Socio-political factors influencing early Islamic copper production in Oman

Authors

  • Amir Zaribaf The University of Sydney
  • Joseph Lehner The University of Sydney
  • Paige Paulsen Johns Hopkins University
  • Ioana A. Dumitru The University of Sydney
  • Alexander Sivitskis Teton Science Schools
  • Bradley Arsenault
  • Brendan Fisher
  • Abigail Buffington Department of Archaeology, College of William and Mary
  • Eli Dollarhide NYU Abu Dhabi
  • Michael J. Harrower

Keywords:

Early Islamic period, Oman, Industrial-Scale Copper Production, Archaeometallurgy, Sociopolitical Framework, socio-political organization

Abstract

The early Islamic period was marked by a resurgence in large-scale copper production in south-east Arabia. This is in contrast to the preceding era (early first millennium BCE to the mid-first millennium CE) and its notable lack of evidence of copper production. Various external and internal factors, including a flourishing Indian Ocean trade and environmental limitations, have been suggested as factors in this renewal and in its subsequent decline. However, the socio-political and economic factors that formed the framework for industrial growth during this transformative period are rarely considered. This paper delves deeper into the socio-political background of the early Islamic period in relation to industrial growth in south-east Arabia. To bridge the gap between historical and archaeological evidence, we also present new data from surveys and excavations conducted at early Islamic industrial sites in Wadī al‑Rākī, Oman. These findings offer new insights into the history of large-scale copper processing in the region.

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Published

11/06/2024

How to Cite

Zaribaf, A., Lehner, J., Paulsen, P., Dumitru, I. A., Sivitskis, A., Arsenault, B., … Harrower, M. J. (2024). Socio-political factors influencing early Islamic copper production in Oman. Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies, 53, 316–332. Retrieved from https://archaeopresspublishing.com/ojs/index.php/PSAS/article/view/2249

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