I have friends who have lived in Saudi Arabia for many years, and their tales of veiled women, sand and more sand, calls to prayer and minarets have intrigued me for years. Admittedly, I've been introduced to these various features of the Moslem world before, in Morocco, Algeria, Niger, Mali, Tunisia, Egypt, Sudan, Turkey, Syria, Jordan ... so I can't exactly say that I've been deprived of the opportunity to learn about many of the cultural aspects of Islamic countries.
In fact, I haven't been deprived of travel adventures in the past. It's just that now I am a pretty confident blogger and see Blogspot as a way to share the adventures easily. So much better than a slide show with captive friends, stale pretzels and mediocre wine.
But..hey.... ARABIA!
The romance of it all!
When Crow Canyon Archaeological put a trip to Oman on their list, regardless of the recession of 2010-2011, it was impossible to resist. Off I went with a group of 14 other travelers. Who wouldn't, after a brochure description like this:
"Nestled in the southeastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula is the Sultanate of Oman, the legendary land of frankincense. Only recently has archaeological research begun shedding light on Oman's distant past—from the first arrival of humans some 125,000 years ago to the development of a flourishing trading culture during medieval times. Today, oil-rich Oman has a stable government and economy, and its capital, Muscat, has been transformed into a thriving modern city. Yet, in the Omani countryside, the past is never far away.
In this extraordinary archaeological and historical tour, we explore Iron Age tombs, ancient frankincense trading centers, medieval fortified castles, and beautiful mosques. It's a once-in-a-lifetime journey that combines deep history, timeless beauty, and the traditional hospitality of the Arab people."
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| Where we went (northern portion of the trip) |
Below is a photo essay. I'm cribbing some of the prepared itinerary and putting in some links to webpages that will tell you more about particular sites. But photos are indeed worth a thousand words, so I hope this gives a flavor of the area.
Day 1 (November 7, 2011)
Muscat city tour, Grand Mosque, Old Muttrah Souq (traditional market), Bait Al Zubair Museum, Al Alam Palace, Iron Age site of Bausher
We departed on a morning tour of Muscat, including the Grand Mosque, which accommodates 20,000 worshippers.
We departed on a morning tour of Muscat, including the Grand Mosque, which accommodates 20,000 worshippers.
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| Sitting in one of the many ornate column features in the Grand Mosque: closest I'll ever come to a veil...(that's what I thought at the time, before I went to Iran...) |
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| A guard at the Grand Mosque |
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| Pattern in the beautiful carpets in the Grand Mosque |
Next, our group wandered through the
labyrinthine alleyways of the Old Muttrah Souq (a traditional Arab market
filled with exotic spices, perfumes and handicrafts)
A brief stop at at Al
Alam Palace, one of the official residences of the king. It was used as a
ceremonial palace by Sultan Qaboos
bin Said Al Said. This white, gold and blue palace is one of six
royal residences in the sultanate and is as a colorful example of modern
Islamic architecture.
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| Muscat Al Alam Palace royal crest |
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| Muscat Al Alam palace exit door |
A Visit to the Bait Al Zubar Museum, renowned for its magnificent collection of Omani artifacts, including beautiful jewelry and ornate khanjars (traditional Omani curved daggers).
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| The well, a recreation of old-timey days in Muscat: Bait Al Zubair museum |
Day 2: Muscat to Nizwa: En route, tour Nakhi and Rustaq forts, Al Ayn and the World Heritage site of Bat
Day 2: Muscat to Nizwa: En route, tour Nakhi and Rustaq forts, Al Ayn and the World Heritage site of Bat
We traveled by
four-wheel-drive vehicles through date palm orchards to a pre-Islamic
fort: Nakhi, which is known for its exquisite
carpets.
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| Nakhi: old fort Time then for lunch! |
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| Picnic lunch at a wadi |
Then it’s on to Al Ayn
and the World Heritage Site of Bat, where ancient beehive tombs and circular
towers dot the landscape. The site is
believed to be associated with the Bronze Age Umm an-Nar culture (2500-2000
B.C.).
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| Sunset at Nizwa |
Day 3: Nizwa and vicinity: Nizwa Fort, Jabrin Fort, Al Hamra, Hasat bin Sult (rock art), Misfah, Wadi Ghul, Wadi Nakher, and Wadi Tanuf
This morning we visited Nizwa Fort, built in the seventeenth century. The historical walled town of Nizwa was the birthplace of Islam in the Sultanate of Oman.
