The Neolithic period in the Central Region of the Emirate of Sharjah (UAE)

Stratified sites at Jebel Faya in the Central Region of the Emirate of Sharjah provide evidence for successive ‘facies’ of the Neolithic period. The oldest facies — found at FAY-NE 1 — yielded 14C dates in the late ninth millennium cal BC and is characterised by blade arrowheads which are morphologically similar to PPNB points. With 14C dates from the late eighth and early seventh millennia cal BC, a techno-complex of large flint artefacts from FAY-NE10 represents the second Neolithic facies in the area. A sheep tooth from FAY-NE10, associated to the third facies — characterised by trihedral rods — provides evidence for a Neolithic economy. The respective layer contains numerous small fragments of cremated human bone. It dates to around 6000 cal BC. The fourth facies corresponds to the well-known ‘Arabian Bifacial Tradition’ and has radiocarbon dates from just before 5000 cal BC to just after 4000 cal BC. The Final Neolithic — found at shell-middens on the coast of the Gulf of Oman — is to date not represented in the interior.