A dugong bone mound: the Neolithic ritual site on Akab in Umm al-Quwain, Sophie Mery´ 1∗, V. Charpentier2, G. Auxiette3 & E. Pelle4

The authors present a remarkable site with a remarkable interpretation: a structured platform of dugong bones, containing skulls laid in parallel and ribs in sets, together with artefacts of the Neolithic period. They propose that the bones have been symbolically arranged and the mound as a whole had a ritual purpose – an interpretation endorsed by analogy with dugong platforms noted in the Torres Strait in recent times. Keywords: east Arabia, Neolithic, ritual, dugong

Introduction The Neolithic period in the Oman Peninsula and the Gulf is relatively unexplored. Excavations remain rare, with 20 sites, at most, explored between Kuwait and the Sultanate of Oman. In eastern Arabia in general, the emergence, identity and chronology of the first Neolithic societies are still to be determined. We know that between 6500 and 4500 cal BC, despite the absence of agriculture, a fully Neolithic culture developed in the United Arab Emirates, in the Sultanate of Oman and in Yemen, for which pressure-retouched trihedral points are a distinctive feature, together with the domestication of ovicaprids. In the Gulf, pottery provides evidence for long-distance trade with the Ubaid populations of southern Mesopotamia. In the United Arab Emirates, many coastal occupations of the sixth–fifth millennia have been reported, but only those of Marawah, Dalma and Akab have been excavated (Figure 1). At present, the fourth millennium appears to be under-represented in the United Arab Emirates, to the point that some have referred to a ‘dark millennium’ (Uerpmann 2003). Only the site of Akab has so far produced evidence of this period, which characterises the end of the Neolithic, although the period is better known on the Indian Ocean side, on the coast of the Sultanate of Oman. The beginnings of the Bronze Age, characterised by the appearance of oases based on the exploitation of the date palm and the local development of pottery, dates to 3100 cal BC.

1 CNRS, UMR 7041 Arch´eologie et Sciences de l’Antiquit´e, 21 all´ee de l’universit´e, 92023 Nanterre Cedex, France 2 INRAP, UMR 7041, 21 all´ee de l’universit´e, 92023 Nanterre Cedex, France 3 INRAP, UMR 7041, Centre Arch´eologique de Soissons, 3 rue du Commandant G´erard, 02200 Soissons, France 4 CNRS/Mus´eum d’Histoire Naturelle, UMS 2700 – Taxonomie et collections, D´epartement Syst´ematique et Evolution, Mus´eum d’Histoire Naturelle, 55 rue Buffon, BP 51, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France Received: 10 October 2008; Accepted: 15 January 2009; Revised: 4 February 2009

ANTIQUITY 83 (2009): 696–708 696 oite fteGl ntefut ilnim hsfr hs iul aeol been only have rituals of necropolis these the far, in 2007). evidence (Salvatori Thus Oman) in millennium. of those (Sultanate coastal particular fourth al-Hamra by Ra’s in the practised practices, rituals funerary in the through Gulf perceptible concerning evidence the new of that provides BC, societies now millennium 1) first (Figure Akab the of in Age, Iron the appear. until snakes not to Age Bronze related third is the practices the it of religious of sanctuary and civilisation known exists Dilmun no Peninsula, BC) the Oman of (3100-1500 the vestiges On Saar), BC. millennia discovered and second were (Barbar and temples Bahrain Age of Bronze island Two Islam. the preceded on which practices ritual and beliefs iue1 oaino h ieo kb rwn yH David. H. by Drawing Akab. of site the of Location 1. Figure fUma-uan(ntdAa mrts.Teacaooia ie netgtdb a by investigated site, lagoon large archaeological the The in Dhabi Emirates). Abu Arab from (United 190km located al-Quwain is Umm Akab of of island the today, Deserted Akab of fishermen The h icvr faNoihcdgn oemuda m lQwi nteisland the on al-Quwain Umm at mound bone dugong Neolithic a of discovery The the on data little very produced has Peninsula Arabian the of archaeology the date, To oheM Sophie 697 ´ ery tal. et