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Nizwa fort from a high rampart |
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| Carpet in a meeting room in the fort |
We drove to the quaint village of Al hamra, nestled in the foothills of the Jebel Ahkdar. The multistory mud houses here are among the oldest preserved in Oman.
Our next drive, to see rock art, involved crossing a wadi.
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| Cars and trucks jam to cross the wadi at its lowest point. En route to our rock art destination At Hasat bin Sult, we saw rock art that is thought to be several thousand years old. |
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| Rock art: Hasat Bin: photos don't really show etchings well... |
Our next stop was
Misfah, a lovely village with stone houses precariously clinging to the
mountainside. A great place for a picnic
lunch! Hard to photograph, so thanks to alamy for the stock photo!
An afternoon stop at
Wadi Ghul, home of traditional weavers of Oman.
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| Yep, it's wet in a wadi-village! |
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| A traditional woven product |
Continuing on, we experienced Wadi Nakherm which is Oman’s deepest canyon.
Then onward to Wadi
Tanuf where we viewed ancient rock art and Early Bronze Age tombs.
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| Wadi Tanuf canyon |
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| Wadi Tanuf rock art |
A highlight of the
tour is the Thursday market in the town of Sinaw, where people from the surrounding
villages gather to sell their handicrafts and auction their camels.
We went to the oasis
of Samad A’Shan Oasis, where weavers use traditional methods of dyeing and pit
weaving.
At Samail, we explore the mosque and learned about falaj,
a form of irrigation developed during the Iron Age (about 1300-300 B.C.).
We visited Nizwa Souq, renowned for its intricately hand-carved khanjars, ornate silver jewelry, and Friday cattle auction.
Many people in the souk were watching camel races on TV!
We drove to the village of Al Mudayrib, famous for its old 18th century houses with
intricately carved doors and painted ceilings.
A visit to the market
at Ibra, held on Wednesdays and primarily for women shoppers.
Finally, we enter the
vast expanse of desert known as the Wahiba Sands. We visited a Bedouin home and experienced
traditional Bedouin hospitality.
En route to our camp, time out for a little dune-busting!
Then, on to 1000 Nights Camp, our "hotel" for the evening. We arrived near sundown, so I didn't get a look at my room until the next morning
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| Camp location |
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| My room |
Day 6: Wahiba Sands to Sur: Eastern Hajar Mountains, Wadi Bani Khalid, Jaalan Bani Bu Ali Mosque
We drove through the
Eastern Hajat mountains and arrived at Wadi Bani Khalid, one of the most
beautiful wadis (valleys) in Oman.
On our way to Sur, we
stopped at Jaalan Bani Bu Ali to see the Al Homouda Mosque, renowned for its 52
domes; it dates back to 17 AC.
Day 7: Sur to Muscat: Sur shipbuilding yards, Qalhat (Bibi Mariam's Tomb), Bimmah Sinkhole, Dibab, Wadi Arbaeen
Skilled craftsmen
build traditional dhows (fishing boats) in the Sur building yards.
A stop at Qalhat to
look at the ruins of Bibi Mariam’s Tomb.
Day 8: Muscat to Salalah: flight over the Wahiba Sands to Salalah
Flying over the Wahiba
Sands!
Salalah is the second largest city in Oman and capital of Dhofar, its
southernmost province.
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| A very modern hotel, the Crown plaza |
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| Buffet dinner on the patio |
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| Sunset over Salalah, from the hotel |
Day 9: Salalah and vicinity: Taqa, Khor Rori Creek and the World Heritage site of Sumhuram, Wadi Darbat nature park, Mirbat, Bin Ali's Tomb
The fishing village of Taqa is picturesque with stone houses, a castle and watchtowers. (Again, thanks to Alamy for great photo)
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| Taq castle |
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| If you've ever been on a tour like this, you know how welcome this sign is! |
At Khor Rori Creek,
near Mirbat, we explored the ruins of
Sumhuram, the fortified capital of ancient Arabia’s frankincense trade, which
had trade links by sea to Greece and the Far East. Excavations are being done by the University
of Pisa, Italy,
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| Sumhuram has a wonderful view of the ocean near Salalah |
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| It's pretty hot excavating in the midday sun. Time for lunch break! |
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| The intrepid female archaeologist from Pisa |
The Temple of Hunun
is a small temple dedicated to the moon god Sin; its remains can be seen as
part of the restoration of Sumhuram.
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| (sorry for blurry image) |
Nearby, Bin Ali’s Tomb
is a fine example of medieval architecture.
