MUSCAT: “Identifying places vulnerable to natural calamities through archaeological surveys can help reduce the impact of adverse weather conditions. With archaeology, one can identify high-risk areas,” according to a Japanese professor. Prof Kondo Yasuhisa has been engaged in archaeological surveys in Oman for the past 17 years, focusing on Bat, Al Khutm, and Al Ayn in Al Dhahirah Governorate; Tanuf in Al Dakhiliyah Governorate; and Northern Musandam Governorate, as part of the national heritage inventory development under the auspices of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism (MoHT). Speaking to Oman Daily Observer, Prof Kondo, who delivered a keynote speech titled Potential Contribution of Archaeological Research to Disaster Risk Reduction in Oman, received widespread appreciation. He said this on the occasion of receiving the Japanese Foreign Minister's Commendation and highlighted that if Oman implements ideas tried and tested by countries vulnerable to natural calamities, it can significantly mitigate losses from such disasters.
“The potential risk of natural calamities is increasing due to global warming and man-made exploitation compared to the world before the 1950s," he said.
“There has been a gradual increase in the rate of global warming, which is the biggest risk mankind faces today. This is partly due to population growth, as expanding human settlements increase the risk of flooding," said the archaeologist, who is based at the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature and whose research is financially supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).
He cited Japan as an example of a country with much higher rainfall, where hazards are controlled locally through precautionary measures. “Excess water from rainfall is diverted to crop fields and lowlands, protecting human settlements,” he said.
“In our survey in Musandam Governorate, the northern part of Oman where archaeological surveys are limited, we found areas with high rainwater flow that lack the Aflaj, the traditional irrigation systems present on the mainland. In small terraced plots called wa’ab, rock walls were built to enclose areas for cultivating crops. Rural communities utilised floods in wet conditions to grow wheat and barley,” he explained.
“Downstream walls were built carefully and strongly enough to prevent water seepage, converting the area into farmland. The silt deposited downstream helped crops thrive. This allowed communities to live with flash floods and use them productively,” he added.
One of the most striking findings from his studies was the discovery of human occupation 4,000 years ago at Mugharat Al Kahf in Wadi Tanuf, where his team has been excavating for years.
“We have limited evidence of how they lived, but we know they had temporary occupations similar to the lifestyle of people in the area,” Prof Kondo said.
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