A Stratified Early/Middle Holocene Site inside the Qarat al-Kibrit Dome

Qarat al-Kibrit 1 (QK1) is the rst strati ed aceramic Neolithic archaeological site excavated in the interior of Oman. The site is situated along the outer rim of the Qarat al-Kibrit salt dome, an endorheic diapir on the ad-Dakhliyah alluvial plain. QK1 was excavated by the Central Oman Pleistocene Research program during the 2004 eld season, yielding three distinct archaeological horizons within approximately one meter of in situ Early and Middle Holocene sediments. A single radiometric date was established by AMS measurement on a perforated Conus shell recovered from archaeological level 1, while a rough temporal span is estimated for levels 2 and 3 based on the identi cation of lithic arrowheads belonging to the Neolithic Arabian Bifacial Tradition. Techno-typological analysis of the chipped stone assemblage recovered from the site has documented a variety of lithic reduction strategies employed by the inhabitants of QK1. Given the presence of high quality halite (salt crystal) deposits within the dome that exhibit clear evidence of quarrying activity, we speculate that Neolithic and Bronze Age human groups were drawn to the area in order to exploit this valuable resource as well as the freshwater runoff draining into the endorheic basin