MHT publishes book titled “Persistent Pastoralism: Monuments and Settlements in the Archaeology of Dhofar”

Muscat: The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism recently published the book titled “Persistent Pastoralism: Monuments and Settlements in the Archaeology of Dhofar,” written by Professor Joy McCorriston. It is the Ministry’s tenth publication in the last five years within the Oman Archaeological Heritage Series.

In this book, the author focuses on the cultural identity, economic activities, and social practices of pastoral societies in the prehistoric era in the southern Arabian Peninsula.

Additionally, the author provides a summary of the archaeological research that dealt with this aspect in the Governorate of Dhofar. The summary includes regional survey activities and excavations for the cemeteries and settlements of ancient pastoral communities in Dhofar, and the role of livestock herders in building archaeological monuments and linking transient families to the broader communities in ancient Dhofar for more than 7,500 years ago.

The book deals with archaeological analysis of social and cultural identities, patterns of use of available resources, the development of means of communication and exchange in these pastoral communities, their relationships and contributions to the development of the broader neighboring communities in this region over the course of time, up to the modern era.

This book is the outcome of studies and field work carried out by Professor Joy McCorriston in Dhofar Governorate starting in 1996. She is an anthropological archaeologist and holds the position of Director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Ohio University in the United States of America.

The first edition of this book, published in English, was allocated to the international market and was printed in cooperation with the specialized international publishing house “Archaeopress” in Oxford, United Kingdom. Note that its second edition, dedicated to the Omani market, was issued in the Sultanate of Oman and is available in the pavilion of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism at Muscat International Book Fair 2024.