The International Journal of Nautical Archaeology (2019) 48.2: 314–334 doi: 10.1111/1095-9270.12370 Sewn-Plank Reconstructions of Oman: construction and documentation Eric Staples Zayed University, PO Box 144534, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates This paper discusses three medieval sewn-plank reconstructions undertaken in the Sultanate of Oman in the past 40 years: the Sohar, Jewel of Muscat, and al-Hariri Boat. It describes the specific methods of sewn-plank construction for each vessel and examines the diferent methods of documentation applied during the three projects. It concludes with a comparison of the data derived from single-wadding (al-Hariri Boat) and double-wadding (Jewel of Muscat) sewing techniques to highlight the diferences between the two methods and emphasize the importance of documenting such reconstructions. © 2019 The Author Key words: Experimental archaeology, sewn-plank, medieval, Indian Ocean, Oman. M aritime experimental reconstructions have been an essential part of the field of maritime archaeology from its infancy, when the first major nautical archaeology programme in North America, the Institute for Nautical Archaeology (INA), established the ship reconstruction laboratory in 1976 at Texas A&M University (Stefy, 2006). Since then, a wide variety of experimental archaeological reconstructions have been built, furthering our knowledge of ship construction and sailing performance in the past. However, it must be acknowledged that, until recently, the vast majority of reconstructions have been of European, Mediterranean, and North American vessels. 1 This reflects the historical bias of maritime archaeology in general, which, in spite of recent eforts, has focused in much greater depth on certain areas to the detriment of others. One only has to look at the 64 sewn-plank wrecks recorded in the Mediterranean as opposed to the two in the entire Indian Ocean to see the discrepancy (Pomey and Boetto, 2019). It is therefore no surprise that experimental reconstructions of indigenous Indian Ocean vessels only constitute a small percentage of experimental reconstructions in general. Although the number of such reconstructions is limited, they are nonetheless important for specialists of sewn-plank technology in that they constitute a significant portion of sewn-plank vessel reconstructions worldwide. The Sultanate of Oman, located on the southeastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula on the edge of the Indian Ocean, has played a particularly unique role in this regard. Although Oman has in fact been involved in a wide variety of maritime experimental reconstruction projects—from Bronze Age composite reed-bitumen-timber craft to more modern clench-nailed dhow replicas—the country has also undertaken a number of diferent sewn-plank experimental projects (Severin, 1985; Vosmer, 2000; Vosmer, 2001; Vosmer et al., 2011; Vosmer, 2011; Ghidoni, 2019). This paper provides an overview of the three medieval sewn-plank reconstruction projects that the Sultanate of Oman has undertaken in the past 40 years, Sohar, Jewel of Muscat and al-Hariri Boat projects, with a particular focus on the last two reconstructions. 2 It discusses issues relating to the construction and documentation of these sewn-plank reconstructions and compares single and double-wadding sewing techniques in order to address the following questions: First, what evidence did each project rely on for the basis of its design and construction? Second, what is the most appropriate method for documenting the process of sewing a boat? Third, how can the data derived from such reconstruction projects be used to further our understanding of sewn-plank technology? Sewn-plank vessels in Oman One of the reasons that the Sultanate of Oman has been so involved in sewn-plank reconstructions is that sewn-plank vessels have played a large role in Oman’s maritime history. Although sewn-plank methods of construction were present throughout much of the world for most of the pre-modern period, the sewn- plank method of construction is particularly relevant for the western Indian Ocean for at least the past two millennia (Prins, 1986; Staples and Blue, 2019). The Greco-Roman navigational treatise, Periplus Maris © 2019 The Authors. International Journal of Nautical Archaeology © 2019 The Nautical Archaeology Society. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford OX4 2DQ, UK and 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148, USA.