Research A dugong bone mound

Figure 2. Dugong dugong, an herbivorous sea mammal, lives in the Indo-pacific area. They occurred in herds up to several hundreds but this is now rare (photographs c Pierre Larue). palaeontologist at the beginning of the 1990s, was interpreted as a butchering area for dugongs, and therefore suggested to be the oldest known site of dugong hunting (Prieur & Guerin´ 1991; Jousse 1999; Jousse et al. 2002). The dugong (Dugong dugon), an herbivorous marine mammal which lives along the coast of the Indian Ocean and in the Pacific (Fig- ure 2), is found today in the Arabian Gulf (Preen 2004); it is now protected and the United Arab Emirates plays a major role in its conservation (Das 2007). In adulthood the dugong measures up to 3-4m long and can weigh as much as 400kg. The ethnographic records of the Indo-Pacific zone indicate that for a given coastal society the number of dugongs captured is important (Haddon 1904-1912; Petit 1927; Marsh et al. 2002; McNiven & Bedingfield 2008). There are no published records of mass strandings of dugong, although individual strandings or dugongs being carried ashore during cyclones have been reported (Bryden et al. 1998). The flesh, oil, hide and tusks of the dugong were long exploited in the region and the consumption of dugongs has been confirmed on many archaeological sites. Evidence for dugong hunting has been found from the sixth-fifth millennia, in the coastal occupations of Marawah MR11, Dalma DA11, Akab and Jezirat al-Hamra JH.57. On these sites, the most numerous dugong remains are the ribs, but scapulae are sometimes found, and more rarely, tusks (Vogt 1994; Beech 2000; Beech et al. 2005; Charpentier & Mery´ 2008). The dugong is also present at al-Markh, a fourth-millennium settlement site in Bahrain (Roaf 1976). Dating to the Bronze Age, the sites of Umm an-Nar, Tell Abraq, Shimal and Ra’s Ghanadha (U.A.E.), as well as Qalat al-Bahrain 520 and Saar (Bahrain), have all produced dugong bones in varying numbers (Hoch 1979, 1995; Al Tikriti 1985; Uerpmann & Uerpmann 1994, 2005, 2007; van den Driesch 1994). Later sites have also produced evidence, such as Ed Dur and Marawah MR4.2 (U.A.E.), Failaka F.5 and Tell Akkaz (Kuwait) (Desse & Desse-Berset 1990; Van Neer & Gautier 1993; Tome´ 2003).

