Small, irregular isolated bones identified as remains of leatherback turtles (Dermochelys
coriacea) were recovered from Mid to Late Holocene sites at Ra's al-Hamra and Ra's
al-Hadd, coastal Oman. These provide the third instance of this animal being documented
from any prehistoric site anywhere, and the records provide one of the oldest, if
not the oldest, dates for this distinctive chelonian-even though they do not refer
to fossils. Decades of research in this region has yielded vast amounts of archeological
information, including abundant evidence of intense exploitation and utilization of
marine turtles from about 6,500 to 4,000 BP. During part of this period, turtle remains
in human burials have been extraordinary; the turtle involved, Chelonia mydas, has
been abundant in the region during modern times. Yet despite intense and varied forms
of prehistoric marine resource exploitation, and major, long-term archeological work,
no other turtle species has been previously authenticated from these, or other coastal
sites. The documentation of remains of the largest and most distinctive of living
marine turtles, D. coriacea, at Ra's al-Hamra and Ra's al-Hadd, presented herein,
provide detailed information that serves as the basis for future interpretations and
discussions regarding incomplete, disarticulated remains from the Mid to Late Holocene,
particularly in reference to taphonomic questions and diverse environmental conditions.
