Taming the Great Desert: Adam in the Prehistory of Oman

This is the first monograph to present research at the Adam oasis, located at the margins of the Rub Al-Khali desert, Oman. Major periods are described, with evidence of Palaeolithic occupation, Neolithic settlements, Early and Middle Bronze Age necropolises, and Iron Age ritual sites. An ethnographic study of traditional water sharing is included.

Located at the margins of the Rub Al-Khali desert, a place of interactions between settled and nomadic populations, the Adam oasis occupies a pivotal role in the history of Oman. However, almost nothing was known about its foundation and early developments. In 2006, the French Archaeological Mission in Central Oman began the exploration of the area. After ten years of field research using innovative methods and technologies, much is now revealed about the importance of Adam in the prehistory and early history of Oman. This is the first monograph about the research carried out at Adam and it includes seven chapters written by specialists directly involved in the field activities. Each major period is described in detail, including evidence of Palaeolithic occupation, Neolithic settlements, Early and Middle Bronze Age necropolises, Iron Age ritual sites and also an ethnographic study of the traditional water sharing within the oasis.