698 fterr taie hl idn nteUAE h al cuaino kbi ae by dated is Akab of occupation early The U.A.E. 6275 the dates: in radiocarbon middens four shell stratified rare the of rcnetain fsel,fihseeosi oncin n aiu un rtrampled or burnt various and spreads connection, by in characterised is skeletons soils top fish of on materials. shells, succession directly The of lie sand. concentrations they Pleistocene of or aeolian materials, Composed of organic thick. deposit 0.35m in a and rich of 0.25 sediments between anthropic measure highly occupations brown-grey early the of levels The 5900 BC); cal 4114, n20,acaooia xaain eeldta h uogmudo kbwsol a and M only millennium, & fifth (Charpentier was the habitations in Akab circular occupied of of periodically remains site, the mound Neolithic including larger dugong much the a of that part revealed small excavations archaeological 2002, In settlement The aes h oetcfuafuda kbicue ot( goat ( includes Akab at found fauna domestic The layers. h aeilcluei opsdo usata mut ffihn qimn including (Charpentier equipment fishing of amounts posts. substantial load-bearing of with (M being architecture composed fishhooks produced (Dalma is has sites which culture Neolithic Gulf material two the The of only part of this one in therefore other) the is Akab identified. were structures aefo h bivalves the from made ie sn ok aefo h hl ftepaloyster pearl the of shell the from made hooks using lines Spondylus iddne ( donkey wild fAa loue hlfihhosadfihdtn hc eesttdepdtosi boats in expeditions necessitated fishermen which the tuna millennium fished fifth and the hooks of shellfish ontheopensea(Mery beginning used the also crabs), from and Akab shellfish exploited, of fish, been (i.e. mangrove have neighbouring to the and appear lagoon the of resources the all hyso hog ntesraeo h iea h rsn time. present the at site the of surface the because on deflation through by destroyed show partially they been perhaps having Akab, at ephemeral more appear shell. in and culture chlorite material sand. in of wind-blown therefore beads elements of tubular possess is episode and as mound date, such an dugong in common, by close The however, settlement episode are, north. the occupations desertification of the two the a The occupation in of latest to situated sectors the corresponding occupation from two sand of separated the level aeolian last joins of the the which layer been sealed trench a main has 2.50m-long that mound the reveals A dugong between excavation the attention. relationship sandy and stratigraphic particular this occupation The of above fifth-millennium site. lies subject the the mound of dugong of zone The slope excavated 0.60m. northern of the thickness on a level, reach can which deposit quantity. modest in although settlement, the of horizons archaeological Bos oeta 9 othlswr icvrdi n80m an in discovered were holes post 290 than More ihn,tepicplatvt fteppltoso kb a rcie ihnt n with and nets with practised was Akab, of populations the of activity principal the Fishing, ntefut ilnim xetfrtedgn on,tetae fhmnoccupation human of traces the mound, dugong the for except millennium, fourth the In aeolian sterile a by sealed are Akab of occupation millennium fifth the of levels latest The p)addg( dog and sp.) p nsc uniista h iemyb adt eoeo pcaie production. specialised of one be to said be may site the that quantities such in sp. snsafricanus Asinus ery tal et ´ tal et 04.Msptma otr fteUadpro a on nstratified in found was period Ubaid the of pottery Mesopotamian 2004). . ai familiaris Canis − + 08.Atog h ihctosaefw h iesrpr rknives or side-scrapers the few, are tools lithic the Although 2008). . 0B 43-03clB) n 5710 and BC); cal (4331-4033 BP 50 tal et alsaerycina Callista 08.Tedgn,acatlaia,i lopeeti l the all in present also is animal, coastal a dugong, The 2008). . .Teocpnso kbas rdcddsodbasmd from made beads discoid produced also Akab of occupants The ). − + 0B 44-41clB,2sga;5970 sigma); 2 BC, cal (4748-4441 BP 50 .Tehne an r ersne by represented are fauna hunted The ). oheM Sophie 699 and ´ ery tal. et matsumbonella Amiantis ar hircus Capra icaamargaritifera Pinctada 2 − + xaain n w circular two and excavation, r 08.Aa lohsone has also Akab 2008). ery ´ 0B 46-84 a BC). cal (4160-3814, BP 30 ,sep( sheep ), r eyfrequent very are ael gazella Gazella − + vsaries Ovis 5B (4428- BP 35 .Although ,cow ), and

Research A dugong bone mound

The dugong bone mound

Since its abandonment, the site of Akab has not been subject to human disturbance, and has only suffered damage by small local fauna, particularly foxes. At the time of their discovery in 1989, the dugong bones were covered only by a very thin layer of wind-blown sand. The excavation of the dugong mound was resumed between 2006 and 2008 by a multidisciplinary team of prehistorians and faunal experts (Charpentier & Mery´ 2008). The mound was first thought to be a zone for the slaughter or butchering of dugongs, and the primary objective of our excavation was to test this hypothesis. The mound was excavated in area, removing the totality of the surface in successive stages, following the slope of the layers, in such a way as to have an overview of the site (thus there was no section cut through the mound). The mound was divided into 1m2 squares (H12-L16). Each square was also further sub-divided into 0.25m2, and sometimes into 0.0625m2 to record the objects and the smallest anatomical connections. The sediment (very loose sand) was removed using aspirators connected to plastic containers, then completely sieved with 1mm mesh. Drawings at 1:10, and photographs taken from overhead, were aids in the dismantling and the osteological and archaeological analysis of the remains in situ. Photographs taken with a kite provided wider views. The deposit was excavated in 12 different d´emontages (liftings) but 62 per cent of the bone fragments recovered was from d´emontages 1and2. Skulls, ribs, forelimbs or other types of bone that appeared to be grouped together were designated and lifted as assemblages. Bones with special features, either because of their position on site, or because of a feature on the bone itself, were allocated ‘os’ numbers. All the bones exhibit signs of long exposure to the sun and wind. Weathering is predominately a rough surface caused by abrasion with the sand. The marine mammal bone (i.e. 97 per cent of the collection of bone fragments) and the terrestrial mammal bone were examined and assigned to a skeletal element. Each element was identified to a taxonomic group (order, family or species). Terrestrial animal bones, rib sets and selected dugong bones were sent to Edinburgh following the 2008 Akab season and compared by S. Fraser with the reference collection at the National Museum of Scotland, Natural History Section. Other comparative collections used for the analysis of the bone material in 2006 by E. Pelle were those of the Museum´ d’Histoire Naturelle de Paris (France). The hypothesis of a butchering site, which had been advanced previously, was rapidly put into question when the mound was discovered to be a structured accumulation of bones, a complex arrangement whose layout had been accomplished in stages. The deposit rose on a hillock of wind-blown sand and consisted of two main stratigraphic levels forming a platform structure, low in elevation (Figure 3). The structure is ovoid in plan extending to 10m2 and 0.30-0.40m in height, but truncated in the south-west (Figure 3A and C). Only a few highly fragmented bones remain in the missing part of the structure. A 14C dating carried out on a dugong bone rib sample coming from the base of the top level of the structure attributes it to the second half of the fourth millennium (5140 −+ 55 BP,Pa-2433, c. 3568-3116 BC). The platform therefore dates to well after the fifth millennium, between 4700-4100 BC (see Technical Note below for a discussion of the marine reservoir effect in the Gulf).

