NEW YORK, BRONX (ORDO News) — In the deserts of Oman, two groups of scientists made revolutionary discoveries that shed new light on the early history of human civilization. From rare hand axes from the first waves of human migration out of Africa, to circular burial chambers and a collection of rock paintings, these finds provide insight into the formation of modern society in South Arabia.
A team of over twenty archaeologists and geologists from ten different countries has just completed the third season of excavations at two archaeological sites in Oman.
Archaeologists came across a collection of rare hand axes dating back to the first wave of human migration from Africa, as well as round burial chambers and a collection of petroglyphs. These finds, located in the world‘s largest sand desert, could make a huge contribution to understanding the early history of modern Oman.
The desert of Rub al-Khali, located in the Omani province of Dhofar, is known throughout the world as the “Empty Quarter”. Stretching nearly 647,500 square kilometers, this sparsely populated region of the Arabian Peninsula is the largest continuous sand desert in the world.
Among the towering sand dunes up to 300 meters high, archaeologists discovered eggshells of an extinct species of ostrich, as well as a fossilized dune and an ancient riverbed from a period when the climate in Arabia was much wetter.
Also in this place, a team of archaeologists was lucky enough to unearth a collection of stone hand axes, the age of which is about 300 thousand years. The researchers determined that they were made and used by some of the first people who migrated out of Africa.
Using spatio-temporal analysis and radiocarbon dating, researchers have learned a little more about the ritual stone monuments known as triliths found throughout southern Arabia.
These circular burial structures, dating from about two thousand years ago, look like a smaller version of the famous English Stonehenge. However, it is currently unclear who built them and for what purpose, and in the end – what exactly is hidden behind these burial chambers.
One of the most amazing discoveries made by researchers was a collection of rock engravings depicting animals, people and geometric figures. Some of them are over 5,000 years old, making them some of the oldest rock paintings on the Arabian Peninsula. They give an insight into the life and beliefs of the people who lived in this region during the Neolithic period.
The results of the expeditions are expected to shed new light on the early history of human migration and settlement in southern Arabia, as well as the development of early societies and cultures in the region.
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News agencies contributed to this report, edited and published by ORDO News editors.
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