muscat in the past

Muscat - History

Oman's 12,000 years old civilization is still evident all over the country. Over 500 forts, castles and towers in diverse architectural styles. are proud witnesses to a glorious past. A wide collection of historical books and manuscripts are on display for the history buff. Vestiges of Oman's prehistoric past indicating the presence of nomads who were hunters and gathers, go as gar back as 13,000 BC. Amr Ibn Alas, the companion of the prophet Mohammed arrived in Oman to preach the word of Allah in AD 630, leading to Islam becoming the state religion. The current reigning dynasty of the Al Bu Said began with Ahmad Bin Said coming to power in 1744.

Muscat has been the capital of Oman for the past two centuries, since the third Al Bu Said ruler established his residence there in the 1780s. Until 1970 its name was woven into that of the country, "Muscat and Oman". A name with so much fame, one feels, should belong to a sizable place. Yet in the case of Muscat this is not so; the old town is less than a kilometer long by half a kilometer wide.

It is no less impressive for all that: an unforgettable little gem of a place tightly enclosed in its rocky bay by barren brown-black mountains. And the bay itself is as picturesque as the town, a horseshoe of deep blue water surrounded by rocky promontories and islets, all but hidden from the open sea. "There was something soothing and magical about that old city at night", wrote James Morris 30 years ago.

The Ministry of National Heritage and Culture is responsible for the preservation of Oman's antiquities and traditional handicrafts. To this end, the Ministry has renovated a beautiful 18th century house in Muscat, and this building, Bait Nadir, now contains a fine collection of early Omani artefacts.

Items of silverware are among the most popular of the museum's exhibits. This intriguing collection contains coffee pots, rosewater sprinklers, kohl containers, incense burners, curved daggers, toothpicks, tweezers and containers for the Qur'an.

Beautiful silver Bedouin jewellery is a particular highlight of the collection, consisting of silver chains, belts and bracelets. Many of these are set with colourful, semi-precious stones, such as amber, pearl, coral, garnet, cornelian and agate. Bracelets follow one of two main designs -- either doughnut-shaped, or flat with spikes. The former design, known as zanud, was often filled with metal filings, which rattled as the wearer moved.

Omani silversmiths employed various decorative techniques, such as engraving, piercing and filigree work, resulting in ornate and intricate designs. Most of these techniques are extremely ancient, dating back to about 2000BC.

Indian folk art exerted considerable influence on Omani silverware, as did the art of other trading nations, such as Greece, Byzantium and Persia. One popular geometric design featuring diamond shapes probably came from Sana'a in North Yemen, and another featuring leaves and stems in spiralling patterns had its origin in 10th century China.

Other examples of Oman's colourful past include collections of rugs, saddlebags, cloaks and camel straps. Both men and women on simple ground looms wove these. Plaiting these strips together made donkey and camel straps. The museum of Bait Nadir also contains examples of pottery, woodcarving and basketwork.

Archaeological evidence suggests that man from the dawn of history settled the Muscat area. A site excavated in the Wattayah district of Muscat in 1981 was estimated to be 9615 years old, indicating that man had lived in this region since the first Stone Age.

Subsequent excavations revealed that man in the Bronze Age inhabited the area while the archaeological remains in the Ras Al Hamra district of Muscat indicate that the inhabitants in the 3rd century BC were fishermen with a highly developed lifestyle. Other districts of Muscat such as Bausher are also rich in archaeological sites.

For many centuries Muscat has been renowned throughout the world for its maritime trade. In 1490 the well-known Omani navigator Ahmad ibn Majid described Muscat as a port without equal in shipping and sailing activity.

However, the history of Muscat actually goes back to several centuries before the rise of Islam. Omani Arabs of Yemeni decent who planted palms and other trees, which were watered by, wells settled Muscat. From this, we infer that Muscat was one of the ancient cities founded by migrating Arabs, either before or after the destruction of the Maarib dam.

In 1507 the Portuguese arrived in this region and occupied some of the coastal areas of Oman. They clearly realized that possession of the straits of Hormuz and Muscat meant control of the Arabian Gulf and trade between the Arabian Peninsula and Persia, Iraq and Syria as well as between Europe and India. They, therefore, constructed well-structured forts and defences in Muscat. They were finally driven out of Muscat and Oman in 1650.

Muscat extended for half a mile or so along the coast between Fort Mirani and Fort Jalali and was bounded by a wall whose gates were locked at sunset following the firing of the warning cannon shot. This practice continued till recent times. The streets of Muscat were about 10 feet wide and covered with palm fronds for protection from the heat.

All this was in the past, prior to 1970. With the coming to the throne of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos the face of Muscat changed. Rapid development and expansion of the city took place and the city grew in extent by leaps and bounds. A cursory comparison of the old and new buildings shows the extent of change. However, all efforts are made to retain selected old structures for their architectural value and link with the past.

The souk was the marketplace with each trading activity allocated a specific area. The houses of the wealthy were of two and three stories surrounded by a courtyard. Internal walls were of bamboo with white decorated ceilings. The floors were covered with carpets and mats. The population of Muscat in the 1 830s was between 10,000 and 12,000. The opportunity for commerce and avenues for material wealth attracted most of the population.