A Preliminary Study of the Morphology and Spatial Distribution of Funerary Elements in the Southwestern Cemetery of Wadi al-Ma'awel, Oman

This study examines funerary morphologies and their spatial organization in the western and southwestern ceme- tery of Wadi al-Ma'awel, Oman, spanning the Wadi Suq and Iron Age periods. Using field surveys, remote sens- ing, and GIS analysis (Standard Deviation Ellipse method), we documented 185 funerary structures, primarily circular, rectangular, and ogival. Statistical analyses in R identified significant clustering related to cultural and environmental factors. Integrating these spatial indicators with geometric measurements in a random forest model significantly improved morphological classification accuracy. The results highlight the importance of spatial context in interpreting burial practices and provide a predictive framework for locating additional burial sites.