Domestic food practice and vessel‐use at Salūt‐ST1, central Oman, during the Umm an‐Nar period

Akshyeta Suryanarayan (1) , Michele Degli Esposti (2) , Sophie Méry (3) , Laura Strolin (4) , Arnaud Mazuy (1) , Nuria Moraleda‐cibrián (5) , Joan Villanueva (5) , Martine Regert (1)

1 CEPAM - Culture et Environnements, Préhistoire, Antiquité, Moyen-Age
2 Institute of Mediterranean and Oriental Cultures
3 ArScAn - Archéologies et Sciences de l'Antiquité
4 Natural History Museum of Geneva
5 ICTA - Institut de Ciencia i Tecnologia Ambientals

Investigations into everyday food practices during the Umm an‐Nar period (c.2700–2000 bc ) in the Oman Peninsula are limited. We studied lipid residues in pottery from Salūt‐ST1, an Umm an‐Nar stone tower in central Oman, to understand domestic practices and vessel use in locally‐produced Sandy Wares, regionally‐produced Fine Red Omani Wares and imported Indus Black‐Slipped Jars between c. 2460–2150 bc . Degraded animal fats were found in a majority of the vessels, and we report the first direct detection of dairy products in Umm an‐Nar vessels. The use of non‐ruminant fats, plants and/or mixtures of different products is also suggested. Variations in lipid concentrations and contents of Fine Red Omani Wares and Sandy Wares suggest different uses for these vessel categories. Finally, the detection of a range of products (ruminant meat, dairy fats, non‐ruminant fats and mixtures) in Indus Black‐Slipped Jars from the site indicates vessel multifunctionality and reuse of the vessels.

Keywords: Domestic practices; Indus Black-Slipped Jars; Lipid residue analysis; Salût-ST1; Umm an-Nar; Vessel use; domestic practice

Domains: Archaeology and Prehistory

Akshyeta Suryanarayan, Michele Degli Esposti, Sophie Méry, Laura Strolin, Arnaud Mazuy, et al.. Domestic food practice and vessel‐use at Salūt‐ST1, central Oman, during the Umm an‐Nar period. Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy, In press, pp.1-20. ⟨10.1111/aae.12247⟩. ⟨hal-04551139⟩