![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LACQL4LPGJD2HKITROTD3MHDNQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=cbfa921ca5982ec211666c908217c54107481077ded9413c860b512ac83ff372&width=400&height=225)
Excavation continues at the Bat site.
In September 2021, a settlement area was discovered in Bat by Omani and New York University archaeologists. All photos: Bat Archaeological Project
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JA6NIBJ6IJHLHCFFBOFSOME6LE.jpg?smart=true&auth=9dcd8492e06892fbadb9430999916a22f19c03e0da4b1010a47f38f778a7361d&width=400&height=225)
Tombs discovered in Oman’s Ibri province confirm a trade route ran between the sultanate’s coastal and interior regions from 300 BC, the country’s Ministry of Heritage and Tourism said.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NERWTBIU5BEGJGKGZWACFJOLCQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=c51eca021f272c6dfc77de6056156ad238bfdcb3163f6f6805a5a1f9490ab63e&width=400&height=225)
Excavation is under way at the Bat site.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/7AQXLWOPHBHTDGHNOEJQTLVO2Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=f2a661f2ae3040c7a7016c8c3414d18700764c9ec214492b958981ec044198a3&width=400&height=225)
A team member carefully digs out a tanoor, or hearth, at the site.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DUZMZYHQ35DHRB7XXGLACZGIYQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=76a417bb270353a985c01efb4656670bba1e4ed3f79bba77850bdb6abca2711b&width=400&height=225)
Excavation is under way at the Bat site.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/T3RHFMV2ZBH3DOXUVVNODFWG6M.jpg?smart=true&auth=4c7472791ba1011a230f27689b4c68047f87d4ec4d9ade16e16b9670f70a63cd&width=400&height=225)
Excavation continues at the Bat site.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PSMBXAJHCNCVXHOFPPFTYESEOE.jpg?smart=true&auth=beb6fd25ad5e41d47efcc6b43c977703bbd497915646c7bcf3c2fd782907c4ce&width=400&height=225)
Civilisation thrived at the Bat site for about 1,000 years, archaeologists estimate.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NQRB5NMLMJHZRCFFZZKJN4HNEM.jpg?smart=true&auth=68acd957f12cd4e17de5e00717ca045948af057edd4812628b8a7116ea83abba&width=400&height=225)
Excavation continues at the Bat site.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NOTAZZWZB5E6JIHDNDIP3L2GH4.jpg?smart=true&auth=9cc13aebe2b3b0f299d016f3f23639b0c0aee3724a28b9b1b364a0e561329f74&width=400&height=225)
Archaeologists view a portion of the Bat site.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HM4SJTHFPNBEHDFD7BCWTHRCOM.jpg?smart=true&auth=50d0da275be077f72d0ac41f63de853c961df71aa5e339e990b56109267c269f&width=400&height=225)
Archaeologists dig at the Bat site.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2B256NKE7VHR7HKKZWVTJNJBWM.jpg?smart=true&auth=54f3968e915d401372dc24602ab87582f46470a7c782f33f7785b5cb71c53230&width=400&height=225)
Excavation is under way at the Bat site.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NOSAX6DCA5CFZKJ3IA3Z2SCW7Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=cb3512dd9efd7a4f258b4813f34d85cfba4e7c16d0c290c21217832cef1e860e&width=400&height=225)
Some members of the team have excavated at Bat for more than a decade.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LACQL4LPGJD2HKITROTD3MHDNQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=cbfa921ca5982ec211666c908217c54107481077ded9413c860b512ac83ff372&width=400&height=225)
Excavation continues at the Bat site.
In September 2021, a settlement area was discovered in Bat by Omani and New York University archaeologists. All photos: Bat Archaeological Project
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JA6NIBJ6IJHLHCFFBOFSOME6LE.jpg?smart=true&auth=9dcd8492e06892fbadb9430999916a22f19c03e0da4b1010a47f38f778a7361d&width=400&height=225)
Tombs discovered in Oman’s Ibri province confirm a trade route ran between the sultanate’s coastal and interior regions from 300 BC, the country’s Ministry of Heritage and Tourism said.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NERWTBIU5BEGJGKGZWACFJOLCQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=c51eca021f272c6dfc77de6056156ad238bfdcb3163f6f6805a5a1f9490ab63e&width=400&height=225)
Excavation is under way at the Bat site.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/7AQXLWOPHBHTDGHNOEJQTLVO2Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=f2a661f2ae3040c7a7016c8c3414d18700764c9ec214492b958981ec044198a3&width=400&height=225)
A team member carefully digs out a tanoor, or hearth, at the site.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DUZMZYHQ35DHRB7XXGLACZGIYQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=76a417bb270353a985c01efb4656670bba1e4ed3f79bba77850bdb6abca2711b&width=400&height=225)
Excavation is under way at the Bat site.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/T3RHFMV2ZBH3DOXUVVNODFWG6M.jpg?smart=true&auth=4c7472791ba1011a230f27689b4c68047f87d4ec4d9ade16e16b9670f70a63cd&width=400&height=225)
Excavation continues at the Bat site.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PSMBXAJHCNCVXHOFPPFTYESEOE.jpg?smart=true&auth=beb6fd25ad5e41d47efcc6b43c977703bbd497915646c7bcf3c2fd782907c4ce&width=400&height=225)
Civilisation thrived at the Bat site for about 1,000 years, archaeologists estimate.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NQRB5NMLMJHZRCFFZZKJN4HNEM.jpg?smart=true&auth=68acd957f12cd4e17de5e00717ca045948af057edd4812628b8a7116ea83abba&width=400&height=225)
Excavation continues at the Bat site.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NOTAZZWZB5E6JIHDNDIP3L2GH4.jpg?smart=true&auth=9cc13aebe2b3b0f299d016f3f23639b0c0aee3724a28b9b1b364a0e561329f74&width=400&height=225)
Archaeologists view a portion of the Bat site.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HM4SJTHFPNBEHDFD7BCWTHRCOM.jpg?smart=true&auth=50d0da275be077f72d0ac41f63de853c961df71aa5e339e990b56109267c269f&width=400&height=225)
Archaeologists dig at the Bat site.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2B256NKE7VHR7HKKZWVTJNJBWM.jpg?smart=true&auth=54f3968e915d401372dc24602ab87582f46470a7c782f33f7785b5cb71c53230&width=400&height=225)
Excavation is under way at the Bat site.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NOSAX6DCA5CFZKJ3IA3Z2SCW7Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=cb3512dd9efd7a4f258b4813f34d85cfba4e7c16d0c290c21217832cef1e860e&width=400&height=225)
Some members of the team have excavated at Bat for more than a decade.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LACQL4LPGJD2HKITROTD3MHDNQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=cbfa921ca5982ec211666c908217c54107481077ded9413c860b512ac83ff372&width=400&height=225)
Excavation continues at the Bat site.
Discovery in Oman could show what ancient people ate more than 2,000 years ago
Unesco World Heritage sites of Bat, Al Khutm and Al Ayn are home to thousands of tombs and settlement buildings
![Taylor Heyman](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F5c60134b-f9f8-4dd5-9d2d-00ef7a3f6346.png?smart=true&auth=e19f17b595b676da878b18ee5327771347d73e24eaef3558594029f94dc11a82&width=70&height=70)
Taylor Heyman
19 February, 2022
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