University of Bologna Excavations at HD-7: first radiocarbon results from the Early Bronze Age necropolis in Ra's al-Hadd (Sultanate of Oman)

This contribution presents the first radiocarbon determinations from the Early Bronze Age necropolis of HD-7 at Ra's al-Hadd, Sultanate of Oman. Excavations at HD-7 investigate collective stone cairns regarded as a local variant of the "Hafit tomb" tradition. Because collagen preservation in human bone proved inadequate, four charcoal samples from key stratigraphic contexts in two tomb clusters were selected for radiocarbon dating. The results confirm that funerary use of HD-7 began early in the third millennium and continued for several centuries, overlapping the classic Umm an-Nar horizon. Beyond supplying initial absolute anchors for the cemetery's complex sequence, the programme refines sampling strategies for future dating and tightens chronological links with neighbouring settlement sites in Oman.