DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4043#0227
9 Summary
STATE OF RESEARCH
Since 1878, out of a total of 423 archaeological units
of research for the entire Arabian Gulf 145 have been
tallied for the Sultanate of Oman - projects of all sizes
and descriptions. Archaeological research in the Sul-
tanate began on a significant scale at the beginning of
the 1970's. In the early 1970's over 300 findspots were
reported. Owing to the mentions of Magan/Makkan in
the cuneiform literature, the Bronze Age sites attracted
several scholars. But the pottery of the so-called Iran
Age was most widely reported and occupies the topmost
Position of the periods researched in our statistic, even
if still little concentrated information is available about
it. Research statistics show that more excavations than
surveys have taken place. This „artefact of research"
results from the fact that most surveys are not published.
Both Settlements and graves have been investigated in
the Sultanate. The most important Settlements include
Bat, Khor Ron, Lizq LI, al Maysar Ml, M42, Ra's al
Jins, Suhär and Shisr.
From 1980 to 1991 the German Archaeological Mis-
sion put its emphasis on the investigation of cemeteries
of the Samad Period/Culture. The cemeteries at Samad
al Shän and al Maysar served as the informational ba-
sis for the culture which begins toward the end of the
first millennium BCE and continues into the late lOth
Century CE. In totally excavated surfaces graves of the
Wädi Süq and Lizq/Rumaylah Cultures also came to
light. These, however, were severely rifled, and yielded
nowhere near the amount of information of the „Sa-
mad graves". Still the sites of the Samad Period/Culture
yield qualitatively and quantitatively very heterogene-
ous information. 361 graves of the three main periods
researched were investigated systematically. In addi-
tion, 81 sites contained finds from these and other cul-
tures which date from the third millennium BCE to the
first millennium CE. The quality of documentation from
the excavated sites in the Sultanate ranges from non-
existent to adequate. Colleagues active in the U.A.E.
refer to the late Pre-Islamic culture of Central Oman as
„Hellenistic", „Parthian" or „Sasänian". Arising from
an early State of research, it does justice neither to the
identity of the inhabitants nor the nature of their Soci-
ety. The cultural history of Central Oman needs to be
understood in its own terms.
ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING
Although Oman comprises the present-day Sultanate
and United Arab Emirates, for the late Pre-Islamic Per-
iod Central and Northwestern Oman are historically and
culturally readily distinguishable. This distinction is
obscured by the subsequent regional monoculture. The
indigenous Samad cultural assemblage centres in the
enclosed settlement area of al Jawf (our emphasis area)
- which can be understood as the historical birthplace of
Oman. Northwest Oman, on the other hand, contains an
indigenous culture which shows clear influences from
Mesopotamia, Iran and the Mediterranean.
The sites of the Samad Culture are strewn through-
out the small, watered settlement niches of Central
Oman. The kinds of plants and the climate have changed
little during the time under consideration. Aside from
a decline in the water table, few hydrological changes
are notable.
FUNERARY ARCHITECTURE
More than 20 different types of Pre-Islamic graves can
be distinguished in Oman. Well-preserved examples can
be ordered with respect to the reconstruction of a sys-
tematic history. In some cases we have little upon which
to base their dating. They suggest highly local cultures
in our emphasis area and in neighbouring areas as well.
Few hut graves of the Lizq/Rumaylah Period have sur-
vived. So-called Samad graves are known hitherto only
in Central Oman. These subterranean oblong Chambers
with their bar walls, orthostat method of construction,
and south-east/north-west axis are readily distinguish-
able from the other kinds of Pre-Islamic graves.
THE FINDS
The System underlying the present study is the attribu-
tion of finds to the Wädi Süq, Lizq/Rumaylah and Sa-
mad Cultures. 497 find-classes in addition to 157 classes
of beads were identifiable. The find material from al
Maysar/Samad included 4751 objects (not counting in-
dividual sherds) and 5126 beads. A total number of
15504 beads, also from other excavations were stud-
ied and classified. The Classification from earlier peri-
ods enables with some luck the identification of „hold-
overs", imports or as artefacts from secondary burials.
C. 300 finds from surveys and excavations from the
entire Gulf area outside the core area are classified
strengthening the entire chronological structure.
Among the results are the redating of cerrtain motifs.
