Archaeological geography of the Wadi al-Kabir basin in the interior of Oman

Abstract

This paper reports on the geoarchaeological survey in the Wadi al-Kabir basin in the interior of Oman. The goal of the survey was to understand the relationship between the landform development and the human occupation. The survey team discovered 23 archaeological sites and scatters. Late Pleistocene artefacts were identified in the piedmont areas, while Holocene lithics were scattered on residual hills. The team also identified 246 cairns, most of which were built in the Hafit period (3200–2750 cal. BC). In addition, there was a Bronze Age and Islamic settlement, called Al-Hāsi, on the terrace between the two wadis.