Dot-in-circle: An ethnoarchaeological approach to soft-stone vessel decoration

Discovery of the zahrah carving tool on a trip to the Ru'us al-Jibal/Musandam Peninsula provided the impetus for the following ethnoarchaeological examination. Ethnographic information recovered from numerous interviews is outlined in detail. The connection between the various carving tools used by the Shihuh tribes in this region and the dot-in-circle motif is investigated. Similar artefacts recovered from archaeological sites are also reviewed and implications discussed.