Beyond the major sites: rethinking small-scale copper production in ancient Oman. A preliminary report on the archaeometallurgical survey of the Salh site (Ad Dhahirah Governorate, northern Oman)
2025, 34, No. 1
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Abstract
The site of Salh 1, situated in the Ad Dhahirah Governorate of northern Oman, offers insights into the organization of copper production in southeastern Arabia. Preliminary results of archaeological and geoarchaeological investigations indicate that this smelting site, active during both the Bronze Age and the Islamic period, functioned as a small-scale production center. Surface surveys and test trenching enabled the estimation of the total volume of slag deposits at approximately 288 tons. The discovery of stone-built structures, tools for copper processing, and fragments of clay smelting furnaces all point to a systematically organized and continuously operated metallurgical process. In light of the absence of nearby domestic architecture, Salh 1 is interpreted as a small, seasonal metallurgical site. These findings contribute to the growing body of archaeometallurgical research in Oman and highlight the significant, yet often overlooked, role of smaller smelting sites in shaping the region’s economic landscape during key periods of copper production.
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