This study provides signifififififificant insights into the prehistory of Oman and the achievements of those people who built great civilisations
THE ancient history of Oman is the theme of a valuable research project by Dr Asmhan al Jarru in the Department of History, Faculty of Arts, Sultan Qaboos University. The work is an important contribution to our understanding of the Omani history as it explores the prehistoric ages up to the early times of Majan Civilisation during the period (5000-1800 BC). It thus monitors a significant period that represented the early presence of civilisations in this region. The value of the study lies in the fact that it is almost the only source which deals with this part of the history of Oman.
Commenting on the background of her study, the academic says: ‘There is a historical gap that created in me a sense of challenge and search for the hidden treasures of the cultural history of ancient Oman. This project complements another book of mine published under the title Sources of the Ancient History of Oman which created in me a sense of responsibility to uncover the brighter side of the history and culture of Oman and to highlight its historic role and contributions to humanity as a whole.”
Dr Al Jarru, an Associate Professor of Ancient History Archaeology, adds: “For some time, I was entirely seized by the idea of compiling a book about the prehistoric eras of Majan Civilisation, the theme which was largely the focus of my readings and reflections. Looking into the ancient history of Oman, one should pay tribute to those people who left behind a great legacy of creativity characterising long and hard stages of gathering and hunting up to the formation of permanent human settlements and intellectual development. So this research work has been triggered by my desire to probe into the nature of this civilisation.”
Al Jarru explains: “For ages, the ancient history of the Arabian Gulf in general and the history of Oman in particular remained unknown, as we see this clearly in the textbooks about the ancient east. However, the breathtaking archaeological discoveries in the region since the mid-twentieth century categorically proved that this land is rich in remains of an ancient civilisation, no less important than the civilisations of Egypt and Mesopotamia.”
“Recent archaeological studies and cuneiform writing have constituted an essential source for the study,” says the researcher, adding that the methodology is mainly based on induction and analysis. This approach has been very useful in drawing a rough picture of the realities of ancient Oman. She classifies her study into five chapters each covering a specific series of historic events.
Chapter I is an introduction to the study of Oman's pre-history and consists of three sections: the first section examines the impact of geographical potentials and natural resources on the emergence of Oman's ancient civilisation. The chapter has as its main objectives to explore the environmental conditions that contributed to the settlement of prehistoric people in Oman and to see how they interacted with their immediate surroundings.
The second section reviews the natural resources that had abounded in ancient Oman and are divided into: minerals, plants and animals.
The third section discusses the sources that have documented the history of ancient Oman. All the information about the ancient history of Oman is generally derived from a variety of primary and secondary sources. Primary sources are key as they were usually written immediately during or following historical events. Thus, they represent the view of initiator of the event and consist of inscriptions and remains. The secondary sources are mostly written by those who are not directly related to the event, and may be recorded after a period of time. In order to study the ancient culture of Oman, it is essential to consult those sources, in the forefront of which are the monuments and inscriptions, religious literature, classical literature, Arabic and Islamic writings, and recent studies.
Chapter Two covers the prehistoric times in Oman (the stone age and the Stone Copper Age) (5000-2500 BC). Needless to say, the study of prehis- toric times is an important factor in understanding the cultural history of any nation, whereby man made the first crucial step, discovering the unknown and defying the odds. The chapter is divided into four sections. Section One explores Oman in the Stone Age, including the environment and climate in the south east of the Arab Peninsula. Section Two looks into the first achievements of ancient man in Oman during the Stone Ages, in the light of archaeological discoveries. Section Three deals with the effects of the Neolithic period and examples of settlements, as we will discover the very beginning of the formation of settlements (Ras al Hamra and Jebel Bahayes mountain). Section Four concerns the history of Oman in the Stone /Copper Age (3200-2500). boat-building (Majan), diverse crafts, and precious stone engraving.
The second topic relates to the social organizations in prehistoric Oman, most prominent of which are communities of hunting, capturing, and movement. The third theme has to do with the intellectual life of those people of prehistoric Oman, concentrating on the religious beliefs embodied in the various types of cemeteries, rituals of burial, and funeral materials. Majan knew copper crafts, pottery and stone vessels, and engraving on precious stones.
Trade prospered, sea transport expanded, and oases and irrigation systems were developed. Finally, the chapter examines Majan Civilisation in terms of intellectual life, religious beliefs, and patterns of cemeteries and burial rituals.
No doubt, this study provides significant insights into the prehistory of Oman and the achievements of those people who built great civilisations.