MESSAGES FROM THE PAST ROCK ART OF ALHAJ

Turtles, ibexes, ships, inscriptions... Thousands of engraved and painted figures intrigue visitors in the wadis of Al-Hajar Mountains. Who created these enigmatic figures and when were they made? What are their hidden meanings? For the first time, this volume tries to answer these questions. It is the result of the archaeological surveys and investigations undertaken by the author over the last ten years under the patronage of the Ministry of Heritage and Culture. In this book, the author takes the reader on an in-depth journey into the various themes present in the rock art of Oman. He offers theories on the chronology and interpretation, while exploring the landscape setting of the decorated panels and how best to research these. Several beautiful photographs and scientific tracings of the rock art accompany the text. The volume closes offering to enthusiasts and tourists a series of guided visits with GPS maps to the most interesting and visible rock art sites protected by Royal Decrees of the Sultanate.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Sultan Saif Al-Bakri, Director General of Archaeology (Ministry of Heritage and Culture, Sultanate of Oman)

Introduction

1 History of Research and Studies

2 Geology and Nature. Distribution of Rock Art

3 Techniques of Realization and Methods of Study

4 Themes in Omani Rock Art: Animals

5 Themes in Omani Rock Art: Humans

6 Themes in Omani Rock Art: Artifacts, Abstracts and Inscriptions

7 Chronology of the Omani Rock Art

8 Interpretation of the Omani Rock Art

9 Where and How to see Rock Art in Oman

Bibliography

Angelo E. Fossati is an Italian archaeologist specialized in rock art studies. He teaches Prehistory and Protohistory at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan (Italy) and researches mainly on Alpine megalithism and pre-Roman inscriptions. Dr Fossati has conducted rock art documentation and studies in several countries including Italy, France, Portugal and the USA. He has been consultant for the UNESCO Word Heritage Center and is President of «Footsteps of Man» an Italian rock art society member of the International Federation of Rock Art Organizations. The author has published several papers and books on various rock art traditions. In Oman, he has conducted numerous surveys and documentation works under the patronage of the Ministry of Heritage and Culture in several areas of Al-Hajar Mountains.