Global Arab Network | Oman - the land of Frankincense and civilizations

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Oman - the land of Frankincense and civilizations

Global Arab Network - - Mohamed Tamer

Tuesday, 12 May 2009 00:46

Oman_-_the_land_of_Frankincense_and_civilization

The geographical location of Oman is the main point of contact with other nations and civilizations, and enables the Omanies, with their neighbors, to shape the historical events in their region. In many regions of Oman different forms of coastal settlements, dating back to the Stone Age, have been discovered. Archaeological evidence has confirmed the existence of such settlements. The discovery of agriculture, animal domestication and primitive production such as spinning, weaving, pottery and the making of metal tools, followed by the spread of the copper mining industry and trading with other countries like Mesopotamia, India and China, have chronicled Oman’s strategic role through the pages of history to modern times.

Dhofar, the Land of Frankincense has remained, since the earliest times, as the principle source of production and exportation of the finest and most famous varieties of incense. This land had numerous names: the land of A’ad, the country of Punt and the country of Al-Shahr. It is assumed that Ahqaf (or sandy land), mentioned in the Holy Quran represented the Dhofar region. The area was well known by the Pharaohs, Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Persians, Hindus and Chinese. The Greeks referred to the coast as “Omana”. Others called it by different names and established trade relations, describing its coast as the “frankincense coast’.

The city of Al-Baleed is in Salalah on the coastal strip between A1-Dhariz and Al-Haffa, covering an area of (640.000) Al-Baleed is the historically late name for a medieval town, the name of which is transcribed variously as, Dhofar, Zafar etc. Archaeological excavations have shown that there was an Iron Age settlement here. It most probably survived for a long period afterwards, despite the lack of a specific mention in Ptolmy’s Geography.

The recent excavation has shown that the site was inhabited in the pre-Islamic period. Since its origins, circa 2,000 BC in the Bronze Age and its continued rise in the late Iron Age, it was a key centre, which dominated the East African, Indian and Chinese trade, Both Arab and European historical references indicate that it was rebuilt a number of times from the 4th century AH (10th century AD) to its final demise at approximately 618AH (l22l AD).

The site was first pictured in 1930, and first dug out in 1952 by an American Mission. In 1977, the Ministry of Heritage and Culture conducted a survey program on AL-Baleed. The office of Advisers for Cultural Affairs has launched a comprehensive program of restoration and development.

International archaeological missions have for many decades expressed their intimate interest in the archaeological treasures of Oman.

Salut

The historical importance of Salut is directly linked to the beginning of the history of Oman; and thus related to the early arrival of the Arab tribes from other parts of Arabia. The site is also linked to the early evidence of the Aflaj system in the Omani peninsula.

The archaeological site of Salut lies on a rocky outcrop (about 20.45 m above the lever of the surrounding plain) in the middle of an ancient oasis, which covered a large area in the western part of a valley, crossed by wadi Bahla and wadi Sayfam.

After the first campaigns, the Iron period of Salut (from the 1400 to 600 BC) came to light. Surely, Salut is one of the most important sites for the knowledge of this period, so far not well known, in Eastern Arabia.

However, during this last campaign, more significant evidence has been discovered during the excavation. A large circular stone structure has been uncovered directly under the surface of the platform, which indicates a much earlier phase of the settlement in the early Bronze Age, third millennium BC.

We had a clarification of the plan of the Early Bronze Age structure: It is a large circular structure, located on what would have been the highest point on the hilltop, with concentric walls, with a diameter of about 12 meters. It is a monumental tomb where human remains have been found. There are sufficiently long bones to show that it had been placed in a flexed position.

A number of interesting finds were recovered also from nearby, beads, bronze pin and a white stone mace-head. The structure foundations lie directly on the bedrock and the structure has been covered by the Iron mud-brick surface.

Furthermore, it has been recognized on the east side of the site, which represents the steepest slope of the hill, a large buttress built against the outside wall. Preliminary clearing on the slope has, however, already revealed a substantial wall from the top of the hill.

The buttress and the wall reveal that it most probably dates back to the Bronze Age. During the further removal of collapsed stones, a possible door through the tower wall has been revealed. In front of the door, two alignments of huge natural stones could indicate a way to enter into the fortified site.

The large amount of artifices revealed during the excavations (stone and bronze tools, pottery vessels, votive objects, in particular snakes) as well as a mud-brick and stone structure of Salut, is a proof of the historical importance of the site in the History of Oman.

The archaeological relevance of Salut lies both in its developed fortification, the monumental architecture and in the use of a sophisticated irrigation system known as Aflaj.

Global Arab Network

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