Umm an‐Nar Settlement Dahwa 7 (DH7) Near the Northern Batinah Coast of Oman

ABSTRACT This paper presents the results of three seasons (2018, 2019 and 2021) of excavation at the site of Dahwa 7 (DH7) conducted under the auspices of the Department of Archaeology of Sultan Qaboos University (SQU). Our results highlight the vital role of this Wadi al‐Sukhn area site since at least the Early Bronze Age. We also demonstrate that the site's strategic geographic location is an ideal location for this site to act as a link between the coast and the interior areas. 14 C dates confirm the different occupational phases of the site from the Early Bronze Age to the present time. Moreover, the evidence suggests that the site's inhabitants developed the settlement so that the site's buildings are distributed over three elevation planes: lower, middle and upper. Finally, ceramic sherds from a large number of Indus vessels were recovered, providing incontrovertible evidence that the site's inhabitants engaged in intensive trade with the Indus Valley.