Multi-proxy dataset (pollen, NPPs, micro- and macro-charcoal) of Site KS54 in Al-Khashbah, north-central Oman

Multi-proxy data of five sites (KS3, KS5, KS52, KS54, KS55) were collected in order to investigate environmental changes and subsistence strategies during the Bronze Age (3200–1300 BC) in Al-Khashbah, north-central Oman. Five sediment profiles from anthropogenic contexts were analyzed using pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs), micro- and macro-charcoal to reconstruct vegetation dynamics, assess climate variability, and evaluate human land-use practices. The pollen record suggests increased arboreal presence between 2500 and 1600 cal yr BC, possibly reflecting greater moisture availability, while elevated charcoal inputs suggest intensified anthropogenic activity. Declines in woody taxa and charcoal after 1900 cal yr BC are consistent with increasing aridity. The presence of Phoenix dactylifera, cereals, Pistacia, and Solanum is consistent with the implementation of small-scale cultivation from the early 3rd millennium BC. Sporadic dung fungi suggest limited palynological evidence for livestock. Overall, the evidence indicates Bronze Age communities may have combined small-scale cultivation, pastoralism, and controlled fire use to adapt to increasingly arid conditions.