Pixels, Stones and Bones : Having fun in Nafun
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| Year of publication | 2026 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Citation | |
| Description | This paper presents the results and methodological framework of digital documentation of a prehistoric cultural landscape in the Nafun region (Oman), conducted as part of an archaeological expedition focused on long-term human occupation from the Palaeolithic to recent Bedouin activities. The study area encompasses a highly diverse environment extending from coastal zones with shell middens, across desert and hilly terrain, to wadis beneath mountain ranges, where elements of a sacral landscape are concentrated. Particular attention is devoted to complexes of stone monuments (triliths) and associated tombs containing both Neolithic and Iron Age burials. Due to the absence of a pre-existing standardized documentation strategy, a new methodology was designed and implemented, based on a hierarchical stratigraphy of documentation. This approach systematically links multiple scales of observation, ranging from individual artefacts recovered during excavation, through detailed and contextual recording of rock art, archaeological trenches, and hidden cultural features in the landscape (such as tombs, triliths, and other stone structures), up to the comprehensive documentation of the landscape as a whole. The methodology integrates aerial photogrammetry of selected landscape segments, 3D scanning of key features, and systematic photographic recording, with an emphasis on their integration within a unified data environment. The workflow was further applied to the ongoing excavation of a tomb containing a high concentration of human skeletal remains, enabling spatial reconstruction and analysis of depositional processes. The resulting data structure provides a foundation for the development of a digital archaeological reserve, supporting both analytical research and public dissemination through a virtual exhibition accessible on a global scale. The paper discusses the potential and limitations of this approach in the study and presentation of complex cultural landscapes. |
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