Archaeopress Publishing Ltd. Proceedings of The Seminar For Arabian Studies

HARVARD ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY IN OMAN, [1973]: II - SOME LATER PREHISTORIC
SITES IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN

Author(s): J.H. Humphries
Source: Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies, Vol. 4, Proceedings of the Seventh
SEMINAR FOR ARABIAN STUDIES held at The Middle East Centre, Cambridge on 28th and
29th June, 1973 (1974), pp. 49-77
Published by: Archaeopress Publishing Ltd.
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/41223136
Accessed: 27-11-2018 09:25 UTC
JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide
range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and
facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at
https://about.jstor.org/terms
Archaeopress Publishing Ltd. is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend
access to Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies
This content downloaded from 128.205.114.91 on Tue, 27 Nov 2018 09:25:28 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
'»9
HARVARD ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY IN OMAN:
II - SOME LATER PREHISTORIC SITES IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN
J.H. Humphries
In the winter of 1973 the Harvard Archaeological Survey in the Sultanate

of Oman recorded a number of later prehistoric sites within Oman, The
survey was by no means exhaustive, either throughout the Sultanate or
even within the area of concentration. In the Wadi Bahla drainage,
immediately south-west, or, inland of the Jebel Akhdar, seven archaeo-
logical sites ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the
later first millennium B.C. were noted. On the Batinah coast just
south of Sohar, another mid- first millennium B.C. settlement was exam-
ined. It is possible that a fourth mid- first millennium B.C. site
underlies the later tell at Sib, recorded by the Oman Historical Society.
Throughout the survey numerous stone built cairns were observed, part-
icularly on the ridges and higher elevations. Since the primary pur-
pose of the survey was to locate settlement sites, it was decided to
bypass the cairns on this occasion. One small group of cairns near
Izki, on the inland end of the main pass through the mountains to Muscat,
was briefly reconnoitred. The use of stone lintel slabs above neatly
built doorways in some of these cairns is similar to those cairns exam-
ined by Major Mockler at Dambah Koh in Baluchistan across the Gulf of
Oman(l). However, all the cairns at Izki had been opened in times
past and no identifiable artifacts or pottery were recovered from them.
Dr. Karen Frifelt and the Danish Archaeological Expedition to Qnan have
investigated the cairns and graves of Oman in great detail. Dr.
Frifelt1 s report will be a definitive study of this widespread feat-
ure of the Qmani landscape.
In the Wadi Bahla drainage area (fig. 2) five sites and possibly a
sixth have been attributed to the third millennium B.C. on the basis of
ceramic parallels with the excavated sites of Tepe Yahya and Bampur in
South-eastern Iran. The Wadi Bahla as may be seen in fig. 2 flows
southwest from its source on the flanks of the Jebel Akhdar until it is
absorbed in the edges of the south-eastern Arabian desert. At present,
there are pools of standing water at various points in the wadi, in
particular near the town of Bahla itself. There are also several
afala.j around Bahla and Bisyah. It seems likely that the modern
conditions of adequate soil and water for agriculture have prevailed
since at least the later prehistoric periods.
50
Just below the modern town of Bisyah the Wadi Bahla is joined by the
Wadi Sayfam, which has descended from the same mountain range a little
farther northwest than the Wadi Bahla. In effect f the two wadis
occupy the opposite sides of the same plain. The Wadi Bahla flows
more or less level with the plain with, in most places, only low banks.
However, the Wadi Sayfam is comparatively deeply incised, up to two or
more metres in places. At the time of writing all the prehistoric
sites known are located along the Wadi Eahla. None are known from the
Wadi Sayfam.
BB-6 is a small settlement lying on the east bank of the Wadi Bahla
proper, approximately two kilometres north of the town of Bahla (fig. 2).
The settlement appears to have been some 500 metres in diameter and
rises less than one metre, at its highest point above the present level
of the plain. There is some evidence for the use of stone foundations
under whatever buildings may once have existed. To the northeast there
are the foundations of a stone wall which may once have encircled the
site.
BB-19r another settlement site, lies further down the west bank of the
Wadi Bahla, below Bahla and nearer to Bisyah (fig. 2). The remains
are grouped on three low hillocks approximately 800 metres to the west
of the wadi proper. At this site the use of stone walls and found-
ations is very much in evidence. On top of the highest hillock was
built an enclosure, with stone walls some two metres thick and composed
of roughly hewn stone blocks up to two metres by three-quarters of a
metre by half a metre in size. Remnants of houses appear to lie around
this massive enclosure and to spread over onto the second hillock. The
third hillock supports a number of stone cairns (fig. 3)»
BB-20, farther south down the wadi, and again on the v^ side, is a
small hill around which a heavy stone wall, reminiscent of the enclosure
at BB-19, has been built (fig. 2).
BB-21 lies three hundred metres south of BB-20, and is a raised circular
platform some one and a half metres high, contained by a stone wall.
On top of the platform are the remains of a complex series of stone
walls which appear to form the remains of a small building. Without
excavation it is difficult to delineate the walls and doorways. Fig.
k represents the evidence remaining on the surface at present.
BB-16 is another heavy stone enclosure of the same massive, roughly cut
blocks as BB-19, only this time containing a certain amount of earthen
deposit, rather like BB-21. This site lies two kilometres to the west
of BB-21 but still within easy walking distance of the Wadi Bahla proper
and still within the area deemed suitable for cultivation at present (fig. 2).
Sizable pottery collections were possible only at BB-6 and BB-19 and the
pottery from the two sr.t^s is identical. A few sherds of the same nature
werP ^red from BB-21, whereas BB-20 and BB-l6 produced no surface
potct are associated with the other sites on the basis of building
technique and design. A representative sample of the pottery f
and BB-19 is illustrated in fig. 5.
51
The principal parallels to the pottery of BB-6 and BB-19 are with Rampur
III-IV, and Tepe Yahya IV В (fig. 5). It should be noted that the
pottery of BB-6 and BB-19 is, without exception, a very fine ware with
little or no visible temper and in most cases a very smooth exterior
surface. These features suggest that the collection may well fall into
the end of Yahya IVC beginning of Yahya IVB, rather than entirely within
Yahya IVB. The distinction between the fine wares of IVC and the coar-
ser wares of IVB has long been an important difference between the two
periods at Tepe Yahya(2). The Omani sites BB-6 and BB-19, and by assoc-
iation BB-I6, BB-20, and BB-21, may therefore be dated to the first half
of the third millennium B.C. and probably to the early part of that per-
iod, given the above link with Yahya IVC.
It is likely that there are also parallels between the BB-6 and BB-19
pottery collection, and the pottery from Umm an Nar island off Abu
Dhabi(3), particularly the less well known settlement pottery(^f). If
this is so then possibly these sites (BB-6, etc.) represent settle-
ments of some of the builders of the spectacular Umm an Nar tombs, now
known from the Buraimi area, and Oman, as well as Umm an Nar.
The site, BB-I5, described below as having two major occupations, one
in the latter half of the first millennium B.C. and one in the 13th-l^fth
centuries A.D., also produced two sherds decorated with appliquéed
snakes (fig. 10a, b). The best parallel for these snakes, even to the
impressed circle decoration on them, is Tepe Yahya IVB(5) where both
at Tepe Yahya and other contemporary sites the snake motif is one of the
hallmarks of the period. It is possible therefore that still another
early third millennium site lies below BB-I5.
One may conclude, then, that in the Wadi Bahla has been located the
nucleus of a settled community dated to the early third millennium B.C.
and associated with the Tepe Yahya IVB, Bampur, and Umm an Nar manifest-
ations of this period. The location of the sites along the banks of
the Wadi Bahla suggests an agricultural community, possibly using simple
techniques of artificial irrigation, or, possibly relying solely on nat-
ural runoff and precipitation. Although the sites are small the var-
iation in form between BB-6 and BB-19, settlements; and BB-I6 and BB-21,
circular platforms, with, in the case of BB-21, a building on top;
suggests a social organisation of sufficiently advanced state to reflect
itself in the construction of different types of structures for pres-
umably different social functions. One of these purposes may have been
defensive as suggested by the external circumferential wall at BB-6, and
the central massive stone enclosure at BB-19.
If, therefore, to quote J.C. Wilkinson, the Trucial coast was a water-
less, featureless desert fronting the impenetrable Rub al Khali(6), and
the Heartland ď Oman stretching along the foot of the AI Haj jar mountains
from Ibri to the Sharquiah was comparatively well watered, with adequate
soil for cultivation, and possessed of a settled population, then Oman
may well have been a centre of population and cultural influence for the
less hospitable areas round about. At the same time, the interior of
Oman is not isolated but is obviously connected with the larger inter-
action area of The Gulf and South-eastern Iran(7). Although no evidence
52
of prehistoric mining has yet been recovered, the rich copper ores struck
by Prospections Ltd. and the known massive slag heaps from Islamic times
cannot but reinforce previous tentative identifications of Oman with
Magan(8).
Apart from the above sites, three other prehistoric sites have been
dated to the first millennium B.C. BB-4, the smaller of the three
later settlements, is located two kilometres south of the town of Bahla
on thp edge of the wadi bed (fig. 2). The remains of the stone found-
ations of a number of small rectangular buildings are visible on the sur-
face, and extend some four hundred metres along the edge of the wadi.
It is likely that the combined forces of wind and water have eroded the
remains of the upper walls of these structures since there is little
evidence of the accumulation of debris into the usual tell formation.
A sample of the pottery is illustrated in figs. 6 and 7«
BB-15 is a small tell of 100 metres in diameter approximately two kilo-

