Archaeological research conducted in Eastern Arabia over the past decades has provided valuable insights into the social and cultural significance of certain animal species in prehistoric communities. This study examines 26 double-perforated shark teeth from five archaeological sites along Oman’s coast, dating from the mid-6th to the late 3rd millennium BCE. These artefacts, ranging from Neolithic shell middens to Early Bronze Age settlements, suggest a consistent tradition of modification and utilization. Morphological and use-wear analyses were complemented by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) on identified residues. An experimental pilot study tested the hypothesis that these double-perforated teeth functioned as arrowheads.
DOUBLE-PERFORATED SHARK TEETH IN PREHISTORIC OMAN: MORPHOLOGICAL, EXPERIMENTAL AND FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS
Massimo Vidale;
2024
Abstract
Archaeological research conducted in Eastern Arabia over the past decades has provided valuable insights into the social and cultural significance of certain animal species in prehistoric communities. This study examines 26 double-perforated shark teeth from five archaeological sites along Oman’s coast, dating from the mid-6th to the late 3rd millennium BCE. These artefacts, ranging from Neolithic shell middens to Early Bronze Age settlements, suggest a consistent tradition of modification and utilization. Morphological and use-wear analyses were complemented by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) on identified residues. An experimental pilot study tested the hypothesis that these double-perforated teeth functioned as arrowheads.
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