This article aims to study whether the increase of agricultural settlements in the Sultanate of Oman during the Late Islamic period (c. 1500-1950) was related to pre-oil globalization, as attested in the wider Gulf region. This is done by analysing the archaeological dataset of the agricultural village of Sahlat, with a focus on the ceramic material, located in the Suhar region. The assemblages collected by the Wadi al-Jizzi Archaeological Project, point to its occupation from c. 1750 to 1930. During this time period, the coastal towns of southeastern Arabia were heavily influenced by globalization processes, but the effects and reach of trade on rural communities remains poorly known. In this paper, Sahlat is compared to two contemporary sites connected to the same falaj system, and two other sites in the Gulf region. The results indicate that pre-oil globalization did not only impact coastal towns, but that rural settlements such as Sahlat experienced similar transformations. It is suggested that pre-oil globalization was not only linked to the pearling trade, but that the export of dates should also be taken into consideration when studying this topic.

Mudbrick settlements are a common sight in central Oman and are often attributed to the Yaʿariba and al‐Busaydī periods. They have been the subject of study of different projects in the past, providing a good basis for understanding the settlements. This paper will review how the mudbrick settlements have been studied since the beginning of this century and discuss approaches for future research. A specific focus of this study is the interpretation and analysis of the material culture of the mudbrick settlements. Previous ceramic studies are analysed and this paper aims to refine the ceramic chronology of the Late Islamic period in central Oman. This outcome provides a first comprehensive study on the ceramics of this time period and region. In doing so, one of the goals is to establish a baseline for future studies on this period so that it can provide a reference for other archaeologists who find similar material and settlements, to re(dis)cover subrecent times in Oman.