metres northwest of the town of Bisyah (fig. 2). The site has been
built on top of a low rock outcrop which results in a total height of
some sixteen metres of the top of the mound above plain level. The tell
flows down over both sides of the ridge so that it is difficult without
excavation to give an accurate account of the depth of deposit present.
It is estimated that there are some eight to ten metres of occupational
deposit at least. While the latest occupation of the site appears to
date to the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries A.D. (9) a major ear-
lier occupation from the first millennium B.C. was also identified. A
representative sample of the pre-Islamic pottery is illustrated in
figs. 8, 9 and 10.
On the other side of the Western Haj jar mountains a few kilometres south
of Sohar lies the third mid- first millennium site, SH-11. Tne site
takes the form of a low tell rising some 3*5 metres above plain surface
and extending l60 metres in diameter. SH-11 lies four hundred metres
inland from the landward edge of the present-day date palm gardens
which stretch along the Batinah coast of Oman, and 1.4 kilometres from
the present-day water's edge of the Gulf of Oman. A selection of the
pottery is illustrated in figs. 11 and 12.
The major occupations at the sites BB-4, BB-15 and SH-11, probably began
in the seventh century B.C. on the basis of the ceramic parallels to T.
Baba Jan and to T. Yahya and continue throughout the latter part of the
first millennium (see figs. 6-10). In addition to the parallels to
Baba Jan and Yahya there are also strong similiarities to the pottery
from Quarn Bint Saud in the Buraimi(lO). Further evidence of the first
millennium occupation in the Buraimi area comes from the Jebel Hafit
where one of the cairns excavated by the Danish Archaeological Expedition
(Cairn 20, Jebel Hafit) produced a stone bowl with distinctive carving(ll).
An almost exactly similiar bowl (now in the Musée Iran Bastan, Tehran) was
excavated on the floor of a Period III house at Tepe Yahya(l2). The pro-
bable contemporaneity of the Dibba culture with that of Quarn Bint Saud
has already been published(l3). It also seems likely that one should
include in this first millennium stratum of occupations the sites located
by Miss De Cardi at Al Khatt(l4), although these might be a little later
53
and equivalent with Tepe Yahya IIA in time. Other parallels, which may
illustrate what begins to appear as a widespread occupation around the
Gulf area, are the stone bowls from the AI Haj jar I graves on Bahrein (15)
The carved bowls in fig. 15 of the Bahrein publication (first three,
upper left) are very similar to the Yahya bowl and to the Jebel Haf it
bowl; while the tall stone vase with knobbed lid and vertically pierced
lugs in fig. 16 of. the Bahrein report is not unlike a vase from Nippur
(16) dated to the late Assyrian period at that site. One should also
mention the lowest levels of Tell Sa'ad on Failaika Island as having
been said to be of this periodi 17 )i and of course the relevant levels in
the Danish excavations at Qalat al Bahrein(l8).
It is not unlikely that this seventh century B.C. occupation is the found-
ation for the later settlements of the fifth to fourth centuries B.C.
As may be seen on fig. 1 there are a number of archaeological sites of
this time period known around the Gulf, although not all are excavated:
Borazjan, near Bushire(l9); a site somewhere on Failaika Island(20);
Bahrein; Murwab in Qatar(2l); sites inland from Minab through Rudan
to the Jiroft in South-eastern Irani 22); T. Yahya IIA; and now in Oman.
A particularly interesting parallel from SH-11 is that of fig. 12J with
the Prickett-Williamson sites in the Minab-Jiroft area, T. Yahya II-IIA,
and Dahan-i-Ghulaman and Qal-i-Nau in Seistan. This very specific
vessel shape and surface treatment along with other parallels suggests
that the coast of Oman at least, was in frequent communication with South-
eastern Iran at this time.
In the following period, the third to second centuries B.C., there are
also a number of sites around the Gulf. Some of these sites are already
well known: Qalat al Bahrein; the Failaika temple and settlement;
Pasargadae; etc. It is difficult at the moment to establish conclus-
ively the right of some of the other sites to be included. However, pre-
liminary evidence can be stated at this time. A number of ring-based,
flange rim bowls from T. Yahya II (23) are very similar to bowls from the
definitely Hellenistic site of Ai КЬапит(2*+). A small number of sherds
of a fine polished buffware with red painted designs are known both from
the Hellenistic site on Failaika Island and from T. Yahya, II. Although
most of the Hellenistic pottery from Failaika is glazed, perhaps a Meso-
potamian characteristic, certain of the vessel shapes are reminiscent of
T. Yahya 11(25). As may be seen in the pottery descriptions there are a
number of cross connections between the SH-11 Sohar site, Yahya II and
later sites around the Gulf as well as a few late parallels with the in-
land Oman sites BB-*f and BB-I5.
Although there are too few parallels to provide concrete evidence, one
cannot dismiss the possibility that the three Omani sites in question con-
tinue still later, post second century B.C. bringing them down into the
Parthian period in Mesopotamia and Iran(27)*
The three sites, BB-*f, BB-I5, and SH-11, indicate an era of continuous
Qnani development from the eighth-seventh centuries B.C. through to the
end of the millennium. As in the third millennium, Oman appears to be a
part of the Gulf community and not aloof in isolation. Further, although
it is not possible to speak with any certainity at this time, the evidence
5h
of strong ceramic parallels with Southern Iran, throughout the period,

