AL RUSTAQ: A rare funerary building that dates back to the Iron Age (3,000 years ago), has been unearthed at Manaqi archaeological site in the Wilayat of Al Rustaq in Al Batinah South Governorate, as a result of archaeological excavations carried out by the Department of Archaeology at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU).
This discovery represents an important turning point in understanding funerary rituals in the Omani Peninsula. It is the first funerary building dedicated to the burial of children to be discovered so far in the region.
The Department of Archaeology completed a month-long archaeological excavations at the Manaqi site in February which represent the first phase of archaeological excavations but further excavations will continue for the next five years at least. The excavations were conducted in collaboration with a team from the Sorbonne University in Paris under the supervision of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism.
The Manaqi site constitutes one of the largest Iron Age settlements in Al Batinah South Governorate. Among the discoveries is a large number of conurbations, cemeteries distributed over a wide area within the site as well as a number of defensive towers that indicate a significant role the settlement played in the region in the first millennium BC.
The archaeological excavations also revealed more than 30 graves for children inside and around the building. This unique discovery raises questions about the motives and beliefs behind allocating a separate building for the burial of children at that time contrary to the common funerary customs that were prevalent at the Iron Age. — ONA
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