700 eecrflywde yrb n ipsdi rfrnilmne,wt o feight of row a with manner, preferential a in skulls disposed The and aligned. were ribs position, by anatomical wedged in carefully placed were skulls, the which upon foundation )tersr fdgnsaedrce oad h at ude frb r oae nfoto h atr o fskulls of row eastern the of bones; front of in platform located the are on ribs rows in of aligned bundles were east; skulls the the towards B) directed mound; Eli bone S. are drawings dugong dugongs Sagory, T. Akab (photograph: of the rostra of the view C) Aerial A) 3. Figure h aeo h tutr ossso adbe adflt egdb is hypoiea provide They ribs. by wedged flat, laid mandibles of consists structure the of base The ` sadR oadFec rhelgclMsint h U.A.E.). the to Mission Archaeological Douaud/French R. and es oheM Sophie 701 ´ ery tal. et

Research A dugong bone mound

Figure 4. The rostra of animals are deeply embedded and the skulls placed in anatomical position, aligned (A), and wedged by ribs (B) (photographs: V. Charpentier, French Archaeological Mission to the U.A.E.). aligned at the front (Figure 3B-C and 4A-B). The structure was deliberately oriented, as the premaxilla of animals, deeply embedded, are always directed towards the east or the north-east (with a maximum gradient of 30◦) and bundles of ribs were deposited just in front of the eastern row of skulls. The mandibles were separated from the skulls prior to deposition on the bone mound. The lower level of the platform, still under excavation, consists of broken dugong bones compacted by trampling. It is strongly impregnated with an ochre solution which has reddened the bones and the natural sediment. To judge by the presence of postholes all along the edge of the structure, the platform was perhaps covered, or at least protected by an array of poles. The laboratory analysis is still in progress, but the dugongs deposited in the mound were a mixture of adults and sub-adults with juveniles at less than 10 per cent. The bone fragment collection is dominated by rib and skull fragments. No animal was deposited whole in the structure, or even a large part of an animal. Moreover, certain anatomical parts, such as the ribs, vertebrae or limbs are under-represented, which is evidence of intentional selection. Very little evidence of butchering was found on the bones. The deposition of portions of freshly killed animals is verified by the presence of the ulna and the radius, and in one case, an ulna, radius, humerus and carpals in anatomical order. At the same time, there is also evidence for the deposit of anatomical elements in different states of decomposition. Several hundred objects were deposited in or inserted into this mound of bones. These are mainly ornamental elements. Beads made from shells (Spondylus sp., P. margaritifera, Strombus decorus persicus, Ancila sp. etc.) are present, but the most frequent are the tubular beads with angled distal double perforation, of a type which is very rare in other Neolithic sites of the Gulf. Some of these beads are in soft stone (steatite or chlorite), and their origin, exogenous to the shores of the Gulf, lies probably in the foothills of the Oman mountains; there are also examples fashioned from the columns of Murcidae shells. These ornamental elements were found in association with tools (bone punches, shell knives, flint flakes) and pebbles. Finally, the remains of domestic sheep, goats and cattle, sometimes partly articulated, were incorporated into the structure.

