Holocene (Re-)Occupation of Eastern Arabia

For decades, so‐called Fasad points have been discovered in Oman and the UAE. These lithic projectile points have been until now fossiles directeurs (or defining artefacts) for Early Holocene human occupation prior to the development of the Arabian Neolithic. It appears that many different types of points are described in the literature as Fasad points, but the actual variability of the archaeological discoveries leads to the necessity for reassessment and clarification of the very definition of this type of artefact. We propose here a new definition of the Fasad points with the creation of sub‐types. We also discuss the trend of using this lithic type as a marker for the diffusion of PPNB technology towards the south‐east from the Mediterranean Levantine Neolithic core area.

Section: The Different Types Of Fasad Pointsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Back to Fasad… and the PPNB controversy. Questioning a Levantine origin for Arabian Early Holocene projectile points technology

Charpentier

Crassard

2013

“…First, evidence of early human populations in south‐east Arabia during the earliest part of the Holocene is somewhat under‐represented given the growing number of archaeological sites from the region (Drechsler ). While it is possible that continued aeolian activity, as well as the marine transgression in the Arabian Gulf basin, may have reduced the preservation of archaeological material during this period (Uerpmann, Potts & Uerpmann ; Preston ), the lack of early Holocene finds may indicate that parts of south‐east Arabia were sparsely populated prior to c .8000 yr BP (Preston et al . ).…”

Section: Humans and The Changing Landscapementioning

confidence: 99%

“…While the above links are highly speculative, it is argued that the subsistence strategies adopted by the region's Neolithic populations during the ABT should not simply be associated with the onset of favourable climatic conditions. Rather the exploitation of both wild and domesticated animals provided security (Potts ; Uerpmann, Potts & Uerpmann ; Wilkinson ; Preston ) during the frequent climatic downturns of the period.…”

Section: Humans and The Changing Landscapementioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the evolution of the Holocene Pluvial Phase and its impact on Neolithic populations in south‐east Arabia

Preston

Parker

2013

The early to mid-Holocene has long been recognised as a period of wetter climate with widespread lacustrine development and vegetation expansion throughout southeast Arabia. Recent palaeoclimate data has, however, transformed our understanding of the Holocene Pluvial Phase (HPP) and evidence presented in this paper demonstrates that climate was neither homogeneous during the period, nor were shifts between pluvial and arid episodes synchronous across the region. This dynamic setting provided the backdrop for human expansion during the Neolithic, and in turn raises important questions about the interactions between these populations and the natural environment in south-east Arabia.

“…; McCorriston et al . ; Newton ; Amirkhanov ) and northern Oman and the UAE (Uerpmann, Potts & Uerpmann ; Charpentier ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hailat Araka and the South Arabian Neolithic

Zarins

2013

A small Neolithic lithic scatter site was discovered in 1992 through survey in the southern region of Dhofar, Oman just south of the Rub al Khali. Four test units (1994, 2009) confirmed a 60-90 cm single period Neolithic stratification sequence of the mid-sixth millennium BC. Lithic debris contains all stages of knapping from prepared cores and is dominated by trihedral rod production. Based on comparable sites both to the west in Yemen and to the east in northern Oman/the UAE, it is suggested that still rare domesticated cattle and ovicaprids supplemented a basic forager lifestyle. Participation in long-range trade networks involved marine shells, exotic flint tools as well as obsidian, steatite and amazonite. Genetic testing suggests that the Neolithic populations may represent ancestral Modern South Arabic Language (MSAL) populations currently living in southern Arabia.