The Project

The Wadi al Jizzi Archaeological Project is a systematic and long term archaeological surface survey project that started in 2014, investigating the rich archaeological heritage of the Wadi al Jizzi region from the Paleolithic until the early Modern period.

The archaeological remains of the Wadi al Jizzi region are of great importance for our understanding of past subsistence technologies; the emergence and development of mining and metallurgy (and the impacts of early globalisation); and for understanding how past societies dealt with death.

The Wadi al Jizzi project will contribute to the study of how past societies managed to survive in the challenging environment of Oman and how people were impacted by the development of interregional trade targetting Oman’s mineral resources. These are issues that remain central to Omani society today.

The project is a collaborative project between Leiden University and the Ministry of Heritage and Culture of Oman. It is a field school for Leiden students, aims to contribute to local capacity building, and documents an archaeological heritage threatened by ongoing developments, such as infrastructural projects, industrialisation, and urbanisation.