It holds the remains of Mohammed Bin Ali, a descendant
of the Prophet Muhammad, was a 14th century Islamic scholar. It’s a
tiny tomb, with its two distinctive onion domes, and marks the old entrance to
the town of Mirbat, which was an important 9th century trading
center.
The inhospitable landscape of the Rub al-Khali (or Empty Quarter) is the remote desert bordering Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
Atlantis of the Sands is the fictional name of a legendary lost city in the
southern Arabian sands, claimed to have been destroyed by a natural disaster or as a punishment by God. The search for it was
popularised by the 1992 book Atlantis of the Sands – The Search for the
Lost City of Ubar by Ranulph
Fiennes.[1] Various names have been given to this city, the most
common being Ubar.
A SPECIAL TREAT FOR US.... TO VISIT A SITE WHERE OUR SCHOLAR WORKS:
As in all Crow Canyon
trips, we were accompanied by a scholar who has special expertise in the
archaeology of the area:
Dr. Jeffrey Rose is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Archaeology and Antiquity, University of Birmingham, UK. Since 2000, Dr. Rose has directed an archaeological project in Oman, which was featured in the BBC documentary "The Incredible Human Journey." Although his research focuses primarily on human origins, his other professional interests include rock art, underwater archaeology, and mythology.
Jeff took us to see
his site near Dhofar, which is in
Southern Oman, on the eastern border with Yemen.
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| Dr Rose at the site of his research |
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| we went looking for stone age tools |
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| This is a "Nubian Core" |
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| This is the kind of stiking stone that is used to make shards for axes and tools |
Note from Crow Canyon: "Here is a site where you can find Jeffrey’s latest article. Also, if you search on “The Nubian Complex of Dhofar, Oman:”, you can find a number of hits. AND WE WERE THERE!! http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0028239
Day 11: Salalah and vicinity: Al Balid (part of the World Heritage Land of Frankincense), Job's tomb, Mughsail Beach
Al Balid was once the
medieval frankincense trading port of Zafar and today is the site of the first
archaeological park in Oman and part of the World Heritage Land of
Frankincense. The ruins include the
remains of the watchtowers, bridge pylons, and building foundations. The museum has an excellent collection of
frankincense.
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| This is what a frankincense tree looks like |
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| Like with maple syrup, the trunk is cut to let the sap ooze out |
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| So many shops sell frankincense! There are many grades. |
A drive through the
countryside takes us to visit the prophet Nabi Ayoub’s (Job’s) tomb, high in
the mountains.
Day 12: back to Muscat and departures…
~~~~~~~~~ A SPECIAL NOTES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~ the doors and windows of Oman ~~a photographer's delight!~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~ Another SPECIAL NOTE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DATES, DATES, DATES, DATES, DATES! we'd arrive at a hotel, and dates were the first thing offered. For another take on dates -- an important crop in Oman -- take a look at my blogpost that wonders why no one makes wine from dates. Apart from the part about this being a Moslem country and alcohol is forbidden to Muslims, of course...)
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| Visit to an oasis: this date palm is ready to harvest! |
And finally, sent along by Dottie Peacock, who works at Crow Canyon Archaeological Center and traveled with us, this very interesting report: from Frances Cook, former US ambassador to Oman, that she sent to her friends.. (Amazing accounting of recent event in Nizwa. Wish we had been there!!, said Dottie...)
“As most of you know, I am spending some time in Oman this fall, and after, trips earlier this month to Jaipur, Rajastan’s royal “pink city”, in India, and Dubai (for the famous annual air show), I was looking forward to Oman’s 41st national day celebration. It is traditionally held on November 18, HM the Sultan’s actual birthday (not when he came to power, nor when they got their “independence”, as Oman was never a UK colony). When I was living here, HM the Sultan twice had the kindness to invite mother and me to dinner on this very special evening – once in his very elegant tent in Sur, and another time in a palace in Salalah. It is the time, in all Gulf states , when they review their development progress, and celebrate their culture. In Oman, except every ten years, when there is a multi-day spectacular – I attended the last one here in Muscat last November, even Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited on that occasion —the national day is marked in the capital by lots of bright colorful lights on the avenues and corniches and government buildings; fireworks; and a formal military “tattoo” (see explanation in footnote)* in a stadium, in the presence of HM the Sultan. The venue alternates between the capital Muscat , and the regional capital cities (that has also been a clever way for HM the Sultan to provide first class( soccer) stadia to each regional capital, as well as at least one very good hotel, and other civil works projects).