fits almost too neatly with the known history of recurrent Persian
invasions of Onan from as early on as Cyrus the Great down to the
Parthian period and later(27). These parallels are perhaps more evi-
dent at SH-11 near Sonar, the traditional entry for a Persian invasion
into Qnan, than at the inland sites. However, even the inland sites
are not without connections to the Iranian side of Gulf. Finally,
since the SH-11 site appears to have been occupied as late as the very
last centuries B.C., this settlement by the coast may well have been
the port of Ommana, or associated in trade with that port.
NOTES
(l) E. Mockler, "On Ruins in Makran", Journal of the Royal Asiatic

Society, I876-77, IX., Pt. 1, p. 121.
(2) I am grateful to Professor C.C. Lamberg- Karlo vsky, the excavator
of Tepe Yahya, for discussing this pottery with me and drawing
my attention to some of the fine distinctions between Yahya IVB
and IVC pottery.
(3) Dr. Karen Frifelt, personal communication.

W ibid.
(5) C.C. Lamberg-Karlovsky and Maurizio Tosi, "Shahr-i Sok

Tepe Yahya: Tracks on the Earliest History of the Iranian
Plateau", East and West, 1973, N.S. 23, nos. 1-2, fig. ИЗ.
(6) J.C. Wilkinson, "A Sketch of the Historical Geography of the
Trucial Oman down to the Beginning of the Sixteenth Century",
Geographical Journal, 196*+, I30, p. 339.
(7) As described in Lamberg-Karlovsky and Tosi, 1973, above.
(8) "Oman", Middle East Economic Digest, 197^, l8, no. 12, p. 338.
(9) I am grateful to my colleague Mr. Andrew Williamson (presently
Director of Antiquities in the Sultanate of Oman) for discussing
the Islamic occupation with me.
(10) I am grateful to Dr. Klindt Jensen, Mr. Geoffrey Bibby, and Dr.
Karen Frifelt for allowing me to examine the Quarn Bint Saud
material in the Moesgaard Museum, and particularly Dr. Frifelt,
the excavator, for discussing the pottery with me.
(11) K. Frifelt, "Jamdat Nasr Fund Fra Oman", Kuml, 1970, p. 36^, fig. 9
55
(12) I am grateful to Professor Lamberg- Karlo vsky for his permission

to refer to this, as yet unpublished, object from the 1973
season. Context: A-47-1.
(13) G. Bibby, "Arabiens Arkaeologi11, Kuml, 1966, p. 94.