702 h rprtosfriscpue h rnpr fisrmist ad t dismemberment its land, to remains Crouch its 1927; an concerning Petit of rites is 1904-1912; transport propitiatory (Haddon dugong of the consumption the is, its capture, still and/or example, its and for for subject, well, the preparations was as the which Madagascar status, in special of and & animal (McNiven Australia, rituals magic and In hunting terrestrial with 2003). as associated Feldman are well deposited mounds as The were ochre) 1). objects (Table and fauna which objects, marine among imported thousand) containing tools, several various constructions to ornaments, tens were (individual (from They dugongs 2003). of bones Feldman (fourteenth-twentieth the & date McNiven later 1904-1912; totemic much of (Haddon part a mostly as exist were at known mounds do sites, Strait bone ceremonial dugong monuments Torres Australian comparable These the However, 5). (Figure of world. AD) century coasts the of Australian parts the other on in Neolithic the for for removed been elements, have dugong could the game of marine installation this example. of of for ceremonies mass during does or the obviously domestic of These either which part captured. consumption, alone, large sustenance animals a than that the other exclude among purposes not for sampling out selective carried were by organised selections or followed bones, the fishing, of and gathering selective Several hunting advanced: status. special been its have confirms acquisition tools) of also presence hypotheses but the ornaments and (mainly point objects focal selected the many as intended of were skulls preconceived The a with last. monument, to a constructed as organisation, Akab of mound bone dugong Neolithic the interpret We 189). pl. Discussion 1846: D’Urville (Dumont 1840 in Australia, Strait, Torres island, Tudu in mound bone dugong A 5. Figure eiged2008). Bedingfield h kbst a oprle nteAainPnnua n ost fti yei known is type this of site no and Peninsula, Arabian the in parallel no has site Akab The kod ie,wihwr ardsntaisuulyrsre o men for reserved usually sanctuaries sacred were which sites, oheM Sophie 703 ´ ery tal. et tal et 07 cie & McNiven 2007; .

Research A dugong bone mound eference R Feldman 2003 McNiven & Wright 2008 Bedingfield 2008 Feldman 2003 2006 McNiven & Ghaleb 1990; McNiven & This paper David & Badulgal rtefacts and other items A items: glass trade beads, copper snails, coin, buttons, shotgun cartridges, flaked bottle glass, clay pipe, American brass clock. Pellets of red ochre, bead from pearl shell rock fragments copper, nails fragments of bottle glass, ceramic bone tools, shell tools, shellfish hooks, flint flakes, ochre fragments, flaked quartz Shell beads, soft-stone beads, Clay pipe, glass and metal ther fauna O fish, shell fish crab Fish, bird, shellfish Hundreds of items. European Shellfish Flaked quartz. European items: Sheep, goat, cattle, Marine turtle, fish Flaked quartz McNiven & Shellfish, fish, bird, bones skull bones mandible, scapula, limbs bones cranium elements ypeofdugongbone T Skull fragments, rear ugongs (MNI) 10 954 40 Ribs, skulls, tusks, D > Estimate: 250 Ribs, tusks, rear skull 141 (average: 47) Ribs, skull bones, hronology 1530-1870 to 1870-1880 Early 20th c. AD Estimate: 200 Ribs, tusks, rear skull 3500-3200 BC AD 1630-1780/ AD 1510-1690 19th c. ADAD 8 1600-1900 Estimate: 9971/ Ribs, skull elements Shellfish Glass, stone artefacts, coral, ibuy S oegi mounds 6,17 & 18 Goemu mound 87 Dabangai Mound M Table 1. Comparison betweenstructures the containing assemblage the of bones dugong of bone dugongs mounds amongSite at which Akab objects and were in deposited Torres as Strait, well Australia. as WeAKAB terrestrial find ISLAND and/or in marine both fauna. contexts KOEY NGURTAI C MABUYAG ISLAND MABUYAG ISLAND PULU ISLET TUBU ISLAND

