.5 cm in diameter and features the Portuguese royal coat of arms and the armillary sphere (esferaarmila), a personal emblem of D. Manuel I, the King of Portugal, which he adopted when he was the Duke of Beja. The presence of these two iconic Portuguese emblems indicate this disc was an object of high status. The astrolabe was used by early seafarers to measure the altitude of the sun and stars in order to determine geographical latitude. To date, 107 marine astrolabes, or components thereof, have been discovered in the world.

CERAMIC VESSEL

Sohar Fort (al-Batinah North Governorate) Origin: southern Iran Glazed ceramic 5th–6th centuries AH/11th–12th centuries CE (Middle Islamic Period)

SNAKE HEAD

Sallūt (ad-Dakhiliyah Governorate) Date fruit 1,300 BCE–300 CE (Iron Age)

BOWL

Amlah, al-Fuwaydah (ad-Dhahirah Governorate) Copper-alloy 300–400 CE (Samad Period)

STAMP SEAL

Ra’s al-Jinz (ash-Sharqiyah South Governorate) Soft-stone 2,200–2,000 BCE (Bronze Age)

VESSEL

Diba (Musandam Governorate) Soft stone 1,200–800 BCE (Early Iron Age) Found in an Early Iron Age collective burial at Diba in the Governorate of Musandam, this rectangular box depicts a goat and a wolf, carved on the opposite long sides. The four sides form a continuous scene with the two animals in a thicket of short bushes. The carvings on the box can be viewed in sequence, shown above, like a film or animation, and the story that it depicts is one of the earliest found in Oman.

PESTLE AND MORTAR

Sumhuram (Dhofar Governorate) Limestone and granite 200–300 CE (Iron Age)

PICKAXES

Diba (Musandam Governorate) Origin: Iran Bronze 1,200–800 BCE (Iron Age)

JEWELLERY

Bat (ad-Dhahirah Governorate) Various materials 2,700–2,000 BCE (Middle Bronze Age)

BRICK BEARING HANDPRI...

BRICK BEARING HANDPRINT OF ORIGINAL BUILDER

Mattariyya Tower
Bat (ad-Dhahirah Governorate)
Mud3,000 BCE (Early Bronze Age)

There are seven enigmatic monuments or ‘towers’ at Bat, four of which have been excavated. Like most Bronze Age towers in Oman, they are circular. The towers measure 20–25 metres in diameter and are constructed from large stone blocks with a mud brick understructure. They have interior stone walls which form chambers and a water-well positioned near their centre. Such towers were in operation at different times, and given their varied positions on the landscape (some are on hilltops, others in the floodplain) it seems likely that they served different purposes. Mattariyya is the earliest known tower at Bat, dating from around 3000 BCE. In contrast, the nearby Kasr al-Khafji, is dated to 2400 BCE.

SOFT-STONE VESSEL

al-Wafi (ash-Sharqiyah South Governorate)
2,500–1,900 BCE (Middle Bronze Age)

Stone vessels are among the best preserved products of prehistoric culture in south-eastern Arabia. The earliest versions were fashioned in the 3rd millennium BCE, most often from a locally occurring form of soft-stone known as chlorite.

The limited range of shapes made at this time includes squarish boxes, beakers and open bowls. Decoration consists of parallel horizontally-cut lines or one or more rows of engraved circles, each with a dot in the centre.

SOFT-STONE VESSEL

al-Wasit (ad-Dhahirah Governorate)
1,900–1,300 BCE (Wadi Suq Period)

Soft-stone vessels of the Wadi Suq Period include various kinds of bowls and squarish two-chambered boxes. Vessels sometimes have engraved lines at the rim but more commonly feature rows of single dotted circles or horizontal hatching comparable to that of contemporaneous painted pottery. Rarely, single and double circles with central dots occur on the same vessel. In the latter part of the Wadi Suq Period other design elements begin to appear, such as lightly scratched diagonal hatching arranged in zones.

SOFT-STONE VESSEL Ba...

SOFT-STONE VESSEL Bani Nafa (ad-Dakhiliyah Governorate) 1,300–300 BCE (Iron Age)

The range of stone vessel shapes and decorative forms increases dramatically with the onset of the Iron Age. The most common stone bowls at this time have straight, outwardly-angled sides. Stone bowls with spouts are similar in form to pottery vessels of the same period. Zigzag patterns, vertical lines and triangles with multiple hatching replace earlier engraved circle motifs. Vessels from the end of this period show a predominance of zigzags, and sometimes include rudimentary figures.

SOFT-STONE VESSEL

Samad ash-Shan (ash-Sharqiyah North Governorate)
300 BCE–400 CE (Samad Period)

In the decades shortly after 300 BCE, a completely different kind of soft-stone vessel emerges. Lathe-turning technology appears for the first time, and the insides of the new vessels show clear traces of this means of manufacture. At the same time, a new range of vessel shapes appears, and small bowls and dishes contrast with the larger bowls of prior centuries. Far fewer vessels are found in graves dated to this period, and the rare vessels that are uncovered feature horizontally-grooved zones.

