Situated on the plain formed by the confluence of the Wādī Seyfām and the Wādī Bahlā, the Archaeological site of Salut occupies a key position in a cultural landscape characterised by favourable water and soil conditions that supported continuous settlement from the late fourth millennium BCE into the later Iron Age. The settlement is among the best documented remains of the Iron Age in Oman.

Excavations since 2004 by the Italian Mission to Oman (IMTO) of the University of Pisa have revealed well-preserved stone and mudbrick architecture, date-palm derived organic remains, and early irrigation features. In addition to architecture, the site shows evidence of bronze-metal working, pottery production, and trade links that extended into Mesopotamian and Persian cultural spheres. Salut thus functions as a critical node for understanding the development of oasis-based societies, water management systems (aflāj), and fortified settlements in the southeastern Arabian Peninsula during the Bronze Age and Iron Age.

circa

According to Omani legend, the origins of both the site and its name, Salut, are bound to the age of Solomon, son of David. During one of his celestial journeys, Solomon is said to have descended upon the plain that would bear this name. From the heavens he beheld a lonely fortress inhabited only by an eagle, and upon setting foot on the desolate ground he uttered words of blessing—salūt, an invocation of peace and prosperity—which thereafter gave the place its name. Moved by the barrenness of the land, Solomon commanded the jinn to carve deep channels through the earth—vast aflāj—to bring water and life back to the plain. These channels, legend holds, became the hidden veins of Salut’s enduring fertility.

Centuries later, the same plain became the stage of the renowned Battle of Salut, a defining moment in Omani historical tradition. Here the Arab tribe of Azd, led by Mālik bin Fahm, faced the Persian forces whose ranks included war elephants. Mālik’s victory ended Persian control and, in the symbolic memory of Oman, opened the land—once blessed by Solomon—to its independent destiny and to the light of the emerging faith of Islam.

Archaeological evidence, however, indicates that human occupation at Salut began during the Bronze Age. Settlements date from the end of the fourth millennium BCE, with one of the tower structures (designated ST1) west of the main “Hisn Salut” (Salut Castle) area dated to approximately 2450–2100/2000 BCE. These early towers exhibit monumental masonry techniques using large stone blocks and central wells, reflecting permanent settlement and developed water management in the third millennium BCE. During this phase, human activity included the construction of cairn-tombs on the surrounding hills, notably Jabal Salut, and the creation of rock-inscriptions depicting horsemen, suggesting both ritual and mortuary practices.

A transition into the Iron Age occurred around circa 1300 BCE. At Salut, this phase saw extensive architectural activity: mudbrick and stone buildings arranged around courtyards, terraced construction platforms, and date-palm beams preserved in situ. Archaeobotanical and architectural evidence indicates the surrounding plain supported irrigated palm gardens. In the later Iron Age, from circa 650 BCE onward, distinct changes are visible in ceramic forms and material culture, including Persian-influenced pottery profiles, Mesopotamian-style wares, and incense burners. Around this time, a substantial fortification wall was constructed to enclose the settlement. The sequence of archaeological phases at Salut reflects a long continuity of occupation — from early Bronze Age tower-settlement to an Iron Age fortified settlement of regional socio-economic significance. The site provides the chronological and cultural framework used to define the Iron Age sequence of southeastern Arabia.

circa

Systematic archaeological work at Salut began in 2004 under the Italian Mission to Oman (IMTO) of the University of Pisa. Excavations and surveys have employed a multidisciplinary approach integrating archaeology, architectural conservation, geoarchaeology, and hydrological studies. Researchers have documented and conserved both dry-stone walls and mudbrick structures, revealing the settlement’s complex internal organisation. Among the most significant discoveries are the large stone fortification wall of the Iron Age settlement, residential complexes centred on courtyards, and landscape terraces used as construction platforms. Well-preserved date-palm beams and associated implements point to the development of irrigated date-palm gardens.

A particularly notable discovery is an early irrigation channel of the aflaj type, which drew water from a source over two kilometres away at a depth of about twelve metres — one of the earliest such systems known in Arabia. Material finds include abundant Iron Age pottery, soft-stone vessels, bronze tools and weapons, and objects shaped as snakes, which are thought to hold ritual significance. Salut has become a type-site for the Iron Age in eastern Arabia, its stratified sequence and radiocarbon dates serving as chronological anchors for the region.

Recent work has focused on conservation and public presentation, including the establishment of a visitor centre and curated display spaces designed to make the site accessible to both researchers and the public. The recognition of the “Cultural Landscape of Bisya and Salut” on Oman’s UNESCO Tentative List underscores the site’s exceptional importance for understanding the formation of early oasis societies and the technological innovations that sustained them.

circa 2457–2150 BCE

Tower ST1
Tower ST1 at the Salut archaeological site in Oman is a monumental Early Bronze Age circular stone tower, approximately 22 meters in diameter, dating to the latter half of the third millennium BCE (circa 2457–2150 BCE). Excavated by the Italian Mission to Oman (IMTO) since 2010, the structure is notable for its intricate system of water management, which includes a central well and a concentric, 11-13 meter-wide ditch. This hydraulic infrastructure suggests a sophisticated adaptation to climatic changes toward a drier period, particularly evident in the successive phases of well construction and ditch use during the Early Bronze Age occupation. Material culture recovered from sealed contexts, including locally produced pottery and imports from the Indus Valley such as seals and beads, provides compelling evidence of Salut's role in long-distance trade networks, facilitating cultural exchange between interior Omani region and the wider Indian Ocean sphere. The subsequent Early Iron Age re-occupation of the site, which involved enlarging the central well and limited settlement activity around the filled-in ditch, further illustrates the site's long-term strategic importance within the broader cultural landscape of southeastern Arabia.

circa 1300–300 BCE

Salut Castle
The Salut archaeological site is centered on the prominent Iron Age fortification complex, known as Husn Salut, which sits atop a rocky hill. Excavations have revealed a multi-period sequence of occupation at the site, with the most significant architectural features attributed to the Early and Late Iron Ages, circa 1300–300 BCE. The Iron Age citadel, built of stone and mud-brick, is surrounded by a massive stone wall and features a large, brick platform on its summit, which may have served a ritual or communal function.

Complementing the elevated fort is the contemporaneous settlement of Qaryat Salut in the plain below, characterized by extensive terracing, sophisticated water management via an early falaj irrigation system, and a planned layout demonstrating a well-organized society. The entire complex, including the defensive structures, urban planning, and waterworks, provides critical evidence for the indigenous technological adaptations and socio-political organization of Iron Age oasis communities in southeastern Arabia. Restoration efforts, conducted in conjunction with ongoing archaeological campaigns by the Italian Mission to Oman (IMTO), aim to preserve these fragile structures and enhance understanding of Salut's central role in regional pre-Islamic history.