From stone heaps to heritage landmarks. The excavation, restoration and reconstruction of prehistoric tombs at Salūt (central Oman) between experimental archaeology and site valorisation

Abstract

The archaeological investigation by the former Italian Mission to Oman (University of Pisa) in the ancient oasis of Salūt, in central Oman, targeted several prehistoric burials located within the perimeter of the Archaeological Park of Bysiah and Salūt, a fundamental cultural pole developed under the auspices of the Ministry for Heritage and Tourism of the Sultanate of Oman. After stratigraphic excavation and documentation of the surviving structures, the tombs were restored and in some cases reconstructed to make them fully understandable to the wider public visiting the Park. This work provided useful information about the costs in human labour and raw materials procurement entailed in their construction, revealing itself as an experimental archaeology process capable of further highlighting the importance that these monuments had for the ancient community at the same time as fostering the bonds between the locals and their archaeological heritage.