The contribution of the domesticated camel and advanced irrigation techniques (the horizontal well/Falaj system) to the Iron Age economy and settlement patterns of the Oman Peninsula and Arabia.

Abstract

Iron Age II is considered the classical period of the Iron Age (figure: 2). This period shows sudden increase in distribution and diversification in settlement pattern, in South-eastern Arabia (Magee 1998b:49). The settlements during this period expanded to include inland (Herrmann et al. 2012), mountains (Haser in Avanzini 2010:162) and coastal sites (Mouton & Schiettecatte 2014). Settlements became more diverse to include non-residential architecture. An appearance of irrigation technology (Falaj) along with camel domestication coincides with this increase. This increase was accompanied by regional (Benoist & Mery 2012: 88) (between the varied types of settlements) and trans-regional contact (with south Arabia) and goods exchange (Magee 1999, 2004, 2005).The layout, the location, the structure and the material culture excavated from this period reflects a complex community (Magee & Thompson 2001:129) (Magee 1998b:54). This manifested in the appearance of a belief system related to both irrigation and bronze production (the snake cult) (Benoist 2007:50), specialized labour in pottery (Benoist & Mery 2012:88), metal production (Magee 1998a:114) (Nashef in Avanzini 2010:215) and administration systems (al-Tikriti 2010:240), fortification structures related to the agriculture activity (Magee 2014:237), symbolic (axe heads on the stamp seals) and prestigious goods for elites (Magee 1998b:56). This paper argues that irrigation technology was responsible for creating a social elite class. This class was responsible for cyclic production, the expansion and the diversification of settlement patterns using the domestication of the camel.The Iron Age is divided into three sub periods based on ceramic evidence from Tell Abraq: I (1200–1000 BC), II (1000–600 BC) and III (600–300 BC) (Magee 2001:345).Table 1: Brief description of the settlement patterns and economy of Iron Age I and III: Iron Age I(1300-1000BC) Iron Age III(600-300BC) Settlement Patterns Known Shimal, Tell Abraq, al- One-third reduction in number Hamriyah and possibly Kalba; of sites when compared with on the Gulf coast, and the East Iron Age II. Known sites are Coast (Fig. 1) (Potts 2001:50). Tell Abraq, Shimal, Rumeilah, Hili17, Hili 2, Nud Ziba, al- Thuqaibah, graves in the Wadi al-Qawr and Dibba oasis (Potts 2001:50). Economy A) Dependency of the Little is known about Iron Age inhabitants on fish and III. However, excavations in shellfish (Potts 1990:103-109). Thuqeibah shows that the B) Metrical and technological economy consisted of analysis suggest that pottery agriculture, stock breeding and was produced on a part-time goods exchange with the coast or occasional basis with non- (Del Cerro 2015:23) specialized labor, and that the main reason for production was to satisfy domestic needs (Magee 2005:51). Cause of decline in May be due to: May be due to:Number of sites and a) Drought conditions that a) The limitation ofeconomy. impacted water resources, archaeological surveys in 3 b) The decline of maritime some regions versus the trade which might have been intensive explorations of caused by the Mesopotamian others restrict the knowledge replacement of Omani copper about this period (Mouton & production with that from Schiettecatte 2014:45). Anatolia, b) The collapse of the Iron c) The political instability in Age II Irrigation technology the Indus Valley during Aryan (al-Tikriti 2010:240) invasion which led scholars to ((Mouton & Schiettecatte speculate that this may have 2014:45) caused further disruption, through a cultural effect, in south-eastern Arabia (Brunswig in Potts 1990: 29 and Carter 1997: 95-7).