Ibri – Excavations at Rakhat al Madrah, near the Unesco-listed Bat site in Dhahirah, have uncovered a settlement dating back to the Bronze Age. The dig includes several graves from 3200 BC to 2700 BC and four ancient buildings.
The excavations are being carried out by Ministry of Heritage and Tourism in collaboration with a mission from University of Pennsylvania in the US, in partnership with University of Leiden in the Netherlands. The team has been working in the area since 2007.
According to Dr Jennifer Swerida, head of the archaeological mission, this season’s excavations focused on Rakhat al Madrah, located southeast of Bat. “This area is a round clay basin surrounded by low hills, retaining water for several days when it rains or floods,” she explained.
She added that excavations concentrated on the largest building from Bronze Age to determine whether it was a residence or a site for community activities. “We found ovens and walls indicating the structure was in use until the early Islamic period,” she said. Among the artefacts found were a Neolithic flint arrowhead, a red agate amulet and pottery from the Umm al Nar period, a metal tool head from the early Islamic era, and a ceramic jar imported from Indus Valley.
Soil samples containing microscopic plant remains were also collected to help researchers understand the activities of the settlement’s inhabitants and the environment in which they lived.
Sulaiman bin Hamoud al Jabri, Head of Technical Section at Department of Archaeological Sites in Bat, Al Khatm and Al Ain, highlighted the ministry’s efforts to attract international archaeological missions since the 1970s. “The first team to excavate at Bat was a Danish mission, followed by several others from German, Japanese, French and Italian universities,” he said. “Surveying and excavation work is ongoing at various sites, including Rakhat al Madrah, which is about 7km from Bat.”
He added that the current mission is studying ancient towers, tombs and buildings, as well as analysing soil samples, water sources and rainfall patterns in the area.
The Bat site remains a key focus for archaeological research, offering insights into ancient civilisations, their cultures, technologies and way of life.
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