The Umm an-Nar period (2700-2000 BC) in Eastern Arabia is a time of fundamental changes in
subsistence resource exploitation and social complexity. In terms of material culture this
epoch is primarily known for its collective graves and monumental buildings so-called towers
which were the focus of previous archaeological research. Domestic architecture however
received much less attention. Therefore in October 2016 the conference Beyond Tombs and
Towers - Domestic Architecture of the Umm an-Nar Period in Eastern Arabia was held at Leiden
University in the Netherlands with the aim of addressing this research gap. The fourth volume
of the Arabia Orientalis series publishes the conference proceedings and includes participation
from scientists based in the Netherlands Germany France the USA and Oman. The manifold
contributions of the individual authors offer for the first time a comprehensive synopsis of
Umm-Nar period domestic architecture in Eastern Arabia. The proceedings cover the sites of Umm
an-Nar Island Wadi Jizzi Dahwa Bat Al-Zebah and Ras al-Jinz as well as addressing
overarching aspects surrounding domestic architecture in the region such as chronology
subsistence and the degree of sedentism of the population. Thus this volume provides
important insights into the way of life during this critical epoch on the Oman Peninsula.
