A rural perspective on the Umm an-Nar and Wadi Suq periods from Burj Huraiz (northern Oman)
Keywords:
Umm an-Nar period , Wadi Suq period , vernacular buildings , rural settlements , economyAbstract
Despite substantial research on the Umm an-Nar (c.2700–2000 BC) and Wadi Suq (c.2000–1600 BC), our understanding of rural settlements and their economies during these periods remains limited. Research on the Umm an-Nar period has focused mainly on large sites and monumental towers, and relatively few vernacular buildings have been excavated. Similarly, the few known Wadi Suq-period settlements have provided scant insights into their nature. The discovery of a series of rural settlements in the northern Bāṭinah, particularly the well-preserved vernacular buildings of the Umm an-Nar and Wadi Suq periods at Burj Huraiz in the 2018 season of the Wadi al Jizzi Archaeological Project (WAJAP) survey and subsequent excavations in 2023–2024, have resulted in new and intriguing data. The main results from these excavations are presented here and contextualized, thereby enhancing our understanding of rural settlements in the Umm an-Nar and Wadi Suq periods.
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