The dotted double circle motif on stone bowls, which
is generally dated to the Umm an Nar Period, now ap-
pears, owing to high proportion of pieces from Wädi
STATE OF RESEARCH
Since 1878, out of a total of 423 archaeological units
of research for the entire Arabian Gulf 145 have been
tallied for the Sultanate of Oman - projects of all sizes
and descriptions. Archaeological research in the Sul-
tanate began on a significant scale at the beginning of
the 1970's. In the early 1970's over 300 findspots were
reported. Owing to the mentions of Magan/Makkan in
the cuneiform literature, the Bronze Age sites attracted
several scholars. But the pottery of the so-called Iran
Age was most widely reported and occupies the topmost
Position of the periods researched in our statistic, even
if still little concentrated information is available about
it. Research statistics show that more excavations than
surveys have taken place. This „artefact of research"
results from the fact that most surveys are not published.
Both Settlements and graves have been investigated in
the Sultanate. The most important Settlements include
Bat, Khor Ron, Lizq LI, al Maysar Ml, M42, Ra's al
Jins, Suhär and Shisr.
From 1980 to 1991 the German Archaeological Mis-
sion put its emphasis on the investigation of cemeteries
of the Samad Period/Culture. The cemeteries at Samad
al Shän and al Maysar served as the informational ba-
sis for the culture which begins toward the end of the
first millennium BCE and continues into the late lOth
Century CE. In totally excavated surfaces graves of the
Wädi Süq and Lizq/Rumaylah Cultures also came to
light. These, however, were severely rifled, and yielded
nowhere near the amount of information of the „Sa-
mad graves". Still the sites of the Samad Period/Culture
yield qualitatively and quantitatively very heterogene-
ous information. 361 graves of the three main periods
researched were investigated systematically. In addi-
tion, 81 sites contained finds from these and other cul-
tures which date from the third millennium BCE to the
first millennium CE. The quality of documentation from
the excavated sites in the Sultanate ranges from non-
existent to adequate. Colleagues active in the U.A.E.
refer to the late Pre-Islamic culture of Central Oman as
„Hellenistic", „Parthian" or „Sasänian". Arising from
an early State of research, it does justice neither to the
identity of the inhabitants nor the nature of their Soci-
ety. The cultural history of Central Oman needs to be
understood in its own terms.
ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING
Although Oman comprises the present-day Sultanate
and United Arab Emirates, for the late Pre-Islamic Per-
iod Central and Northwestern Oman are historically and
culturally readily distinguishable. This distinction is
obscured by the subsequent regional monoculture. The
indigenous Samad cultural assemblage centres in the
enclosed settlement area of al Jawf (our emphasis area)
- which can be understood as the historical birthplace of
Oman. Northwest Oman, on the other hand, contains an
indigenous culture which shows clear influences from
Mesopotamia, Iran and the Mediterranean.
The sites of the Samad Culture are strewn through-
out the small, watered settlement niches of Central
Oman. The kinds of plants and the climate have changed
little during the time under consideration. Aside from
a decline in the water table, few hydrological changes
are notable.
FUNERARY ARCHITECTURE
More than 20 different types of Pre-Islamic graves can
be distinguished in Oman. Well-preserved examples can
be ordered with respect to the reconstruction of a sys-
tematic history. In some cases we have little upon which
to base their dating. They suggest highly local cultures
in our emphasis area and in neighbouring areas as well.
Few hut graves of the Lizq/Rumaylah Period have sur-
vived. So-called Samad graves are known hitherto only
in Central Oman. These subterranean oblong Chambers
with their bar walls, orthostat method of construction,
and south-east/north-west axis are readily distinguish-
able from the other kinds of Pre-Islamic graves.
THE FINDS
The System underlying the present study is the attribu-
tion of finds to the Wädi Süq, Lizq/Rumaylah and Sa-
mad Cultures. 497 find-classes in addition to 157 classes
of beads were identifiable. The find material from al
Maysar/Samad included 4751 objects (not counting in-
dividual sherds) and 5126 beads. A total number of
15504 beads, also from other excavations were stud-
ied and classified. The Classification from earlier peri-
ods enables with some luck the identification of „hold-
overs", imports or as artefacts from secondary burials.
C. 300 finds from surveys and excavations from the
entire Gulf area outside the core area are classified
strengthening the entire chronological structure.
Among the results are the redating of cerrtain motifs.
The dotted double circle motif on stone bowls, which
is generally dated to the Umm an Nar Period, now ap-
pears, owing to high proportion of pieces from Wädi