Iron Age settlements discovered in Oman’s Mudhaibi

Al-Mudhaibi: The results of surveys carried out by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism in the field of surveying and archaeological excavation in the North Al-Sharqiyah Governorate, in cooperation with the German University of Heidelberg, aiming to trace the Iron Age settlements in the governorate at the Al-Sulaili Archaeological Site in the Al-Mudhaibi Wilayat revealed a rare cemetery consisting of… 45 graves covering an area of ​​50-80 metres.

The site also contains a settlement dating back to the beginning of the Iron Age, and it is believed that it belonged to miners who were working in copper mining. The old mine is located 700 meters to the east, and it is possible that it belongs to the same time period.

The importance of the site lies in its being the most prominent copper extraction and mining site dating back to the Iron Age, which continued to be used until the early Islamic era, in addition to being the site with the best preservation of its components, as the stone buildings and graves that resemble huts still retain their nature for more than 3,000 years, and reflect The burial method reflects the marital status of the deceased through the length of the grave and the archaeological finds buried with it.

Pieces of pottery were also uncovered, indicating reuse of the site during the early Islamic period, in addition to a number of stone grinding tools.

Dr. McKayla Godillo, head of the mission, reviewed in front of His Excellency Mahmoud bin Yahya Al-Dahli, Governor of North Al Sharqiyah, and a number of officials in the governorate, the most important works, achievements, and most prominent archaeological discoveries of the site and the landmarks, spatial significance it contains, and ancient archaeological and historical evidence indicating the antiquity of copper production in the region.