Sultanate of Oman
Khor al Jarāma – 2018

Qarhât al Add

The aerial shots and the photogrammetry survey helped to understand better this dry-stone building. This last one measures 21 length, to 6 m wide and maximum 1,20m high for the wall. The total internal surface is 110 m2. Aerial photos allowed also to see pathway starting from the bottom of the hill and leading to an entrance at the top, as well as the presence of a circular monument in the North-East side of the building which could be probably a tomb (a fragment of human skull was found nearby). The photogrammetry survey also highlighted small circular buildings located throughout the slope and protected by a blocking wall on the north-east side : this allows us to say that we are not in presence of a lonely and single building, but rather an occupation of the whole hill (and probably the surroundings). The sounding carried out did not make it possible to uncover archaeological artefacts. However, we were able to unearth a fish vertebra located at the base of the wall. This one will be dated by radiocarbon to obtain a first chronological attribution for this monument. However, this dating should not be considered as a definitive chronological attribution: the size of this site and the many architectural elements that compose it can testify of a complex occupation through the long term.

Khor al Jarama

The excavation of the tomb 1 of Khor al Jaram proved particularly interesting.

It has indeed made it possible to unearth a monument with complex architecture. This one took the form of a large circular structure build by dry stone (6.70 m in diameter to 1,70 m high), and probably originally covered by a corbelling.

Only one burial was located in the center of the monument. It contained the deposit of an adult in crouch position on the right side.

Unfortunately this tomb was looted and disturbed: the orientation of the skull is therefore not obvious, even if we assume that the individual must have initially look to the south. Also only a few pearls have been found.

A second burial has also been discovered. It was attached to the monument and not chained with the latter: which clearly indicates that its addition is later.

This contained the deposit of a single individual as well. This is a mature adult, who was positioned in the same way that the body of the central grave : in crouch position, but on the left side this time and looking to the north-east and the khor.

This tomb was not looted and the artefacts were more important : pearls probably corresponding to a bracelet, piece of coral, a copper pin and two large shells which will have to undergo physico-chemical analyzes.

The diagnoses of sexes and ages are in progress. And other observations could be made also on the bones during the next excavation campaign in winter 2018/2019.

It will also be necessary to finish excavating the monument next year to see if other tombs are not hidden below. However, this type of shape does not seem to have any equivalent currently in the Ja’alan : it could be a monument marking the transition between the Umm an-Nar and the Wadi Suq periods. We are waiting for the radiocarbon dating.