Testing the Al-Hajar Refugium Hypothesis (TARGYT) – Karst depressions in the northern Oman Mountains as environmental and archaeological archives

• Applicant: Dr. Max Engel
• Subject Area: Physical Geography ; Prehistory and World Archaeology
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 567765563

Early modern humans demonstrated great adaptability while dispersing from Africa, with climate fluctuations and environmental change driving migration patterns across the Arabian Peninsula. However, archaeological and hydroclimatic records increasingly challenge the previous notion of uniform arid and humid cycles, suggesting localized variations in climate impact and human response. One of the most common responses of prehistoric groups to increasing aridity was to retreat and concentrate in environmentally favourable areas with more abundant resources, known as refugia. The TARGYT project investigates the role of the central Al-Hajar Mountains in Oman as a potential refugium for prehistoric humans during arid climatic phases by investigating sediment-filled karst depressions (sing. hayl; pl. huyul) as unique geoarchives in combination with prehistoric artefacts. The center of the study area is the Hayl Ajah polje situated in an intermountain corridor between the Jebel Al-Kawr and the Jebel Al-Ghul. It is hypothesized that such features provided water retention, vegetation, pedological resources and more stable ecological conditions, thus attracting prehistoric groups and facilitating human occupation in the mountain range during dry periods. The project aims to test the Al-Hajar Refugium Hypothesis implying that such mountain sites became occupied (either seasonally or more permanently) when lowland areas became uninhabitable. Lithic assemblages found at Hayl Ajah, some even in stratigraphic context, indicate human presence since at least the Middle Paleolithic, with significant activity also during the Late Neolithic and Bronze Age. Excavations and sedimentological analyses suggest a dynamic interplay between human activity and environmental changes. Huyul have influenced the movements of humans and animals in past times, reinforcing the mountain site’s importance for subsistence. The project has two primary objectives: (1) reconstructing the past environmental conditions at elevations of 1000–2000 m to evaluate the capacity of the raised places to support human populations during arid phases and (2) investigating the prehistoric occupation patterns in the region. The research integrates data from hydrogeology, sedimentology, geochemistry, micro-palaeontology, archaeology and ethnography to assess the feasibility of long-term habitation in mountain refugia. Ultimately, this study aims to contribute to broader discussions on prehistoric human adaptability, resilience, and survival strategies in arid environments, emphasizing the role of localized microclimates and environmental niches in shaping the human prehistory of Arabia. The close interrelation of archaeological and palaeoenvironmental data from one and the same site in this understudied region will fundamentally improve what we know to date about the history of cultural response to environmental change in southeastern Arabia.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Czech Republic
• Partner Organisation: Czech Science Foundation
• Cooperation Partner: Dr. Inna Mateiciucová