Fragrances for the afterlife

The present contribution is concerned with four examples of terracotta incense burners found in tomb LCG-2 in Dibbā al-Bayah (Sultanate of Oman). Large Collective Grave 2 (LCG-2) is a corridor-shaped structure and is dated from the Middle Iron Age (1000-800 BC) to the PIR (Pré-Islamique Récente) period (250 BC-400 AD). Two of the artefacts belong to the category of decorated cuboid terracotta incense burners, which are widespread in Arabia and the Near and Middle East and represent the basic form of these containers. In contrast, the other two are original examples due to their small size, the decoration of their external surfaces, and the preservation of the lid in one of them. The following study sets out to provide a contextual framework for understanding the significance of the artefacts in question. To this end, it traces the tradition of incense burners in southern Arabia, and particularly the diffusion of this specific container from Dhofar to the northern coasts of the Oman Peninsula.

Afterlife · funerary archaeology · Grave goods · Incense · Ancient and Medieval Archaeology Studies · Archaeology and Historical Studies · Global Maritime and Colonial Histories

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