New insights on Bronze Age funerary monuments in the Ḥajar foothills: surveys and excavations at Bisya (Ad-DÄ khilÄ«yyah, Sultanate of Oman)
Name
New_insights_on_Bronze_Age_funerary_monuments_in_the_Ḥajar_foothills.pdf
Description
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4.14 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (CRC64NVME)
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Resource type
Journal article
Creator (person)
Munoz, Olivia
Rointru, Kaà¯na
Jean, Mathilde
Pellegrino, Maria Paola
Renaux, Caroline
Laguardia, Marie
Gà³mez Sanz, Paola
Cotty, Marianne
Date published
2024
Abstract
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.
Journal title
Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 53
Volume
53
Publisher
International Association for the Study of Arabia