K. Frifelt, loc. cit., 1970, pp. 377-378.
(1*0 B. De Cardi, "Archaeological Survey in the Northern Trucial

States", East and West, 1971, 21, no. 3-4, fig. 17, 135-145,
Ard al Busta, and 147-156, Al Khatt fort.
(15) Bahrain Historical and Archaeological Society, Antiquities of

Bahrain, 1971, figs. 15 and l6.
(l6) D.E. McCown, R,C. Haines, D. P. Hansen, "Nippur: Temple of Enlil,

Scribal Quarter and Soundings", I967, PI. 107, 15-
(17) K. Jeppesen, "A Royal Message to Ikaros", Kuml, i960, p. l8?.

(l8) G. Bibby, Looking for Dilmun, I969, p. I63.
(19) A.A. Sarfaraz, "Borazjan", Iran, 1973, XI, p. I88-I89.
(20) K. Jeppesen, loc. cit., p. 190.
(21) P.V. Glob, "Archaeological Investigations in Four Arab States",

Kuml, 1959, p. 238.
(22) These sites were located on survey carried out by Miss Martha
Prickett of Harvard University and Mr. Andrew Williamson of
Oxford University.
(23) C.C. Lamberg- Karlo vsky, "Mesopotamia and the Indo-Iranian

Borderlands", Iran, 1972, X, p. 90, fig. 10.
(24) D. Schlumberger, P. Bernard, "Ai Khanum", Bulletin de Correspond-

ence Hellénique, LXXXIX, 1965, pp. 590-657.
(25) I am grateful to Dr. Lise Hannestad of the Institut fur Klassisk

Arkaeologi, Aarhus University, for showing me the pottery from
the Danish excavations on Failaika.
(26) I am grateful to Dr. E. Keall for discussing this later pottery

with me and showing me some of his own material.
(27) e.g. S.B. Miles, The Countries and Tribes of the Persian Gulf, 1919, p. 7-10 •
(28) I wish to thank Mr. Andrew Williamson, Mrs. Judith Humphries née
Pullar and Mrs. Anne Hastings for their invaluable help with the
Survey, without which it would not have been possible; Mr. Claus
Breede for the drawings in fig. 10; and all who were so much
help to us in Oman. The responsibility for the conclusions of
this report are my own.
56
ABBREVIATIONS
ACH. VIL. R. Ghirshman, f »Village Perse-Achemenide", Mémoires de

la Mission Archéologique en Iran, XXXVI, 195*+ •
AL KHATT В. De Cardi, "Archaeological Survey in the Northern

Trucial States", East and West, n.s. 21, no. 3-1*,
1971, p. 21.
BABA JAN 1968 Clare Goff Meade, "Luristan in the First Half of the
First Millennium B.C.11, Iran, VI, I968, p. IO5.
BABA JAN 197O Clare Goff, "Excavations at Baba Jan, I968: Preliminary
Report", Iran, VIII, 1970.
BAMPJR B. De Cardi, "Excavations at Bampur: A Third Millennium

Settlement in Persian Baluchistan, I966", Anthropologi cal
Papers of the American Museum of Natural History, 51 1
pt. 3, 1970.
BURAIMI K. Frifelt, "Arkaeologiske Under Sogelser Pa Oman Halvoen",

Kuml, 1968, p. I59.
DAHAN-I GHULAMAN 1962 U. Scerrato, "A Probable Achaemenid Zone in P

Sistan", East and West, n.s. 13» no. 2, p. I86.
DAHAN-I GHULAMAN I966 U. Scerrato, "Excavations at Dahan-i Ghulaman

(Seistan-Iran): First Preliminary Report (I962-I963)",
East and West, n.s. l6, 1966, p. 9«
DILMUN 1956 P.V. Glob, "Et Nybabylonisk Gravfund fra Bahrains

Oldtidshovedstad", Kuml, 1956, p. l6*f.
DILMUN 1969 G. Bibby, Looking for Dilmun, 1969.
FITZ I97I W. Fitz, Cairns, Cave Graves, Rock Art, and Dakmeh from
South-eastern Iran, Honour B.A. thesis, Department of
Anthropology, Harvard University,' 1971-
FULLOL or C.C. Lamberg-Karlovsky, M. Tosi, "Shahr-i Sokhta and Tepe

YAHYA 1973 Yahya: Tracks on the Earliest History of the Iranian
Plateau", East and West, n.s. 23? no. 1-2.
GODIN 1969 T.C. Young Jr., Excavations at Godin Tepe: First Progress
Report, Royal Ontario Museum, Art and Archaeology,
Occasionai Paper 17, I969.
GODIN 197^ T.C. Young, Jr., L.D. Levine, Excavations of the Godin
Project: Second Progress Report, Royal Ontario Museum,
Art and Archaeology, Occasional Paper 26, 197*+ •
HOS Harvard Archaeological Survey in Oman, 1973-
57
NAD- 1 ALI R. Ghirshman, "Fouilles de Nad-i Ali dans le Seis tan

Afghan" , Revue des Arts Asiatiques, XIII, fase. 1,
1939, p. Ю-
NIPPUR D.E. McCown, R.C. Haines, D.P. Hansen, "Nippur: I.

Temple of Enlil, Scribal Quarter and Soundings",
OIP.LXXVIII, 1967.
NUSH-I JAN 1969 D. Stronach, "Excavations at Tepe Nush-i Jan, I967",

Iran, VII, p. 1.
PW Survey carried out by Miss Martha Prickett and Mr.

