Masaryk University Faculty of Arts Department of Archaeology and Museology BACHELOR’S DIPLOMA THESIS Brno 2017 Denis Demolli Masaryk University Faculty of Arts Department of Archaeology and Museology Centre of Prehistoric Archaeology of the Near East Denis Demolli Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene settlement in Oman: the state of research Bachelor’s Diploma Thesis Supervisor: Mgr. Inna Mateiciucová, Ph.D. Brno 2017 I declare that I have worked on this thesis independently, and that I used only the primary and secondary sources written on bibliography list below. I agree with storing this thesis in the library of the Prehistoric Archaeology of the Near East at Masaryk University in Brno and making it accessible for study purpose. Brno 30. 04. 2017 ………………………………………………………… Signature ABSTRACT Title: Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene settlement in Oman: the state of research Author: Denis Demolli Department/Institute: Masaryk University, Faculty of Arts, Department of Archaeology and Museology, Centre of Prehistoric Archaeology of the Near East Supervisor: Mgr. Inna Mateiciucová, Ph.D. The main aim of this thesis is to present the existing state of research in Oman peninsula. This study covers researches, which are focused on the settlement pattern from Late Pleistocene, especially from the Terminal Pleistocene and the Early Holocene. As a crucial information in this paper are for these periods considered lithic industry and paleoenvironmental data. The thesis is based on published information mainly from excavations due to well documented stratigraphical sequences. Knowledges from surveys in this area are also taken into consideration. Paper pays attention on the location of each site, the connection with its geomorphology, available water sources and climate conditions during Late Pleistocene and/or Early Holocene. On the base of this knowledges are created maps and definitions for settlement zones in these periods. Lithic industry is studied according typology and technology tradition. This findings could lead to a comparison of settlement zones within the bounds of the Sultanate of Oman as well as to a comparison with neighbouring areas (f.e. Levanta). Keywords: Late Pleistocene, Early Holocene, settlement, lithic industry, paleoenvironmental data, state of research ABSTRAKT Názov: Osídlenie v Ománe počas neskorého pleistocenú a ranného holocenú: stav bádania Autor: Denis Demolli Oddelenie/ Inštitucia: Masaryková Univerzita, Filozofická Fakulta, Oddelenie Archeológie a Múzeológie, Centrum Pravekej Archeológie Predného Východu Vedúci bakalárskej práce: Mgr. Inna Mateiciucová, Ph.D. Hlavným cieľom bakalárskej práce je zhrnutie doterajšich poznatkov o osídlení v Omane počas neskorého Pleistocénu, obzvlášť počas záverečného Pleistocenu a ranného Holocénu. Dôležitými prameňmi ku štúdiu týchto období sú štiepaná industria a paleoenviromentálne údaje. Práca vychádza, z uverejnených informáciií získaných v priebehu archeologických výskumov, ktoré dopĺňa o poznatky z povrchových prieskumov. Zvýšena pozornosť je venovaná výberu miesta k osídleniu v súvislosti s geomorfológiou, dostupnosťou vodných zdrojov a klimatických podmienok v neskorom pleistocene a rannom holocene. Na základe týchto vedomosti budú vytvorené mapy spolu s definíciami jednotlivých sídelných zón v priebehu daných období. Štiepaná industria z publikovanej literatury je analyzovaná z hľadiska technologickej a typologickej tradicie. Tieto vedomosti by mohli slúžiť na porovnavanie jednotlivých sídelných zón v rámci Ománu ako aj ku porovnavaniu s tradiciami susedných regiónov (napr. Levanty). Kľúčové slová: Neskorý pleistocén, ranný holocen, osídlenie, štiepaná industria, paleoenviromentálne data, stav bádania ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like express my enormous gratitude to my supervisor Mgr. Inna Mateiciucová, Ph.D. for her ideas that helped me with my research. I would also like to thank Dr. phil. Maximillian Wilding and other members and students of the Department of Prehistoric Archaeology of the Near East at the Masaryk University for the valuable insights they provided me during the stu- dy. I would like to thank my family and friends because without their support I would never be able to write this thesis. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………………10 METHODOLOGY…………………………………………………………………………...13 CRITICISM………………………………………………………………………………......14 CHRONOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK……………………………………………………….15 THE GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENT OF THE SULTANATE OF OMAN………..18 GEOGRAPHY………………………………………………………………………..18 CLIMATE…………………………………………………………………………….21 HYDROLOGY……………………………………………………………………….22 FAUNA AND FLORA……………………………………………………………….23 THE PROJETCS IN OMAN ………………………………………………………………...25 INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………….25 THE HARVARD ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF OMAN……………………25 THE WHALEN’S PLIO-PLEISTOCENE RESEARCH IN DHOFAR……………...26 THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY’S OMAN WAHIBA SANDS PROJECT………………………………………………………..26 THE JOINT HADD PROJECT……………………………………………………….27 THE TRANSARABIA EXPEDITION TO THE NEJD PLATEAU…………………28 THE HAJAR PROJECTS…………………………………………………………….28 THE WADI JIZZI ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROJECT……………………………….28 THE DHOFAR ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY…………………………………...29 THE DHOFAR ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROJECT…………………………………..29 THE CENTRAL OMAN PLEISTOCENE RESEARCH…………………………….30 THE CENTRAL OMAN PALAEOLITHIC SURVEY………………………………30 STATE OF RESEARCH OF SETTLEMENT DURING LATE PLEISTOCENE…………..31 THE ENVIROMENTAL CONDITION IN OMAN PENINSULA………………….31 INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………31 CLIMATE……………………………………………………………………32 HYDROLOGY………………………………………………………………32.. FLORA AND FAUNA………………………………………………………33 SITES LOCATION…………………………………………………………………..33 FAHUD……………………………………………………………………….33 NATIH………………………………………………………………………..34 BIR KHASFA……………………………………………………………...…34 SHISUR………………………………………………………………………41 MUGHSHIN………………………………………………………………….41 AL HATAB ROCK SHELTER, LEVEL 2…………………………………..41 WADI HALUF 1, LOCALITY B…………………………………………….44 WADI QILFAH……………………………………………………………….45 JIBAL ARDIF 3………………………………………………………………49 DHANAQR………………………………………………………………...…52 STATE OF RESEARCH OF SETTLEMENT DURING EARLY HOLOCENE……………54 INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………….54 CLIMATE…………………………………………………………………….56 FLORA AND FAUNA……………………….……………………………….57 SITES LOCATION………………………………………………….………………..59 HABARUT……………………………………………………………….…..59 RAMLAT FASAD……………………………………………………………65 WADI WUTTAYYA……………………………………………………..…..67 SAIWAN…………………………………………………………………...…70 SUWAYH……………………………………………………………………..75 RASAL JINS……………………………………………………………….…83 RAS AL HAD……………………………………………………………..….84 AL HATAB, LEVEL 1…………………………………………………….…87 GHAZAL ROCK SHELTER, LEVEL 2……………………………………..88 KHUMSEEN ROCK SHELTER LEVEL 5…………………………………..90 JEBEL QARA………………………………………………………..……….94 HAILAT ARAKA…………………………………………………………….97 DEFINITION OF SETTLEMENT ZONES…………………………………………..…….102 CONCLUSION…………………………………………………………………………...…109 REFERENCES INTRODUCTION The first evidence of homo is known from Africa. From this region could have been two possible ways of migration and thus along the Nil, through the Sinai to Syria and continued to northern Arabia or across strait of Bab al-Mandab into Yemen and further to Oman. Oman together with Yemen could be seen as an extension of East Africa and the Great Rift Valley (Cleuziou and Tosi 2007, 20, 23). During the systematic search for Palaeolithic sites conducted by the soviet expedition were found the earliest remains of man in Eastern Arabia dated to Lower/Middle Pleistocene. Similarities during the pre-acheulean with east Africa could be seen as an indication for Eastern Arabian corridor (EAC) (Cleuziou and Tosi 2007, 23; Wahida et al 2012, 36). On the other hand, the findings from the Late Pleistocene and the Early Holocene prove parallelism with the Near East. Sites in Syria, Palestine such as Latamne, Umm el-Tlel in the Syrian desert show functional and typological similarities with Saffaqah and sites situated in the southern Yemen during late Pleistocene. On the base of lithic industry, so called Fasad points, which have been found in Oman and United Arab Emirates, is suggested diffusion of PPNB technology from the Levantine to the south-east direction (Cleuziou and Tosi 2007, 30; Charpentier 2013, 30, 34-35). Researches has been mainly focussed on coastal areas due to easier identification of sites on the base of shell middens. For the examination of this type of territory has to be taken into consideration the higher sea level, which caused flooding potential areas used for populating (Biagi 1994, 17, 29; Méry and Charpentier 2002, 181; Wilkinson 2003, 22-23; Cleuziou and Tosi 2007, 15, 21, 57). Lack of exploration in desert and mountains slopes could be the cause, why there have not been found so many sites. On the other hand, sites which were revealed could be affected by erosion and palimpsestic processes, which shaped the character of lithic assemblages. On the place, where are nowadays located sand dunes could have been during the Early Holocene area suitable for occupation. Due to huge changes of environment could be found only scatters of flint tools at the edge of lakes between sand dunes (Stern 1994, 89; Cleuziou and Tosi 2007, 125). 9 For better understanding of the choise a place for occupation is important to understand climatic variability. This is enable by increasing number of palaeoclimatic studies. Data are derived from palaeolakes, fluvial deposits and aeolian sequences (Preston et al 2015, 3). Until the 1970 there are lack of information about the prehistory of Arabia. The knowledges comes mainly from amateurs or passing specialists,