PLAQUE WITH OLD SOUT...

PLAQUE WITH OLD SOUTH ARABIAN (HADHRAMITIC)

PLAQUE WITH OLD SOUTH ARABIAN (HADHRAMITIC) INSCRIPTION Sumhuram (Dhofar Governorate) Bronze Iron Age Donated by the Office of the Advisor to His Majesty the Sultan for Cultural Affairs

OIL LAMP

al-Baleed (Dhofar Governorate) Origin: Gujarat (northwest India) Unglazed earthenware 6th–8th centuries AH/12th–14th centuries CE

GLASS VESSEL

al-Baleed (Dhofar Governorate) Origin: Zinjibar, Abyan Province (Yemen) Glass 6th–7th centuries AH/12th–13th centuries CE

TOOL (CLASSIC DHOFAR ...

TOOL (CLASSIC DHOFAR NUBIAN CULTURE)

Najd Plateau (Dhofar Governorate) Stone 125,000–75,000 years ago (Middle Stone Age − Middle Palaeolithic)

TOOL (MUDAYYAN CULTUR...

TOOL (MUDAYYAN CULTURE)

Najd Plateau (Dhofar Governorate) Stone 75,000–40,000 years ago (Late Stone Age)

HAND AXE

Shisr Farms, Najd Plateau (Dhofar Governorate) Stone (Flint) 2,000,000–250,000 years ago (Early Paleolithic) This simple stone hand axe is the oldest man-made object ever found in the Arabian Peninsula. It is estimated to be two million years old, and is changing the way archaeologists and anthropologists are viewing the past. The axe, which was discovered in the arid Najd plateau of Dhofar, provides vital evidence of the movement of early human populations between Africa and Arabia and stands as a reminder that many of Oman’s desert landscapes were fertile, habitable places in prehistoric times.

CONTAINER

Ra’s al-Hamra (Muscat Governorate) Shell 5,000–4,000 BCE (Early Neolithic)

WHORL, BEAD OR PENDANT

Ra’s al-Hamra (Muscat Governorate) Stone (Vesicular basalt) 3,600–3,500 BCE (Late Neolithic) This hemispherical object, probably a whorl, bead or pendant, was found in a collective grave where eight individuals of different sexes and ages were buried. It was made from vesicular basalt, a volcanic rock that occurs in Oman in association with ophiolites and the remnants of extinct volcanoes. The object is extraordinary both for its stone material and for the skilful use of a metal drill to make its tapered drill-hole, attributes that are otherwise unknown from coastal sites of this period.

GRAVE 83

In Grave 83 of the RH-5 cemetery, the body of an 18 to 21-year-old woman was interred with a wealth of mortuary gifts including entire shells, a string of 27 shell beads, two bone pins, three pale red pebbles, two polished haematite stones and a bi-pointed bone tool. Jewellery worn by her at the time of burial included stone earrings, a shell necklace and two bracelets – one made of shell plates and another comprising 23 stone and shell beads and two perforated pearls.

FOSSILISED WOVEN PALM...

FOSSILISED WOVEN PALM BASKET

Ra’s al-Hadd (ash-Sharqiyah South Governorate) Calcite 3,100–2,700 BCE (Early Bronze Age) Inside the houses of an Early Bronze Age settlement at Ra’s al-Hadd, archaeologists have discovered fossilised imprints of baskets, ropes and nets. The perishable organic materials originally used to produce these objects had been slowly replaced by concretions of calcium carbonate over thousands of years. This find has provided a rare glimpse of materials and techniques used in the local manufacture of everyday craft objects in prehistoric times.

BEADS

BEADS Bat (ad-Dakhiliyah Governorate) and Ra’s al-Jinz (ash-Sharqiyah South Governorate) Origin: Indus Valley Civilisation Gold and silver 2,500–2,000 BCE (Middle Bronze Age)

HARAPPAN JAR

Ra’s al-Jinz (ash-Sharqiyah South Governorate) Origin: Indus Valley Civilisation Painted earthenware 2,500–2,400 BCE (Middle Bronze Age) The black-on-red painted decoration on this jar is typical of the Harappan pottery production of the Indus Valley Civilisation in the 3rd millennium BCE. It includes alternating peacocks and trees, sun motifs and intersecting circles. Chemical analysis confirms that the jar originated in the region now known as Gujarat, in northwestern India. Although such jars were used primarily for shipping foodstuffs, their elaborately painted motifs imbued them with a perceived preciousness beyond their functional worth.

SUSPENSION VESSEL

Bushar (Muscat Governorate) Soft stone 2,000–1,600 BCE (Late Bronze Age) This vessel, complete with its lid, was found in a grave in Bushar, Muscat, dating from around 2,000 BCE. The manufacturer selected a brightly coloured soft stone that was often used during the Wadi Suq period. The decoration on the rim of the vessel features dot-in-circle motifs and the knob of the lid is decorated with a fishbone pattern. Vessels like this one were used as containers for precious products such as honey, dates and other delicacies, and for aromatic essences.

