A Field Methodology for the Quantification of Ancient Settlement in an Arabian Context.

Most field surveys apply systematic methodologies of field walking and surface survey sampling techniques in order to quantify settlement in a way that allows inter-period and inter-regional comparisons to be made. These methods, which were mostly developed for the ploughed fields of northern Europe, the Mediterranean, and Mesopotamia, depend on a systematic, probabilistic approach that allows the collection of statistically valid data and the ability of the archaeologist to define and to count “sites”. In many parts of Arabia, particularly the cultivated areas of the Arabian Gulf, it is difficult to apply these techniques because of the nature of the geography and agriculture. This paper describes a survey methodology that is capable of taking into consideration the landscape
peculiarities of the Oman peninsula and allows the quantification of ancient settlement intensities in an unbiased and testable way.
The paper describes a case study survey carried out using this method in the Wadi Andam in the al-Sharqiyah region of the Sultanate of Oman. It sets out the method used, and presents a preliminary indication and discussion of the results achieved.