Muscat – The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism (MHT) will start work on 28 archaeological exploration sites in the 2022/2023 season in cooperation with local and international scientific institutions.

In a statement, MHT said, ‘The work of these missions will focus on conducting archaeological surveys and excavation of sites dating from the Stone Age to pre-Islamic times. Archaeological artefacts found during previous seasons will also be studied.’

Dibba
For the seventh consecutive season, the ministry will carry out archaeological excavations at the site dating back to the Iron Age, which was discovered ten years ago. The excavation will be done in cooperation with an Italian mission from Sapienza University. This is the last season of the Mass Grave excavation (CG2).

Qamira, Dhank
The ministry will continue excavations at the site located in Dhank in Dhahirah in cooperation with a Polish mission from the University of Warsaw. Through the study, the mission hopes to know the nature of the settlement that prevailed in the area, in addition to learning the chronological history of the site.

Nufon, Duqm
In cooperation with the Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, MHT studied and identified archaeological sites in the wilayat of Duqm. Archaeologists and specialists of the institute have been studying several archaeological sites and human settlements in Duqm in general and Nufon village in particular, located in the Special Economic Zone at Duqm.
The team of scientists have identified 155 archaeological sites in Nufon. The ministry has started its survey and documentation work at the site for the third season. Findings so far indicate that it was a place of ancient commercial exchange.

Al Tekha, Rutstaq
Archaeological excavations in Al Tekha in the wilayat of Rustaq, South Batinah, have revealed a large and sophisticated settlement, dating back to more than 4,000 years ago, and include a number of large buildings and tombs.
It was excavated by the joint archaeological mission of the Department of Archaeology at Sultan Qaboos University and the Italian University of Pisa. In the current (second) season, the settlement’s buildings and archaeological contents will be revealed.

Bat, Al Khutm and Al Ayn
The ministry, in cooperation with an American mission from New York University, is working on the excavations at the archaeological sites of Bat, Al Khutm and Al Ayn in the wilayat of Ibri, Dhahirah. These sites belong to the Bronze Age and are associated with the copper trade.

MHT will also continue surveys and excavations at several other sites, including Al Khashba in the wilayat of Al Mudhaibi, Ras al Jinz in the wilayat of Sur, Al Fulaij in North Batinah, Wadi Bani Khaled in North Sharqiyah, and archaeological surveys in Jabal Akhdar.