Answer · confidence: partial
How do Arabian Nubian dates compare to African ones, and were they double-checked?
Research question: How do the Arabian Nubian Complex luminescence dates compare with dated Nubian Complex sites in Africa, and what chronometric checks were run on the two estimates?
The two OSL estimates from Aybut Al Auwal in Oman date the Arabian Nubian Complex to about 106,000 years ago 1. African Nubian Complex sites are constrained within MIS 5, with late assemblages in its latter half 2, while the Arabian Nubian Complex falls in the first half of MIS 5 7. The late Arabian assemblage is placed in MIS 5c, slightly earlier than the late African sites 9. The records describe the 107 ka OSL age as only a minimum age for a Nubian core in buried deposits 15, and luminescence is one of several methods used for Nubian Complex sites 14, but the facts do not describe any specific replicate or cross-method checks run on the two Aybut Al Auwal estimates, so this part of the question is only partly answered 15. The newest facts date to 2024 1517.
Checked 2026-10-18. Only documented and supported facts are used.
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[1] documented
Two optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) age estimates from the Aybut Al Auwal site in Oman date the Arabian Nubian Complex to approximately 106,000 years ago.
"Two optically stimulated luminescence age estimates from the open-air site of Aybut Al Auwal in Oman place the Arabian Nubian Complex at ∼106,000 years ago, providing archaeological evidence for the presence of a distinct northeast African Middle Stone Age technocomplex in southern Arabia sometime in the first half of Marine Isotope Stage 5."The Nubian Complex of Dhofar, Oman: An African Middle Stone Age Industry in Southern Arabia
[2] documented
Numerical ages for Nubian Complex sites in northeast Africa are constrained within Marine Isotope Stage 5 (MIS 5), with late Nubian Complex assemblages falling in the latter half of this period.
"Numerical ages from Nubian Complex sites ( Table 1 ) are constrained within Marine Isotope Stage 5 (MIS 5), although temporal differences have been observed among assemblages... The early Nubian Complex roughly corresponds to early MIS 5, while numerical ages for the late Nubian Complex in northeast Africa fall in the latter half of MIS 5."The Nubian Complex of Dhofar, Oman: An African Middle Stone Age Industry in Southern Arabia
[3] documented
The Nubian Complex is known from Africa during Marine Isotope Stage 5, spanning approximately 128,000 to 74,000 years ago.
"Here we report the discovery of a buried site and more than 100 new surface scatters in the Dhofar region of Oman belonging to a regionally-specific African lithic industry - the late Nubian Complex - known previously only from the northeast and Horn of Africa during Marine Isotope Stage 5, ∼128,000 to 74,000 years ago."The Nubian Complex of Dhofar, Oman: An African Middle Stone Age Industry in Southern Arabia
[4] documented
The early Nubian Complex assemblage at Sai Island in northern Sudan overlies a Lupemban occupation layer dated to between approximately 180 and 150 thousand years ago.
"This supposition is supported by the early Nubian Complex assemblage at Sai Island, northern Sudan, which overlies a Lupemban occupation layer dated to between ∼180 and 150 ka."The Nubian Complex of Dhofar, Oman: An African Middle Stone Age Industry in Southern Arabia
[5] documented
Two optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) age estimates from the site of Aybut Al Auwal in Oman date the Arabian Nubian Complex to approximately 106,000 years ago.
"Two optically stimulated luminescence age estimates from the open-air site of Aybut Al Auwal in Oman place the Arabian Nubian Complex at ∼106,000 years ago, providing archaeological evidence for the presence of a distinct northeast African Middle Stone Age technocomplex in southern Arabia sometime in the first half of Marine Isotope Stage 5."The Nubian Complex of Dhofar, Oman: An African Middle Stone Age Industry in Southern Arabia - PMC
[6] documented
Numerical ages for Nubian Complex sites in northeast Africa are constrained within Marine Isotope Stage 5 (MIS 5), with late Nubian Complex assemblages falling in the latter half of this period.
"Numerical ages from Nubian Complex sites ( Table 1 ) are constrained within Marine Isotope Stage 5 (MIS 5), although temporal differences have been observed among assemblages... The early Nubian Complex roughly corresponds to early MIS 5, while numerical ages for the late Nubian Complex in northeast Africa fall in the latter half of MIS 5."The Nubian Complex of Dhofar, Oman: An African Middle Stone Age Industry in Southern Arabia - PMC
[7] documented
The Arabian Nubian Complex dates to the first half of Marine Isotope Stage 5, whereas late Nubian Complex assemblages in northeast Africa date to the latter half of MIS 5.
"Two optically stimulated luminescence age estimates from the open-air site of Aybut Al Auwal in Oman place the Arabian Nubian Complex at ∼106,000 years ago, providing archaeological evidence for the presence of a distinct northeast African Middle Stone Age technocomplex in southern Arabia sometime in the first half of Marine Isotope Stage 5... The early Nubian Complex roughly corresponds to early "The Nubian Complex of Dhofar, Oman: An African Middle Stone Age Industry in Southern Arabia - PMC
[8] documented
The Nubian Complex is known previously only from the northeast and Horn of Africa during Marine Isotope Stage 5, which spans approximately 128,000 to 74,000 years ago.
