The Sociocultural Context of Funerary Practices in the Arabian Neolithic - Noura Hamad Al Hameli

The Sociocultural Context of Funerary Practices in the Arabian Neolithic: The Burials of MR11, United Arab Emirates Noura Hamad Al Hameli, Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi The most recent seasons of excavation on MR11 - Area F have led to the discovery of several interments inside the cells of the main structure. This season uncovered the UAE’s oldest example of a primary Neolithic interment within a central cell of the building. Several other individuals have been buried in the neighboring cell of the structure, with a minimum count of at least five individuals in one single cell. Radiocarbon dates have placed the associated deposits at around 5700 cal BC, which also provides an earlier date for the MR11 settlement. This lecture will focus on the possible mortuary rituals observed from Area F along with some key finds from the season, and place this within the broader context of the Neolithic burials in the region.