Archaeobotanical analysis of food and fuel procurement from Fulayj fort (Oman, 5th-8th c. CE) including the earliest secure evidence for sorghum in Eastern Arabia

A dietary perspective of cat-human interactions in two medieval harbors in Iran and Oman revealed through stable isotope analysis

“…From the domestic mammals, sheep and goats have similar isotope values that range between − 10.7‰ and − 16.3‰ for carbon and between 5.8‰ and 10.7‰ for nitrogen, reflecting mainly the consumption of C 4 plants, partially at coastal sites 71 . Apart from a high variety of wild C 4 plants in the area 66 , archaeobotanical evidence from the region reveals the presence of cultivated C 4 plants, such as millet 72 , 73 and sorghum 74 , while historical sources attest that cultivated plants were intended for both human and animal consumption 75 . One sheep has a δ 13 C value of − 12.6‰ and a δ 15 N value of 15.3‰, reflecting the consumption of marine fish, which, based on medieval written testimonies, were used as fodder in the area during the sampled period 35 .…”

“…Historical information and archaeobotanical evidence indicate that fruit (especially dates), cereals (including wheat, rice, sorghum and millet) and vegetables (e.g., garlic and eggplant) were either cultivated and/or imported in pre-Islamic and Islamic Oman 72 , 74 , 75 , 82 , including medieval Qalhât 73 , 83 . The three rat specimens with lower δ 15 N values that were primarily feeding on crops, corroborate the presence of such plants at the site and likely their importance in human diets.…”