BMBF project:
"We only borrowed the earth from our children." Environmental changes and way of life in Central Oman during the 3rd and 2nd millennium BC.: sub-project palynology
The Arabian Peninsula has only been little researched archaeologically and is one of the driest regions in the world. Nevertheless, in the eastern part, which is nowadays mainly occupied by the Sultanate of Oman, there was already a cultural and economic heyday in the 3rd millennium BC. It is not yet known how people managed to adapt to the marginal environment at that time. In particular, there is no precise chronological differentiation of environmental changes in Central Oman, especially with regard to the availability of water and the dynamics of vegetation. This made it possible to establish connections between the way people lived, succeeded and failed, or successful sustainability strategies on the one hand and the fragile environment on the other. The joint project brings together an experienced scientist in the small subject of Near Eastern Archeology with young academics in medium and large subjects (biology and geology) from four German universities. In the course of the project, comprehensive data on the environmental conditions in Central Oman in the 3rd and 2nd millennium BC should be made using various scientific and archaeological methods, collected and evaluated and linked to known historical events of this important epoch. The multiproxy approach of the project includes the analysis of phytolites, pollen grains, seeds and charcoal to determine the flora, the investigation of fossil snail shells in order to draw conclusions about seasonal changes in precipitation and temperatures, as well as geomorphological analyzes, especially the development of environmental resources, especially water, and society's adaptation to it will be worked out. Human interference in the ecosystem and thus the interaction between him and his environment also play an important role in the project.Further information to the project
