Ministry unveils results of archaeological explorations

Energy Sunday 15/March/2020 22:32 PM
By: Times News Service
Ministry unveils results of archaeological explorations

Muscat: The Ministry of Heritage and Culture has unveiled the results of the archaeological survey and explorations for 2019-2020.
This survey was made possible through twenty programmes in all parts of the Sultanate in cooperation with the local and international institutions including Sultan Qaboos University and other universities and institutions in Britain, Germany, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic and Japan.
The Ministry and the mission of Rome University, Italy have completed exploration work at Diba Archaeological site for the fourth season, with the focus on the second grave, which goes back to the first century BC.
They are also in the process of registering and documenting the archaeological pieces recently discovered. The discoveries included an archaeological piece of amulet, which goes back to the ancient civilisation of Egypt.
Amulets are usually found by archaeologists in the form of necklaces or bracelets, a tradition of the ancient Egyptian civilisation.
The Ministry and a mission from University of Bologna, Italy have carried out exploration works at Ras Al Hadd Site, one of the most important sites of the third century BC where, in the 1990s, several pottery items were discovered.
The discoveries at this site are evidence for trade and cultural relations between the people of Majan and India in the third century BC. Exploration work at this site will continue through this season.
The Ministry and a mission from the University of Napoli, Italy have documented for the second season a number of stone tombs and graves at Wadi Navoun and Wadi Sa’ai at Duqm Area in Al Wusta governorate, dating back to the Iron Age.
The survey at coastal areas conducted by the Ministry of Heritage and Culture and a French mission continued this season and aimed to document the early dwellers of the coasts of Oman in South Al Sharqiya and Dhofar. The work in this area focused on conducting survey at the Caves of Natif, Sharbathat and Jabal Al Safaiq. The discoveries at the area include 40 engravings and work is underway for translation of the scripts.
The exploration also covered the Khur Grama Site in the wilayat of Sur in South Al Sharqiyah Governorate and the Ras Al Jinz Site in the Wilayat of Sur in South Al Sharqiyah among other sites.
The Ministry of Heritage and Culture and the University of Ohio have conducted a study on the social and environmental system in the old ages and their impacts on the local communities in Dhofar governorate.
The Ministry has also conducted a survey in cooperation with John Hopkins University at the sites of Aqir Al Shimous and Al Raki in the Wilayat of Yanqul, in the governorate of Al Dhahirah.
The two sites are associated with the manufacturing of stone items and copper items dating back to the first century BC.
This is in addition to the survey at Al Safa in the Wilayat of Ibri, which also dates back to the first century BC.
The Ministry is conducting, for the second season, a research in cooperation with a mission from La Trobe University, Australia on evidence for the early settlement in Oman with the focus on the Palaeolithic age. And surveys are also on at a number of sites in the wilayat of Saham, Wilayat of Al Mudhaibi, Wilayats of Ibri and Al Rustaq, Wilayat of Dhank and Wadi Tanuf.