Archaeologists working on Oman’s southern coastline have uncovered what they believe is a stepped pyramid dating to the Neolithic period, a find that could reshape current understanding of early trade across the Arabian Peninsula.

The structure stands at Khawr Kharfut, a remote site overlooking the Arabian Sea in Oman’s Dhofar.

Excavations in the area have been going on since 2014 under the direction of the Archaeological Research Institute in Indiana, with financial support from the Khor Kharfut Foundation and private donors, according to Muscat Daily.

Excavation work carried out during the 2023 and 2024 seasons revealed a carefully built northern wall featuring stepped masonry.

Although time has taken its toll on the structure, the elevated mound remains a striking landmark above the coastline.

Its commanding position has led researchers to suggest that it may have served ceremonial, administrative or other important communal purposes.

Artefacts recovered from the site indicate that Khawr Kharfut was occupied primarily during the fourth millennium BCE.

Among the most significant discoveries are stone vessels that closely resemble examples associated with the Anu ziggurat in Mesopotamia during the Warka period, dated between roughly 3800 and 3400 BCE.

Researchers say a fragment of a stone vessel found on the pyramid’s northern slope may provide an important clue in linking the monument to that same era.

Pottery collected during the excavation includes plain red and brown wares, vessels decorated with fingernail impressions, and occasional fragments of imported glazed ceramics.

Together, these finds point to a community that combined local craftsmanship with participation in wider exchange networks.

Decorative patterns found on several pieces also show similarities with pottery traditions from southern Mesopotamia and inland regions of South Arabia.

Based on the evidence uncovered so far, archaeologists believe Khawr Kharfut may have functioned as both a ceremonial centre and a strategic meeting point for inland and maritime communities.

The settlement appears to have connected the incense-producing highlands of Dhofar with trading routes extending across the Arabian Sea and into Mesopotamia.

“The discovery points to a long-term, organised, symbolically charged settlement utilising far-reaching trade networks into Mesopotamia and probably elsewhere,” the researchers wrote in their study, published in Athar, the bulletin of archaeological research in Oman.

The surrounding landscape would have offered clear advantages to ancient inhabitants.

Sheltered waters, freshwater springs, nearby lagoons and plentiful woodland created one of the most favourable natural environments along this stretch of the Arabian Sea coast.

These resources likely supported repeated seasonal visits, maritime activity and sustained human occupation over many centuries.

Further work is now planned to establish a more precise timeline for the site.

Researchers intend to carry out radiocarbon dating and compare additional ceramic material from neighbouring regions, efforts they hope will clarify the settlement’s place in the broader story of Neolithic societies in South Arabia and the ancient Near East.