Andrew Williamson in South-eastern Iran.
UMM AN NAR K. Thorvildsen, "Gravroser pa Umm en Nar", Kuml,

1962, p. 220.
YAHYA I97O C.C. Lamberg-Karlovsky, Excavations at Tepe Yahya,

Iran 1967-69, Progress Report 1, American School of
Prehistoric Research, Bulletin 27, 1970.
YAHYA 1972 C.C. Lamberg-Karlovsky, "Tepe Yahya 1971 - Mesopotamia

and the Indo-Iranian Borderlands", Iran, X, 1972, p. 89.
YAHYA 1973 or C.C. Iamberg-Karlovsky, M. Tosi, "Shahr-i Sokhta and

FULLOL Tepe Yahya: Tracks on the Earliest History of the
Iranian Plateau", East and West, n.s. 23, no. 1-2, 1973*
58
S/ o* i»
WUb^ l62 o™
4 ^>, ♦
'jf V ,
' *.( J -
/4 4 7-4^ V$OHAR -
sZ-Third-SecondCentunesBC (^^ ^ ^ ± Ш$2 -
■ -Fifth- FourthCentur.es ВС ^W==^>r^~N-^ž^^^ ^ 3<P '^v4^yU$CAt ^^
à - Eighth -Sixth Centuries В С ^^ ^-«K^ _
Э -Second Millennium B.C. ! q J V -
► -ThirdMihennium ВС о ЮР 2OO LÍÍ X^.
KILOMETIFS f
Fig -.1 Som« Ontani and chronologically related archaeological sites
1 Sites in the Wadi Bahla 12 Tarut
2 SH-11, south of Sohar 13 Thaj

3 Sites in the Burairai area 14 Sites on Failaika Island
h Tawi Mulayha 15 Bo raz jan

5 Al Khatt 16 Tall-i Malyan
6 Dibba 17 Pasargadae
7 Umm an Nar 18 Persepolis
8 Murwab 19 Shahdad
9 fee Uwainat'Ali 20 Tepe Yahya

10 Bahrein sites 21 lower Jiroft, Rudan
11 'Gerrha'? 22 Minab
23 Bampur
59
Т^гШ ШЛ ' ■ i ï i
4 РтаУа ť==] Flood "*
4 T /ЫФ
JjMr"'"' - WadiBed
Pl LV»K^L LLLJjEtevatedLand
ШГгш 11
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
, t t д _л
KILOMETRES
WAOI BAHLA DRAINAGE AREA
Fig: 2
6o
BB-19
SKETCH PLAN
1/Enclosure
' I ( *Fortlflcatlon J ) ' 1 '
' ' ' Houimx-
0
fi METRES
Fig: 3
6i
BB-21
I '
Sketch plan only Entrance К

0
metres
Fig: 4
62
Fig. 5
No. Description Parallels Possible Date
a BB-6 fine orangeware

b BB-6 fine redware, red painted
band inside rim
с BB-6 fine orangeware

d B3-6 fine redware BAMPUR fig. 22: 128 Bampur III
YAHYA 1970 fig. 2*+e Yahya IVB
YAHYA 1970 fig. 26s Yahya IVB
e BB-6 fine redware BAMPUR fig. 30: k8 Bampur I-IV
YAHÏA 1970 fig. 27E Yahya IVB
f BB-6 fine orangeware YAHYA 1970 fig. 29R Yahya IVB
g BB-19 fine reddish-buff ware YAHYA 1970 fig. 25C Yahya IVB
h BB-6 very fine redware
i BB-6 fine buff ware, black
painted design
j BB-6 fine buff ware, black
painted design
к BB-6 fine orangeware, black
painted design
1 BB-6 very fine redware, black
painted design, same ware as fhf
m BB-6 fine orangeware, black
on cream painted top of rim BAMPUR fig. 29: 286 Bampur IV. 3
n BB-6 fine redware, traces of red
paint on exterior YAHYA 1970 fig. 27H Yahya IVB
о BB-6 fine redware
p BB-19 fine redware, grey-black

paint or wash on exterior and
narrow band on inside rim
q BB-6 fine redware, red-brown

paint on exterior rim
r BB-6 fine orangeware, black
painted design YAHYA fig. 2бВ Yahya IVB
s BB-6 fine orangeware
t BB-6 fine orangeware BAMPUR fig. 28: 278 Bampur IV. 2
YAHYA 1970 fig. 2бК Yahya IVB
u BB-6 fine orangeware
v BB-6 fine redware
63
Fig. 5 (continued)
No, Description Parallels Possible Date
w BB-6 fine redware, black

painted design YAHYA 1970 fig. 26S Yahya IVB
x BB-6 fine orangeware
y BB-6 fine orangeware YAHYA 1970 fig. 2бН Yahya IVB
z BB-6 fine redware, black paint
or wash on exterior and on rim
aa BB-6 fine orangeware
Л I /
ï
d' - f=Tsf i f
« ^ I i I '
h 'ш^ШШШ/шА
^^n/ ^^== ir
I I 1" {
w 1 ^ ^ m ■ cms.
Fig. 5 Pottery from BB-6 and BB-19
bh
b 1 /WWV? i Г I 1
( I - )
^^ о о и о о )
СПИ) m
^^^ m О
»
Fig. 6: Pottery from BB-4
6>
l'iC. 6
(ВВ-'i)
No, Description Parallels Possible bate
a medium redware, red wash all

over exterior YAHYA 1970 fig.Yahya
8J IIA
b medium redware, red brown paint
all over, incised decoration on
neck
с medium redware YAHYA fig. 5J Yahya 1Л

d medium redware, red brown wash BABA JAN 1968
all over slightly burnished fig. 10: 27 Baba Jan III
e medium redware, smeared and

impressed decoration on rim /AHYA I97O fig. 3C Yahya IA-I
f medium coarse redware
g coarse buff ware

h medium redware, red wash on ACH. VIL. PI. XXXVII:
GS1226e Ach. Vil. II
i fine buffware NIPPUR PI. 100: 12 Assyrian

