Ground Penetrating Radar Surveys to Detect Ancient Aflaj in the Hajar Region of Oman

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) shows limited but promising potential for detecting ancient aflaj irrigation channels in Oman's Hajar Region, though reliable detection remains challenging due to insufficient physical contrast with surrounding materials. While GPR successfully identified one previously unknown extension of a falaj during surveys near Bahla and Bisya, it failed to detect others even over known positions. Despite these limitations, the study highlights GPR's value in uncovering additional archaeological features, such as buried pits containing ancient pottery fragments. The research suggests that while aflaj detection via GPR is not consistently achievable, the method offers alternative insights into the Hajar Oasis Towns' subsurface structures.

Booth, A. D., Orchard, J. C., Orchard, J. J., & Bartlett, A. D. H. (2013). Ground Penetrating Radar Surveys to Detect Ancient Aflaj in the Hajar Region of Oman. Second International Conference on Engineering Geophysics. https://doi.org/10.3997/2214-4609.20131881