"Here we report the discovery of a buried site and more than 100 new surface scatters in the Dhofar region of Oman belonging to a regionally-specific African lithic industry - the late Nubian Complex - known previously only from the northeast and Horn of Africa during Marine Isotope Stage 5, ∼128,000 to 74,000 years ago."The Nubian Complex of Dhofar, Oman: An African Middle Stone Age Industry in Southern Arabia - PMC
[9] documented
The late Nubian Complex at Aybut Al Auwal in Oman is dated to Marine Isotope Stage 5c (MIS 5c), which is slightly earlier than the late Nubian Complex sites in Africa.
"As the late Nubian Complex at Aybut Al Auwal is dated to MIS 5c, slightly earlier than the late Nubian Complex in Africa [11] , we remain open to the possibility that the late Nubian Complex originated in Arabia, and subsequently spread back"The Nubian Complex of Dhofar, Oman: An African Middle Stone Age Industry in Southern Arabia
[10] documented
The early Nubian Complex roughly corresponds to early Marine Isotope Stage 5 (MIS 5), while numerical ages for the late Nubian Complex in northeast Africa fall in the latter half of MIS 5.
"The early Nubian Complex roughly corresponds to early MIS 5, while numerical ages for the late Nubian Complex in northeast Africa fall in the latter half of MIS 5."The Nubian Complex of Dhofar, Oman: An African Middle Stone Age Industry in Southern Arabia
[11] documented
The early Nubian Complex assemblage at Sai Island in northern Sudan overlies a Lupemban occupation layer dated to between approximately 180 and 150 thousand years ago.
"This supposition is supported by the early Nubian Complex assemblage at Sai Island, northern Sudan, which overlies a Lupemban occupation layer dated to between ∼180 and 150 ka."The Nubian Complex of Dhofar, Oman: An African Middle Stone Age Industry in Southern Arabia
[12] documented
The OSL dating of aeolian deposits at the Bayuda Desert settlement places it in the time bracket of 62–17 ka.
"OSL dating of the aeolian deposits filling the depression dates the settlement back to the time bracket of 62–17 ka."OSL/IRSL estimation for Nubian Complex Middle Stone Age settlement from Bayuda Desert in Sudan - ScienceDirect
[13] documented
Nubian Levallois reduction has been identified across much of northeastern Africa, while in Arabia it is known from southern Oman, eastern Yemen, and central Saudi Arabia.
"In Arabia, sites with Nubian Levallois reduction are known from southern Oman, eastern Yemen, and central Saudi Arabia, while in Africa this reduction method has been identified across much of the northeastern continent."Nubian technology in northern Arabia: Impact on interregional variability of Middle Paleolithic industries (2015)
[14] supported
Table 1 lists luminescence methods (TL and OSL) among the dating methods used for Nubian Complex sites, alongside radiocarbon, ESR, U-series and amino acid racemization.
"Datingmethodabbreviationsare:radiocarbon(14C),thermoluminescence(TL),opticallystimulatedluminescence(OSL),electronspinresonance(ESR)"The Nubian Complex of Dhofar, Oman: An African Middle Stone Age Industry in Southern Arabia (2011)
[15] supported
Aybut Al Auwal TH.59 in Arabia provides an OSL age of 107 ka, which serves only as a minimum age for a Nubian core in buried deposits.
"Aybut Al Auwal TH.59 107 OSL Minimum age for Nubian core in buried deposits [8]"A Synthesis and Critical Inventory of Nubian Cores in Middle Stone Age and Middle Palaeolithic Assemblages (2024)
[16] documented
Luminescence dating places the fluvial sediments near the foot of the Tuwayq Escarpment at about 54 and 39 thousand years ago, which suggests increased rainfall during MIS 3 in the general area.
"dated to ca. 54 and 39 kya and provide some indication of increased rainfall during MIS 3 in the general area [79]."A Nubian Complex Site from Central Arabia: Implications for Levallois Taxonomy and Human Dispersals during the Upper Pleistocene (2013)
[17] supported
At Affad-23 in Sudan, earlier ages of 16–15 ka were rejected as problematic, and the accepted OSL ages are 57–54 ka.
"16–15 ka were rejected as problematic"A Synthesis and Critical Inventory of Nubian Cores in Middle Stone Age and Middle Palaeolithic Assemblages (2024)
[18] documented
The OSL age estimates for the Ghazal, Khumseen and Al-hatab rock shelters range from about 7-10 ka, 8-10 ka and 2-20 ka respectively.
"The OSL ages are given between ~7-10 ka for Ghazal, ~8-10 ka for Khumseen and ~2-20 ka for Al-hatab."Single-grain optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of terminal Pleistocene and early Holocene human occupation sites in the Dhofar region of Oman (2012)
[19] supported
The Early Nubian Complex in Africa dates to approximately early MIS 5 and is marked by the predominance of Nubian Type 2 cores and lanceolate-shaped bifaces and foliates.
"approximatelytoearlyMIS5andismarkedbythepredominance"A Nubian Complex Site from Central Arabia: Implications for Levallois Taxonomy and Human Dispersals during the Upper Pleistocene (2013)
[20] documented
The combined US-ESR dating of the hippo tooth WU1601 gives an age of 103 ka with an asymmetric uncertainty of +10/-9 ka.
"resulting in an age of 103 + 10/-9 ka."Homo sapiens in Arabia by 85,000 years ago (2018)
[21] supported
The ESR dose-rate calculation for the tooth used an external sediment dose rate taken from an OSL sample (PD40) and an alpha efficiency of 0.13 ± 0.02.
"external sediment (beta and gamma) dose rate from the OSL sample PD40, a depth of 25 ± 10 cm"Homo sapiens in Arabia by 85,000 years ago (2018)