NJSH-I JAN I969
fig. 6: 5, 6 Nush-i Jan I
j fine buffware
к fine redware YAHYA I97O fig. 9E Yahya III
BABA JAN I97O
fig. 7: 5, 6 Baba Jan II
NUSH-I JAN 1969
fig. 6: if, 5 Nush-i Jan I
DIIMUN I969 p. I63: 28 Assyrian 700 B.C.
NIPPUR PI. 100: 11 Assyrian-Neo-
Babylonian
1 medium redware, traces of YAHYA 1972 fig. IL Yahya IIA?
red wash all over BURAIMI fig. ¿fa 8th-6th Cent. B.C.
m medium greyware DIIMUN 1956 fig. 2 Neo-Babylonian

DID4UN 1969 p. I63: 27 Assyrian 7OO B.C.
YAHYA I97O fig. 8E Yahya IIA
YAHYA 1972 fig. IN Yahya IIA-II
66
Ь
7 с
rrv "i
я^ I
'"Т7 т-
о
Fig. 7: Pottery from BB-4
67
Fig. 7
(ВВ-Л)
a medium coarse redware YAHYA 1970 fig. 5C 100 B.C. -100 A.D.
b medium coarse redware, incised

and punctate design on top of
rim
с medium redware red brown paint Yahya IVA

all over YAHYA I97O fig. I6J 2200 B.C.-
d fine redware, red wash all BABA JAN I968

over exterior fig. 11: 17 7th Cent. B.C.
e fine redware, red wash all BABA JAN I968

over exterior fig. 10: 17 7th Cent. B.C.
f medium redware, incised cross- similar to Quarn Bint

hatch design on raised hori- Saud, Buraimi (personal
zontal band communication Dr. K. 1st half 1st
Fri felt) mill. B.C.
g medium grey-redware
h medium redware, red brown Yahya IIA-II
paint all over YAHYA 1972 fig. IE 6th-¿fth Cent. B.C.
i medium redware
j coarse buffware ¿fth Cent. B.C.

and later
68
Fig. 8
(BB-15)
a coarse reddish buff ware, red Yahya IIA-II

brown paint on exterior YAHYA 1970 fig. 80 6th-Ath Cent. B.C.
b medium reddish buff ware, red

brown paint all over
с fine buff ware, red brown paint Assyrian, 1st
all over NIPPUR PI. 100: 8 half 1st mill.
B.C.
d medium buffware, red brown similar to Quarn Bint 1st half 1st
paint all over Saud, Buraimi mill. B.C.
e fine buffware, red paint all Yahya IIA

over YAHYA 1972 fig. IT 6th-4th Cent. B.C.
f fine reddish buffware, dark Yahya IIA

wash all over YAHYA 1970 fig. 8D 6th-*fth Cent. B.C.
g medium reddish buffware, red YAHYA 1970 fig. 3Q Yahya IA

paint all over possibly Parthian south 100 B.C. -100 A.D.
Mesopotamia (personal
communication Dr. E.
Keall)
h medium redware NIPPUR PI. 105: 1, 2 ca. 100 B.C.-
NIPPUR PI. 104: 21 100 A.D.
possibly Parthian south
Mesopotamia (personal
communication Dr. E.
Keall)
j medium reddish buffware, red
brown wash all over
к coarse redware, red brown wash possibly Parthian ca. 100 B.C.-
on interior and possibly also south Mesopotamia 100 A.D.
on exterior (personal communication
Dr. E. Keall)
1 fine reddish buffware, red YAHYA 1970 figs. 8C,
brown paint all over 9E, 11B Yahya III
BABA JAN 1970
fig. 7: 2, 3 Baba Jan II
DIIMJN I969 p. I63:Assyrian
28 7OO B.C.
8th-7th
BURAIMI fig. ¿fb, p. I63 Cent. B.C.
m fine reddish buffware, red YAHYA I97O fig. 9B Yahya III
paint all over BABA JAN fig. 7: 2, 3 Baba Jan II
8th-7th Cent. B.C.
69
Fig. 8 (continued)
(BB-15)
n fine greyware, horizontal YAHYA 1970 fig. 9A Yahya III

parallel burnish 8th-7th Cent. B.C.
о fine buff ware YAHYA I97O fig. 9A Yahya III
similar to Quarn Bint 8th-7th Cent. B.C.
Saud, Buraimi
p fine buff ware, light red DI1MUN 1956 fig. 2, 8th-7th Cent. B.C.
wash all over p. 165 similar to Quarn
Bint Saud, Buraimi
q medium redware YAHYA I97O figs. 6G, 6th-2nd Cent. B.C.