SMALL CUP

Sallūt (ad-Dakhiliyah Governorate) Alabaster 1,300 BCE–300 CE (Iron Age)

CUP

Sallūt (ad-Dakhiliyah Governorate) Earthenware 1,300 BCE–300 CE (Iron Age)

FRAGMENTS OF A LONG-H...

FRAGMENTS OF A LONG-HANDLED BOWL IN THE FORM OF A SNAKE

Sallūt (ad-Dakhiliyah Governorate) Earthenware 1,300 BCE–300 CE (Iron Age)

POTTERY FRAGMENT WITH...

POTTERY FRAGMENT WITH INSCRIBED SNAKE DECORATION

al-Gamr, al-Hamra (ad-Dakhiliyah Governorate) Earthenware 1,000 BCE–500 CE (Iron Age)

FRAGMENT OF A JAR WIT...

FRAGMENT OF A JAR WITH APPLIED COILED SNAKE

Sallūt (ad-Dakhiliyah Governorate) Earthenware 1,300 BCE–300 CE (Iron Age)

SNAKE FIGURES

Saih al-Qa’a, al-Hamra (ad-Dakhiliyah Governorate) Bronze 1,300 BCE–300 CE (Iron Age)

AXE

‘Uqdat al-Bakrah, ar-Rub’ al-Khali (ad-Dhahirah Governorate) Bronze 1,300–600 BCE (Iron Age)

TOOLS

‘Uqdat al-Bakrah, ar-Rub’ al-Khali (ad-Dhahirah Governorate) Bronze 1,300–600 BCE (Iron Age)

MEDALLION

Diba (Musandam Governorate) Diba Hoard Shell (Conus) 1,200–800 BCE (Iron Age)

DAGGER

Diba (Musandam Governorate) Diba Hoard Bronze 1,200–800 BCE (Iron Age)

CAULDRON

Diba (Musandam Governorate) Diba Hoard Bronze 1,200–800 BCE (Iron Age)

SPOUTED GLOBULAR JAR

Diba (Musandam Governorate) Diba Hoard Earthenware 1,200–800 BCE (Iron Age)

NECKLACE

Samad ash-Shan (ash-Sharqiyah North Governorate) Origin: probably modern-day Iran Gold 300 BCE–400 CE (Samad Period) This rare gold necklace was found in the grave of a wealthy lady. Such beads are small wonders, if one considers the high technical expertise required for their manufacture. They may well be imported from a centre with a developed metallurgical technology, such as Iran.

DRINKING SPOUTS OF PH...

DRINKING SPOUTS OF PHIALE

Samad ash-Shan (ash-Sharqiyah North Governorate) and Samail (ad-Dakhiliyah Governorate) Origin: modern-day Iran Bronze 300 BCE–793 CE (Samad Period)

PILGRIM FLASK

Buhla (ad-Dakhiliyah Governorate) Origin: modern-day Iran Glazed earthenware 100–200 CE (Samad Period)

MULTI-PURPOSE BLADE T...

MULTI-PURPOSE BLADE TOOL

MULTI-PURPOSE BLADE TOOL Ra’s al-Hamra (Muscat Governorate) Copper c. 3,400 BCE (Neolithic Age)

CHISELS

Ra’s al-Hadd (ash-Sharqiyah South Governorate) Copper 3,100–2,700 BCE (Hafit Period)

FISHHOOKS

Ra’s al-Hadd (ash-Sharqiyah South Governorate) Copper 3,100–2,700 BCE (Hafit Period)

BROAD BLADED CEREMONI...

BROAD BLADED CEREMONIAL DAGGER

BROAD BLADED CEREMONIAL DAGGER as-Suwaih (ash-Sharqiyah South Governorate) Copper alloy 2,500–1,800 BCE (Bronze Age)

ARROWHEADS

al-Wasit (ad-Dhahirah Governorate) Copper alloy 1,600–1,300 BCE (Wadi Suq Period)

ANTHROPOMORPHIC FIGUR...

ANTHROPOMORPHIC FIGURES

al-Aqr, Buhla (ad-Dakhiliyah Governorate) Copper alloy 2,000–1,800 BCE (Bronze Age)

LONG DAGGER

al-Wasit (ad-Dhahirah Governorate) Copper alloy 1,600–1,300 BCE (Wadi Suq Period)

LION OF SOHAR

Sohar (al-Batinah North Governorate) Origin: China (Yuan Dynasty) Glazed porcelain 4th century AH/late 10th century CE (Song Dynasty)

PLAQUE WITH OLD SOUTH...

PLAQUE WITH OLD SOUTH ARABIAN (SABAEAN) STONE INSCRIPTION

Sumhuram (Dhofar Governorate) Bronze 2nd century BCE (Kingdom of Hadhramawt) Donated by the Office of the Advisor to His Majesty the Sultan for Cultural Affairs

GREEK-STYLE INCENSE B...

GREEK-STYLE INCENSE BURNER HOLDER

Sumhuram (Dhofar Governorate) Origin: Yemen Bronze 1st century CE (Iron Age) Donated by the Office of the Advisor to His Majesty the Sultan for Cultural Affairs