• About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Donation
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
Archaeology News
  • Home
  • News
    • Archaeology
    • Anthropology
    • Paleontology
  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • VR Tours
  • Quiz & Game
  • Download
  • Encyclopedia
  • Forum
Archaeology News
No Result
View All Result
Home News Archaeology

4000-year-old seal found in ancient city of Kalba in Gulf of Oman

by Dario Radley
April 5, 2024

Archaeologists of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (OeAW) excavating the prehistoric coastal site of Kalba on the Gulf of Oman have unearthed compelling evidence of extensive trade networks dating back approximately 4500 years.

Kalba, situated in the Emirate of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, emerged as a pivotal hub in these early trade networks, persistently inhabited from the Early Bronze Age to the Iron Age (c. 2500–600 BCE). Despite environmental shifts towards aridity, Kalba’s strategic location facilitated its resilience as a trading center. Its proximity to Wadi Ham provided a vital link between the eastern coast, the desert, and the sea routes, making it a crucial gateway for both land-based caravans and maritime trade.

The significance of Kalba’s role in these networks becomes evident through the discovery of artifacts made from exotic materials not native to the region. Excavations revealed evidence of copper processing, likely sourced from nearby deposits in the Hajar Mountains, alongside flint, jasper, and chalcedony artifacts indicative of long-distance trade.

Central to the findings is the discovery of a “Persian Gulf-type” seal at Kalba, crafted from soft stone and dating to the late third millennium BCE.

The seal itself offers intriguing insights into the fusion of Eastern and Western iconographic traditions. Depicting a bull and possibly a lion in an attacking posture, the seal reflects influences from the Indus Valley seals as well as the cylinder seals of Mesopotamia. This synthesis of motifs underscores the unique character of Kalba as a coastal trading hub, where diverse cultural influences converged.

RelatedStories

Bronze Age cymbals unearthed in Oman reveal how music united prehistoric Persian Gulf cultures

Bronze Age cymbals unearthed in Oman reveal how music united prehistoric Persian Gulf cultures

April 8, 2025
Archaeological mission unearths 7,700-year-old shell crafting site in Kuwait

Archaeological mission unearths 7,700-year-old shell crafting site in Kuwait

November 23, 2024

Moreover, the research highlights the cohesive nature of early trade networks, with the Gulf region serving as a nexus between East and West. Through a combination of strategic location, raw-material procurement strategies, and cultural synthesis, Kalba emerged as a center of commerce, shaping the region’s economic landscape.

More information: Schwall C, Brandl M, Börner M, et al. (2024). Kalba: research on trade networks of a prehistoric coastal community on the Gulf of Oman, United Arab Emirates. Antiquity:1-8. doi:10.15184/aqy.2024.45
ShareTweetShareShareSend

You May Also Like...

Mad emperor Caligula had surprising medical knowledge, new research reveals from ancient Roman texts
Archaeology

Mad emperor Caligula had surprising medical knowledge, new research reveals from ancient Roman texts

July 13, 2025
1,600-year-old tomb of Caracol’s founding king Te K’ab Chaak unearthed in Belize jungle
Anthropology

1,600-year-old tomb of Caracol’s founding king Te K’ab Chaak unearthed in Belize jungle

July 12, 2025
11,000-year-old feast in Iran’s Zagros Mountains reveals long-distance animal transport and early Neolithic social rituals
Archaeology

11,000-year-old feast in Iran’s Zagros Mountains reveals long-distance animal transport and early Neolithic social rituals

July 12, 2025
UNESCO adds Iran’s Khorramabad Valley to World Heritage List, highlighting 60,000 years of human history
Anthropology

UNESCO adds Iran’s Khorramabad Valley to World Heritage List, highlighting 60,000 years of human history

July 12, 2025
5,500-year-old 'Polish pyramids' discovered in western Poland reveal Neolithic engineering
Anthropology

5,500-year-old ‘Polish pyramids’ discovered in western Poland reveal Neolithic engineering

July 11, 2025
17th-century Gullberg’s fortress in Gothenburg brought to life through 3D reconstruction
Archaeology