8N -Yahya IIA-IA
r medium buff ware, red wash on
exterior, lightly burnished
s fine reddish buff ware, red YAHYA I97O figs. 9E, 11B Yahya III
brown paint all over BABA JAN I968 fig. 10: Baba Jan III
27 similar to Quarn 8th-7th Cent. B.C.
Bint Saud, Buraimi
t fine redware, red paint all

over, black painted cross
hatching on exterior
Fig: 8 Pottery from BB-15
70
Fig. 9
(BB-15)
a medium reddish buff ware, red

brown paint on top of rim and
on exterior
b medium buffware YAHYA 1970 fig. 15B Yahya IVA

2200 B.C.-
с coarse buffware, red paint

all over
d fine reddish buffware, red similar to Quarn Bint 8th-7th Cent. B.C.
brown paint all over Saud, Buraimi
e medium redware, traces of
dark paint all over
f medium redware NIPPUR PI. 102: 7 7th-4th-Cent. B.C.
g medium coarse redware, remains possibly Parthian ca. 100 B.C.-
of red brown paint on interior south Mesopotamia 100 A.D.
(personal communication
Dr. E. Keall)
h fine redware, lightly burnished
red-purple paint all over
exterior and wide band on
interior rim
i fine redware, red purple paint

on exterior rim and narrow
band on interior rim
j medium buffware NIPPUR PI. 104: 8 4th Cent. B.C.

and later
к medium buffware, red paint BABA JAN 1970 fig. 7:Baba

4 Jan II
all over GODIN 1974 fig. 47: 2 Godin II
YAHYA 1972 fig. IL Yahya III-IIA?
1 medium reddish buffware, red
brown paint all over
m medium reddish buffware ACH. VIL. PI. XL: 4th Cent. B.C.
GS1248c and later
n fine reddish cuff ware, black

painted design over dark red
brown on exterior
о fine buffware, black painted

design over brown wash on
exterior
71
Fig. 9 (continued)
(BB-15)
p coarse redware, incised similar to Quarn 8th-7th Cent.

Crosshatch design on raised Bint Saud, Buraimi B.C.
horizontal band applique on (personal communication
exterior Dr. K. Frifelt)
q medium reddish buff ware, red similar to Quarn Bint 8th-7th Cent.
brown paint all over Saud, Buraimi B.C.
r medium buff ware, red possibly Parthian ca. 100 B.C.-

paint all over south Mesopotamian 100 A.D.
Dr. E. Keall)
ГГ7 ГП
«
g
1 I ? ИШ
1 °н=кл1:> cms
72
Fig. 10
(BB-15)
a medium coarse reddish NIPPUR PI. ikS: 7 Ur III

buff ware, dark wash all over, FULLOL fig. 53 Fullol hoard
representation of snake moulded (Afghanistan)
on handle, decorated with YAHYA 1973 fig. 113 Yahya IVB
punctate circles (2 upper rows part-
icularly top centre)
b fine buff ware, red paint UMM AN NAR p. 202f Umm an Nar
all over exterior, applique fig. 10
snake decorated with punctate YAHYA 1970 fig. 28Q, RYahya IVB
circles on exterior YAHYA 1970 fig. 6L, 0
с medium buff ware, red paint all BABA JAN 1968 figf 10: 2
Baba Jan I
over exterior ACH. VIL. PI. XL: GS1251 Ach. Vil. Ill
ACH. VIL. PI. XXXVIII: Ach. Vil. II
GS1221b 6th Cent. B.C.
and later
d medium buff ware, incised herring-
bone design, probably handle of
low cup or pan shaped vessel
73
7^
Fig- 11
(SH-11)
a medium buff ware, red brown YAHYA 1972 fig. IF Yahya IIA
paint all over 6th-4th Cent. B.C.
b medium buff ware ACH. VIL. PI. XXXVII: Ach. Vil. II

GS1226b, GS1223, 5th-4th Cent. B.C.
GS1225 and later
с fine grey buffware similar to Quarn Bint 7th Cent. B.C.

Saud, Buraimi
HOS s. BB-Jf-19
d medium reddish buffware PW s. K108
e coarse reddish buffware similar to. Quarn , Bint 7th Cent. B.C.
Saud, Buraimi
f medium buffware NIPPUR PI. 102: 3 Assyrian and
later
g fine buffware ACH. VIL. PI. XXXVI: Ach. Vil. II

GS12l8a
similar to Quarn Bint
Saud, Buraimi
YAHYA 1972 fig. 11 Yahya IIA, ?III,
7th-6th Cent. B.C.
to 4th Cent. B.C.
h medium grey buffware HOS s. BB-¿f-13ah

i medium buffware similar to Quarn Bint 7th Cent, and
Saud, Buraimi later
HOS s. BB-4-18
ACH. VIL. PI. XXXVI:
GS12l8g
j medium grey buffware BABA JAN 1970 fig. 8: 9 Baba Jan I
YAHYA 1972 fig. IE, F Yahya IIA
6th-4th Cent. B.C.
к fine buffware YAHYA 1972 fig. IL Yahya IIA-II
similar to Failaika 3rd-2nd Cent. B.C.
Hellenistic
1 medium greyware AL KHATT fig. 17: lV?t
HOS s. ВВ-Л-38ап
YAHYA 1970 fig. 5M
m medium buffware PW s. K108
n medium buffware PW s. P5
о medium buffware
75
Fig. 11 (continued)
(SH-11)
p coarse buff ware NIPPUR PI. 104: 5 *fth-2nd Cent. B.C.

and later
q, r medium buffware DIIMUN I969 p. Ill: l*f 3rd-2nd Cent. B.C.

similar to Failaika
Hellenistic
ЛТ'7 v i /,
• ^7 Y4~7.
■ тп j - | - -(
' 5
i
ГП:гп' 0м Fig:11 Pottery from SH-11
76
">#
k7щщ ооооооооооооооооооол
UZ ооооооооооооооооооол - I
Fig: 12 Pottery from SH-11
77
Fig. 12
(SH-11)
a medium buffware possibly Parthian *fth-2nd Cent.

south Mesopotamia B.C. and later
Dr. E. Keall)
PW s. К1СУ+, K108, P5, Q3
b fine buffware PW s. P5, P7 Vth-2nd Cent.
common in Yahya II B.C.
IIA levels
с medium brownware
d medium grey buffware similar to Quarn Bint