I departed for Nizwa, 2 hours into the interior, expecting the usual military march-past (my term for a “tattoo”), though I had heard rumors that a surprise was planned. When the combined arms marching band (about 150 strong) , comprised of Army, Navy, Air Force, Police and Royal Guard, marched onto the field, I knew something was up. Every single instrument, including bagpipes, trombones and large drums, were played by women, with a female drum major. Then the horse guards, which traditionally stand at the back of the parade ground, with the riders holding lances bearing the national flag, arrived, with all forty being of my gender, I knew it was going to be confirmed. The Sultan then landed near the stadium, with his delegation, in a fleet of helicopters – and he was escorted into the stadium, by a mounted Royal Guard (40 matched white horses) comprised uniquely of female Royal Guards. When the commander of the tattoo approached the royal dais to seek permission from the Sultan for the parade to start, SHE was wearing a microphone and it was a distinctly female voice. (I later learned that she hails from Salalah, which is truly astounding for those of you who know Oman !) The parade of female police officers (511 in total) then began – the event was hosted at the stadium of the police academy in Nizwa (each service has a turn at leading the national day celebrations.) At this point, it all hit me what I was observing – here in the Arabian desert – surrounded not only by Saudi Arabia, but just as close in flying time, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Iran (and UAE). (Without overemphasizing the point, I’d note that ,last week, a woman and her daughter were stoned to death by the Taliban in Afghanistan ...) My pride in all that Oman has accomplished is never far from the surface, but this was so extraordinary, I confess to shedding a tear or two( behind my sun glasses, thankfully!). HM the Sultan was sending a huge message to his people, and to his region, and to those who would seek to turn his religion into something that is NOT recognized in the Holy Quran. In fact, a kind of patriotic loyalty anthem, composed for the occasion, and sung (more shouted!) at the end, by the assembled police women corps, cited the Holy Quran for their guidance, as they worked for “rule of law” and “justice” and “protection of Oman ’s people”.
All of the women on parade ,whether in the combined arms band, or the police corps, were in full formal military dress, and pants, and military cover, with only the scarf (a different COLOR for each service), which covered their hair, revealing the gender. Oman ,and especially its ruler, eschew the funeral black which cloaks this region’s women (and correctly note that the Holy Quran only requires modest dress by women, not mourning black ) . Every single one of them had on expertly applied makeup, I looked. Their uniform coats were longish, landing a few inches above the knee of their uniform, striped pants And in the traditional, host service magazine which is handed out at these events, one saw in the police journal, women undertaking the range of police skill groups, from running comms centers, to flying helicopters, to a delightful picture of a new precision, all female, skydiving team in Oman’s police department!
A final point: it is of significant, and historic, importance that this event took place in Nizwa. Without getting tangled in Oman ‘s complicated history, one needs merely to know that before HM the Sultan came to power 41 years ago, Oman, which has a glorious ancient history, was barely a unified state. Various various parts of it – the country was closed to the outside at this point-- were controlled by Imams, uneducated religious leaders who ruled by decree, many quite severe. The most famous Imamate was in Nizwa. This is not ancient history, but happened into this century, and people are still alive in NIzwa who lived under the Imamate. To have this parade there, well........what a statement! As I left the stadium, I approached several Omani women to ask what they thought of the display. “Pride!”, with a huge smile, was the universal answer. On the way out, I was approached by a lot of former ministers (from my time here), and friends, who all wanted my reaction. Several kindly commented how pleased they were that I was here to witness this day in Oman . A lot asked me what I thought. And, quite a few, said, with mischevious smiles, “...and just think, Saudi Arabia is just next door !” Oman has a lot to be proud of during this 41st year of Sultan Qaboos’s rule...as well as in this amazing, and unpredictable, year of Arab awakening across the Middle East . But this Nizwa parade will certainly earn a page in the history, and the hearts, of the region.”