17th-century Gullberg’s fortress in Gothenburg brought to life through 3D reconstruction

July 11, 2025

Follow us


Instagram
247K

Facebook
110K

Threads
43K

LinkedIn
12K

Twitter
6K

YouTube
1K
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Shipwreck Salvage. Credit: rawpixel.com / Public Domain

2,000-year-old shipwreck discovered off Turkish coast with remarkably preserved stacked ceramics

July 2, 2025
Viking age DNA reveals 9,000-year-old HIV-resistant gene originating near the Black Sea

Viking age DNA reveals 9,000-year-old HIV-resistant gene originating near the Black Sea

May 18, 2025
Neanderthals operated prehistoric “fat factory” 125,000 years ago on German lakeshore, study finds

Neanderthals operated prehistoric “fat factory” 125,000 years ago on German lakeshore

July 3, 2025
Exceptionally large Roman shoes discovered at Magna fort near Hadrian’s Wall

Exceptionally large Roman shoes discovered at Magna fort near Hadrian’s Wall

July 3, 2025
Genetic study reveals the origin and diversity of the Huns

European Huns were not of Turkic origin but had ancient Siberian roots, linguistic study reveals

June 24, 2025
$1 million prize offered to decipher 5,300-year-old Indus Valley script

$1 million prize offered to decipher 5,300-year-old Indus Valley script

Oldest ever genetic data from a human relative found in 2-million-year-old fossilized teeth

Oldest ever genetic data from a human relative found in 2-million-year-old fossilized teeth

A 21-year-old student successfully deciphered the first word from the Herculaneum scrolls, charred during Mount Vesuvius' eruption

A 21-year-old student successfully deciphered the first word from the Herculaneum scrolls, charred during Mount Vesuvius’ eruption

New evidence reveals the source of mercury in the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor

New evidence reveals the source of mercury in the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor

Oldest US firearm discovered in Arizona: a 500-year-old relic of Coronado's expedition

Oldest US firearm discovered in Arizona: a 500-year-old relic of Coronado’s expedition

Castillian ambassadors attempting to convince Almohad king Abu Hafs Umar al-Murtada to join their alliance. Contemporary depiction from The Cantigas de Santa Maria. Public Domain

Zīrid Ifrīqiya and the Islamic world in the 10th–12th centuries: an international conference at UCL

July 14, 2025
Mad emperor Caligula had surprising medical knowledge, new research reveals from ancient Roman texts

Mad emperor Caligula had surprising medical knowledge, new research reveals from ancient Roman texts

July 13, 2025
1,600-year-old tomb of Caracol’s founding king Te K’ab Chaak unearthed in Belize jungle

1,600-year-old tomb of Caracol’s founding king Te K’ab Chaak unearthed in Belize jungle

July 12, 2025
11,000-year-old feast in Iran’s Zagros Mountains reveals long-distance animal transport and early Neolithic social rituals

11,000-year-old feast in Iran’s Zagros Mountains reveals long-distance animal transport and early Neolithic social rituals

July 12, 2025
UNESCO adds Iran’s Khorramabad Valley to World Heritage List, highlighting 60,000 years of human history

UNESCO adds Iran’s Khorramabad Valley to World Heritage List, highlighting 60,000 years of human history

July 12, 2025

Archaeology News online magazine

Archaeology News is an international online magazine that covers all aspects of archaeology.











Categories

  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • Download
  • Game
  • News
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Paleontology
  • Quiz
  • Tours

Subscribe to our newsletter

© 2024 - Archaeology News Online Magazine. All Rights Reserved.

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Donation
  • Contact

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

  • Home
  • News
    • Archaeology
    • Anthropology
    • Paleontology
  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • VR Tours
  • Quiz & Game
  • Download
  • Encyclopedia
  • Forum

About  .  Contact  .  Donation

© 2024 - Archaeology News Online Magazine. All Rights Reserved

We use cookies to improve your experience and enable functionality and security of this site. Further detail is available in our Privacy Policy. By accepting all cookies, you consent to our use of cookies and use of data.