Saud, Buraimi
e fine buffware NIPPUR PI. 102: Ik Assyrian-Neo-

Babylonian
f fine buffware, horizontally HOS s. BB-¿f-66ah 6th Cent. B.C.

pierced lug to post 100 A.D.
g fine buffware
h fine buffware NIPPUR PI. 10¿+: 22 post ¿fth Cent.
possibly Parthian A.D. possibly
south Mesopotamian Parthian
Dr. E. Keall)
i fine buffware, red brown paint

all over exterior and wide
band inside rim
j fine buffware, lower or concave DAHAN-I GHUIAMAN I962

part has grit covered exterior fig. 16: k
surface DAHAN-I GHUIAMAN I966
fig. 60 p. 28
FITZ I97I fig- HL
NAD-I-ALI PI. IV: NA 75 5th- 3rd Cent.
common in Yahya IIA- I I B.C.
к medium buffware
1 light grey stone bowl, incised

design on exterior and incised
chevron motif along top of rim

Archaeopress Publishing Ltd. Proceedings of The Seminar For Arabian Studies

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Archaeopress Publishing Ltd. Proceedings of The Seminar For Arabian Studies

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

HARVARD ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY IN OMAN, [1973]: II - SOME LATER PREHISTORIC

SITES IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN

HARVARD ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY IN OMAN:

II - SOME LATER PREHISTORIC SITES IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN

In the winter of 1973 the Harvard Archaeological Survey in the Sultanate

BB-15 is a small tell of 100 metres in diameter approximately two kilo-

of strong ceramic parallels with Southern Iran, throughout the period,

(l) E. Mockler, "On Ruins in Makran", Journal of the Royal Asiatic

(3) Dr. Karen Frifelt, personal communication.

(5) C.C. Lamberg-Karlovsky and Maurizio Tosi, "Shahr-i Sok

(7) As described in Lamberg-Karlovsky and Tosi, 1973, above.

(12) I am grateful to Professor Lamberg- Karlo vsky for his permission

(13) G. Bibby, "Arabiens Arkaeologi11, Kuml, 1966, p. 94.

(1*0 B. De Cardi, "Archaeological Survey in the Northern Trucial

(15) Bahrain Historical and Archaeological Society, Antiquities of

(l6) D.E. McCown, R,C. Haines, D. P. Hansen, "Nippur: Temple of Enlil,

(17) K. Jeppesen, "A Royal Message to Ikaros", Kuml, i960, p. l8?.

(19) A.A. Sarfaraz, "Borazjan", Iran, 1973, XI, p. I88-I89.

(20) K. Jeppesen, loc. cit., p. 190.

(21) P.V. Glob, "Archaeological Investigations in Four Arab States",

(23) C.C. Lamberg- Karlo vsky, "Mesopotamia and the Indo-Iranian

(24) D. Schlumberger, P. Bernard, "Ai Khanum", Bulletin de Correspond-

(25) I am grateful to Dr. Lise Hannestad of the Institut fur Klassisk

(26) I am grateful to Dr. E. Keall for discussing this later pottery

ACH. VIL. R. Ghirshman, f »Village Perse-Achemenide", Mémoires de

AL KHATT В. De Cardi, "Archaeological Survey in the Northern

BAMPJR B. De Cardi, "Excavations at Bampur: A Third Millennium

BURAIMI K. Frifelt, "Arkaeologiske Under Sogelser Pa Oman Halvoen",

DAHAN-I GHULAMAN 1962 U. Scerrato, "A Probable Achaemenid Zone in P

DAHAN-I GHULAMAN I966 U. Scerrato, "Excavations at Dahan-i Ghulaman

DILMUN 1956 P.V. Glob, "Et Nybabylonisk Gravfund fra Bahrains

DILMUN 1969 G. Bibby, Looking for Dilmun, 1969.

FULLOL or C.C. Lamberg-Karlovsky, M. Tosi, "Shahr-i Sokhta and Tepe

HOS Harvard Archaeological Survey in Oman, 1973-

NAD- 1 ALI R. Ghirshman, "Fouilles de Nad-i Ali dans le Seis tan

NIPPUR D.E. McCown, R.C. Haines, D.P. Hansen, "Nippur: I.

NUSH-I JAN 1969 D. Stronach, "Excavations at Tepe Nush-i Jan, I967",

PW Survey carried out by Miss Martha Prickett and Mr.

UMM AN NAR K. Thorvildsen, "Gravroser pa Umm en Nar", Kuml,

YAHYA I97O C.C. Lamberg-Karlovsky, Excavations at Tepe Yahya,

YAHYA 1972 C.C. Lamberg-Karlovsky, "Tepe Yahya 1971 - Mesopotamia

YAHYA 1973 or C.C. Iamberg-Karlovsky, M. Tosi, "Shahr-i Sokhta and

Fig -.1 Som« Ontani and chronologically related archaeological sites

1 Sites in the Wadi Bahla 12 Tarut

2 SH-11, south of Sohar 13 Thaj

h Tawi Mulayha 15 Bo raz jan

9 fee Uwainat'Ali 20 Tepe Yahya

WAOI BAHLA DRAINAGE AREA

' I ( *Fortlflcatlon J ) ' 1 '

' ' ' Houimx-

Sketch plan only Entrance К

No. Description Parallels Possible Date

a BB-6 fine orangeware

с BB-6 fine orangeware

p BB-19 fine redware, grey-black

q BB-6 fine redware, red-brown

No, Description Parallels Possible Date

w BB-6 fine redware, black

aa BB-6 fine orangeware

Fig. 5 Pottery from BB-6 and BB-19

Fig. 6: Pottery from BB-4

No, Description Parallels Possible bate

a medium redware, red wash all