Heritage
Ministry Implements “Dolphins in Prehistoric Oman” Project

Muscat,
30 Dec 2025 (ONA) — The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism is implementing a
project titled “Dolphins in Prehistoric Oman (DExPO),” aimed at
enhancing the understanding of the relationship between humans and the marine
environment in the Sultanate of Oman during prehistoric times. This is achieved
through the systematic study and documentation of faunal remains discovered at
various archaeological sites.

The
project is a specialized research initiative in zooarchaeology, focusing on the
study of exploitation patterns of both marine and terrestrial mammals by
ancient coastal communities. It specifically targets the analysis of
archaeological mammal remains at several key sites, including Ras Al Hadd and
Ras Al Jinz in the Wilayat of Sur. The objective is to study the hunting,
processing, and consumption methods utilized by these societies to secure
protein from red meat, while integrating osteological and metric analyses with
environmental data and museum comparative collections.

This
project will contribute to developing knowledge regarding human-sea
interactions from the Neolithic period through to the late Iron Age. It
highlights the economic and cultural roles played by large mammals in coastal
lifestyles, reflecting the depth of the Sultanate of Oman’s maritime and
civilizational history. It is noteworthy that the project receives scientific
support from several Italian and international institutions, including the
University of Bologna, and is funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and International Cooperation, the International Association for Mediterranean
and Oriental Studies (ISMEO), and the Society of Antiquaries of London.

—Ends/AG