Dhofar Through the Ages

An Ecological, Archaeological and Historical Landscape

By (author) Lynne S. Newton By (author) Juris Zarins

Book cover: Dhofar Through the Ages

Extent: 148 pages

Publisher: Archaeopress Publishing

Subjects: Islamic & Middle Eastern Studies

Series: The Archaeological Heritage of Oman

Language: English

Paperback (Published)

(March 2019)

ISBN: 9781789691603

8.27 x 11.69 inches

Price: $56.00

In stock

Dhofar, the southern governorate of Oman, lies within a distinctive ecological zone due to the summer Southwest Monsoon. Archaeological surveys and excavations in the governorate, beginning in 1954, have brought to light Dhofar’s ancient past stretching back to the Lower Paleolithic ca. 1.5 my BP.


Dhofar, the southern governorate of Oman, lies within a distinctive ecological zone due to the summer Southwest Monsoon. It is home to numerous indigenous succulent plants, the most famous of which is frankincense (Boswellia sacra). The region, tied in the past to both Oman and Yemen, has a long and distinguished archaeological past stretching back to the Lower Paleolithic ca. 1.5 my BP. Dhofar is also home to a distinctive people, the Modern South Arabian Languages speakers (MSAL) since at least the last 15,000 years. Ancient Zafar (Al-Habudi), now called Al-Baleed, and its successor Salalah was and is the province’s largest city. From the seventh century onwards until the arrival of the Portuguese in 1504 AD Al-Baleed dominated the central southern Arabian coastline politically and economically. Archaeological surveys and excavations in the governorate, beginning in 1954, have brought to light Dhofar’s ancient past.

  • By (author) Lynne S. Newton
  • By (author) Juris Zarins