Archaeologists have uncovered a significant Iron Age fortified settlement high in the Al-Hajar Mountains of Oman. The site, dating back approximately 3,000 years, features complex stone defensive walls and residential quarters that suggest a highly organized society capable of managing scarce water resources in an arid environment.
The excavation team utilized Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to map the rugged terrain, revealing a network of watchtowers that protected the settlement's terraced agriculture. This discovery provides new insights into the defensive strategies and socio-political structures of ancient South Arabian civilizations before the rise of the maritime trade empires.