Preliminary comparative lithic analyses from the Neolithic sites of Marawah and Ghagha islands (emirate of Abu Dhabi, UAE)

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The lithic assemblages presented here come from two archaeological sites on Marawah and Ghagha islands (emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates): the welldated stratified Neolithic sites of MR11 and GHG0014. Lithics from both sites are homogenous but show clear differences between each other. This probably implies a cultural change in a time range of a few centuries between the two main occupations on the two islands. Ghagha GHG0014, which is older (mid-7th millennium BC), yielded an industry of bifacial thin or thicker projectiles with no trihedral points, nor tile knifes. Marawah MR11, which gave younger dates (mid-6th millennium BC), shows the use of rather opportunistic tile knives and highly-refined arrowhead technology from various types, from the typical South Arabian trihedral points to the more ubiquitous bifacial barbed and tanged arrowheads with symmetric or asymmetric flat sections. The lithic assemblages are also associated with a strong tradition of organised settlements made of perennial houses/buildings which span several centuries. These lithic assemblages represent a unique opportunity to understand better the evolution of regional lithic traditions on the scale of Southeast Arabia and the whole Arabian Peninsula.