Settlement Dynamics and Coastal Change in the Arabian Gulf Neolithic: Wādī aḍ‐Ḍubayʿān (Qatar)

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper presents the results of archaeological investigations (2009–2014) at Wādī aḍ‐Ḍubayʿān (QNHER 141), a stratified littoral Neolithic site on the northwestern coast of Qatar. The site documents occupation from the late sixth to the late fourth millennium BCE , combining evidence from geophysics, excavation and radiocarbon dating. Early activity consists of ephemeral structures, hearths and pits located on elevated ground, associated with a modest assemblage of Ubaid‐related pottery and an expedient lithic industry. From the mid‐fifth millennium BCE, occupation shifted toward a developing palaeoshoreline, where alternating phases of marine deposition and human activity are preserved. Continued use into the fourth millennium BCE is marked by a substantial midden dominated by marine resources. These results indicate a flexible settlement system closely tied to Holocene sea‐level fluctuations that contribute to broader discussions around coastal adaptation and interaction networks in the Arabian Neolithic.