“As most of you know, I am spending some time in Oman this fall, and after, trips earlier this month to Jaipur, Rajastan’s royal “pink city”, in India, and Dubai (for the famous annual air show), I was looking forward to Oman’s 41st national day celebration. It is traditionally held on November 18, HM the Sultan’s actual birthday (not when he came to power, nor when they got their “independence”, as Oman was never a UK colony). When I was living here, HM the Sultan twice had the kindness to invite mother and me to dinner on this very special evening – once in his very elegant tent in Sur, and another time in a palace in Salalah. It is the time, in all Gulf states , when they review their development progress, and celebrate their culture. In Oman, except every ten years, when there is a multi-day spectacular – I attended the last one here in Muscat last November, even Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited on that occasion —the national day is marked in the capital by lots of bright colorful lights on the avenues and corniches and government buildings; fireworks; and a formal military “tattoo” (see explanation in footnote)* in a stadium, in the presence of HM the Sultan. The venue alternates between the capital Muscat , and the regional capital cities (that has also been a clever way for HM the Sultan to provide first class( soccer) stadia to each regional capital, as well as at least one very good hotel, and other civil works projects).
I departed for Nizwa, 2 hours into the interior, expecting the usual military march-past (my term for a “tattoo”), though I had heard rumors that a surprise was planned. When the combined arms marching band (about 150 strong) , comprised of Army, Navy, Air Force, Police and Royal Guard, marched onto the field, I knew something was up. Every single instrument, including bagpipes, trombones and large drums, were played by women, with a female drum major. Then the horse guards, which traditionally stand at the back of the parade ground, with the riders holding lances bearing the national flag, arrived, with all forty being of my gender, I knew it was going to be confirmed. The Sultan then landed near the stadium, with his delegation, in a fleet of helicopters – and he was escorted into the stadium, by a mounted Royal Guard (40 matched white horses) comprised uniquely of female Royal Guards. When the commander of the tattoo approached the royal dais to seek permission from the Sultan for the parade to start, SHE was wearing a microphone and it was a distinctly female voice. (I later learned that she hails from Salalah, which is truly astounding for those of you who know Oman !) The parade of female police officers (511 in total) then began – the event was hosted at the stadium of the police academy in Nizwa (each service has a turn at leading the national day celebrations.) At this point, it all hit me what I was observing – here in the Arabian desert – surrounded not only by Saudi Arabia, but just as close in flying time, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Iran (and UAE). (Without overemphasizing the point, I’d note that ,last week, a woman and her daughter were stoned to death by the Taliban in Afghanistan ...) My pride in all that Oman has accomplished is never far from the surface, but this was so extraordinary, I confess to shedding a tear or two( behind my sun glasses, thankfully!). HM the Sultan was sending a huge message to his people, and to his region, and to those who would seek to turn his religion into something that is NOT recognized in the Holy Quran. In fact, a kind of patriotic loyalty anthem, composed for the occasion, and sung (more shouted!) at the end, by the assembled police women corps, cited the Holy Quran for their guidance, as they worked for “rule of law” and “justice” and “protection of Oman ’s people”.
All of the women on parade ,whether in the combined arms band, or the police corps, were in full formal military dress, and pants, and military cover, with only the scarf (a different COLOR for each service), which covered their hair, revealing the gender. Oman ,and especially its ruler, eschew the funeral black which cloaks this region’s women (and correctly note that the Holy Quran only requires modest dress by women, not mourning black ) . Every single one of them had on expertly applied makeup, I looked. Their uniform coats were longish, landing a few inches above the knee of their uniform, striped pants And in the traditional, host service magazine which is handed out at these events, one saw in the police journal, women undertaking the range of police skill groups, from running comms centers, to flying helicopters, to a delightful picture of a new precision, all female, skydiving team in Oman’s police department!
A final point: it is of significant, and historic, importance that this event took place in Nizwa. Without getting tangled in Oman ‘s complicated history, one needs merely to know that before HM the Sultan came to power 41 years ago, Oman, which has a glorious ancient history, was barely a unified state. Various various parts of it – the country was closed to the outside at this point-- were controlled by Imams, uneducated religious leaders who ruled by decree, many quite severe. The most famous Imamate was in Nizwa. This is not ancient history, but happened into this century, and people are still alive in NIzwa who lived under the Imamate. To have this parade there, well........what a statement! As I left the stadium, I approached several Omani women to ask what they thought of the display. “Pride!”, with a huge smile, was the universal answer. On the way out, I was approached by a lot of former ministers (from my time here), and friends, who all wanted my reaction. Several kindly commented how pleased they were that I was here to witness this day in Oman . A lot asked me what I thought. And, quite a few, said, with mischevious smiles, “...and just think, Saudi Arabia is just next door !” Oman has a lot to be proud of during this 41st year of Sultan Qaboos’s rule...as well as in this amazing, and unpredictable, year of Arab awakening across the Middle East . But this Nizwa parade will certainly earn a page in the history, and the hearts, of the region.”