704 uoghl h oeatiue ntesm eidt h re ute( turtle green the the to Akab, period at and same that, the beliefs think in which we attributed but in role this the society held confirm a dugong cannot We to animals? belonged to Akab linked of were fishermen prohibitions Neolithic The the that totem. envisage a to by controlled in is offerings Australian the activity and The of prayers sites. economic by factors. interdependence ritual accompanied each are ritual be which can that the places, and particular dugong; fact varied are the the rites and propitiatory to totems, associated turtle marine number linked with marine a McNiven clans is the in 1989; fishing that, clans shark, (Leblic of examples factors known the many totemic is the as are to It of there such related period. Ocean, coast are Pacific same rites the the the fishing In of concerning in 2003). world, those the Oman questions also in of new regions but Gulf to of island, the rise ritual and the gives a Gulf occupied Akab Arabian which was of populations Akab rediscovery, Neolithic the of the rather mound or bone discovery, dugong the the demonstrate that dispositions) believe preferential we indications and wild rules, several of site. bones remains Because of the of objects. existence of of manipulation deposit the choice the objects, bones, the of large and the (deposits mammals of display terrestrial the domestic in and taken was care use: its nepeaino h kbst scret e ato htiprac a iuland ritual was importance that of part Acknowledgements key our a If correct, Gulf. the is in site importance dugong symbolic. Akab representations. its of presence social was the the widespread and Peninsula, of how cultural Arabian interpretation shows the of sites in system archaeological parallel relations the no many the of has in core Akab on of symbolic the data site the at the on ritual new lies Although particular known which provided in oldest animals, Arabia, has world’s Neolithic of the in excavation use environment and Its their Arabia and dugong. in humans the between site with ritual known associated oldest site the is today Akab Conclusion u xaain r upre yteDprmn fAtqiisadMsuso m lQwi (U.A.E.), al-Quwain Umm l’Arch of de Museums et and sociales humaines, Antiquities sciences of des Department Sous-direction the the by supported are excavations Our a ncmo eypriua eain fasiiulodr ihcranmrn animals, marine certain with order, spiritual turtles. also a green They of or technologies. relations of dugongs a number particular whether a shared very as they common well that as in known culture, had is material their it Ra’s in but and elements kilometres, Akab of of hundred number populations several pebbles coastal by or The carapace separated 2007). turtle were 1996, of al-Hamra (Salvatori elements with near eggs covered placed turtle dead were of the skulls imitation of in BC: body al-Hamra Ra’s the 3300 dead, at and the turtle 3700 of between green face deposits the The spectacular Oman. of of subject Sultanate the the was in 5 al-Hamra Ra’s of necropolis tAa,mnpltosadatoswr etil rcsl rsrbdbti tpossible it is but prescribed precisely certainly were actions and manipulations Akab, At that clear is It mounds? bone dugong Australian the of that to similar function its Was of course the in or platform, the of making the in chance to left was nothing Akab, At oheM Sophie 705 ´ ery tal. et ooi uMinist du eologie ´ kod ie r ikdt uhtotemic such to linked are sites r e affaires des ere ` hlnamydas Chelonia etrang ´ rs Paris, eres, ` )inthe

Research A dugong bone mound and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Nanterre. They were carried out by a team of the French Archaeological Mission to the United Arab Emirates. We acknowledge the assistance of S. Fraser and D. Gooney for the identification of faunal remains in 2008, as well as that of E. Willcox for the translation of our paper, and Prof. Yves Coppens (College` de France), Prof. Jean Guilaine (College` de France) and Ms Claudine Karlin (CNRS) for their comments on an early version of our text. We also thank our referees, Dr Ian McNiven and Dr Jonathan Mark Beech for their helpful comments.

Technical note: 14C and calibration (RoftheGulf) We know that the general marine reservoir effect causes an apparent aging of 400 years in the radiocarbon dating of shells and marine bones. In Arabia, the dating of this type of evidence must take into account the regional marine reservoir effect correction factor (R), which corresponds to the difference in relation to the general marine reservoir effect and varies over time according to climate change. In the Arabian Sea, climatic fluctuations had a strong impact during the Holocene on the flux of the Indian monsoon and of upwelling, consequently affecting the content of dissolved inorganic carbon mobilised during the formation of the shells of living organisms. The present data for this region provide a R of 210 −+ 15 years, n = 12, which has remained constant from 4560 cal BC to the present (Saliege` et al. 2005). At , in the Arabian Gulf, the reservoir effect is less well established but would be about 163 years for the same period. The radiocarbon data for Akab to which we refer were calculated by Dr J.-F. Saliege,` CNRS, UMR 7159, Universite´ Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris. They are liquid scintillation analyses on the purified bioapatite fraction (there is no collagen in archaeological bone in Arabia). Calibration program for marine dates by Hughen et al. 2004. A sample of 120g of bone was analysed. As Akab is located near the Strait of Hormuz, the R should be situated between 210 and 163. We observe, however, that the results differ little, whatever the method of calculation.

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