The size of Oman's archaeology and its wide distribution across the country implies that our growing knowledge about this heritage is still modest. This is a fact and a responsibility that cannot be ignored. Today, archaeology globally is regarded as an invaluable human heritage to be preserved for future generations. In addition, Oman's varied landscapes reveal ancient and diverse environmental and cultural settings. The Sultanate's need for a cadre of qualified professionals in this specialization is obvious.
Sultan Qaboos University's stated mission as a national center for education, training and research entails effective participation in the discovery, preservation and conservation of Oman's cultural and archaeological heritage.
Arising from this the Department of Archaeology is not only dedicated to training and qualifying Omanis, but also to linking the university with other international and regional institutions through research and joint archaeological endeavours. Equally, the Department is engaged in extensive cooperation with the Ministry of Heritage and Culture which has led to training Omanis, several salvage archaeology operations, and surveys or field investigations to rescue endangered archaeological sites.
Dr. Nasser Said Al-Jahwari