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by Matthew HeinesSynopsis:
In the second of a three book series describing his life in the Middle East after the tragic events of September 11th, 2001, the author finds he is alone again in the remote regions of Arabia.
As the book begins, the love of his life, an Indian beauty and scholar has departed under dubious circumstances. Her departure leaves him questioning everything, including his own sanity.
Through a number of sometimes humorous and other times, tragically pathetic schemes to maintain a sense of belonging (and sanity) in a world where he doesn't belong in the first place, the author finds himself in the middle of a romance with one of the last people on earth he should be involved with.
To make matters worse, the U.S. is gearing up for an invasion of Iraq to the north and everyone is looking at him (the only American in the region) with even greater suspicion.
He also discovers that there are a number of Iraqis who cannot wait for the U.S. to invade and free them from the tyranny of Saddam Hussein.
After the invasion takes place, and things begin to go terribly wrong in Iraq, the author fi nds himself alienated by just about everyone except for a beautiful young school teacher who dreams that someday he will be her husband.
Rather inadvertently, the author becomes immersed in the culture of the Sultanate of Oman. Through his experiences, the author is able to describe to the casual reader the roles of women, especially their values and limitations in Arab and Muslim society.
He also finds that in a world of lies, deceit and hatred, there are still people, specifically the people of Oman, who are kind and caring and who have come to consider him a part of their family.
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by Christiane BirdSynopsis
A story virtually unknown in the West, about two of the Middle East’s most remarkable figures—Oman’s Sultan Said and his rebellious daughter Princess Salme—comes to life in this narrative. From their capital on the sultry African island of Zanzibar, Sultan Said and his descendants were shadowed and all but shattered by the rise and fall of the nineteenth-century East African slave trade.
“As shrewd, liberal, and enlightened a prince as Arabia has ever produced.” That’s how explorer Richard Burton described Seyyid Said Al bin Sultan Busaid, who came to power in Oman in 1804 when he was fifteen years old. During his half-century reign, Said ruled with uncanny contradiction: as a believer in a tolerant Islam who gained power through bloodshed and perfidy, and as an open-minded, intellectually curious man who established relations with the West while building a vast commercial empire on the backs of tens of thousands of slaves. His daughter Salme, born to a concubine in a Zanzibar harem, scandalized her family and people by eloping to Europe with a German businessman in 1866, converting to Christianity, and writing the first-known autobiography of an Arab woman.
Christiane Bird paints a stunning portrait of violent family feuds, international intrigues, and charismatic characters—from Sultan Said and Princess Salme to the wildly wealthy slave trader Tippu Tip and the indefatigable British antislavery crusader Dr. David Livingstone. The Sultan’s Shadow is a brilliantly researched and irresistibly readable foray into the stark brutality and decadent beauty of a vanished world.
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by J.E. PetersonSynopsis
J.E. Peterson takes a detailed look at the crises that have tested the mettle of Oman’s army and accelerated its development, surveying its transition from a strictly traditional regime controlling only parts of the country to a modern, inclusive state, particularly in terms of security concerns.
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by Sayyida Salme (no photo)Synopsis:
Princess Salme, daughter of Sa'id ibn Sultan, ruler of Oman and Zanzibar, was born in Zanzibar on August 30, 1844. In 1866 she fled to Aden where she was baptized with the Christian name Emily and where she married the German merchant Rudolph Heinrich Ruete. In Hamburg three children were born. Her husband died in 1870, and after that she lived in several cities in Germany. In 1885 and again in 1888 she went to Zanzibar. Between 1889 and 1914 she lived in Jaffa and Beirut, and afterwards again in Germany. She died in Jena in 1924. The present work contains a short biography of Princess Salme/Emily Ruete and of her son Rudolph Said-Ruete, a new English translation of her "Memoirs," and an English version of her other writings, unpublished so far: "Letters Home," "Sequels to the Memoirs" and "Syrian Customs and Usages.
Bentley wrote: "An Arabian Princess Between Two Worlds: Memoirs, Letters Home, Sequels to the Memoirs, Syrian Customs and Usage[bookcover:An Arabian Princess Between Two Worlds: Memoirs, Letters Home, Sequels to..."
One can visit her grave in a Hamburg cemetry
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by John BeasantSynopis:
Oman is one of the world's most secretive countries,ruled with absolute authority by the Sultan. All information is strictly controlled by the State: British Prime Minister Edward Heath once said that the story of the 1970 Palace Coup and the events that followed would 'not be told in our lifetime'. Following ten years' residency in the country a senior member of Sultan Qaboos' Family suggested that John Beasant write a political history of Oman that would to some extent rehabilitate the maligned name of former Sultan Said, who was deposed in the 1970 Coup. In 'Oman' Beasant catalogues a nature of exploitation woven through all manner of political and commercial interests and casts light on the dark practices so often involved in the sale of arms to Middle Eastern states and illustrates the political use to which the sale of 'black gold' - oil - can be put. Oman is a parable of our times, detailing rivalry and intrigue between people in high places. It is one of the most dramatic tales in Arab history: a chronicle of personal price, rapacious greed and undiluted lust for power.
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by Abdel Razzaq Takriti (no photo)Synopsis:
At a time when Arab revolutionary movements are once again dominating the headlines, Monsoon Revolution offers a fresh reading of the Arab revolutionary tradition, examining one of its foremost illustrations.
The Dhufar revolution in Oman (1965-1976) was the longest running major armed struggle in the history of the Arabian Peninsula - Britain's last classic colonial war in the region - and one of the highlights of the Cold War in the Middle East. Monsoon Revolution retrieves the political, social, and cultural history of that remarkable process. It analyses its causes, course, and outcomes, while uncovering the networks, ideologies, personalities, as well as the regional and global actors that sustained it. Relying upon a wide range of untapped Arab and British archival and oral sources, it revises the modern political history of Oman by revealing the centrality of popular movements in shaping events and outcomes. Monsoon Revolution further examines colonial dynamics, narrating the ways through which Sultanic absolutism was constructed by Britain in order to suppress the persistent local revolutionary challenge. A series of landmark mysteries are also solved, including the details of the 1970 coup bringing the current ruler onto the throne.
Contextualising Omani revolution and absolutism, Abdel Razzaq Takriti illustrates how the events that unfolded in Oman during the years 1965-1976 were embedded in broader Arab and international currents. The Sultanate's dependence on global networks of imperial and monarchical solidarity is examined and the fundamental importance of these networks for its own survival is highlighted. On the other side, the ties that bound transnational anti-colonial movements and revolutionary networks are explored, and Dhufar is revealed to be an ideal vantage point from which to demonstrate the centrality of South-South connections in modern Arab history.
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by Calvin H. Allen (no photo)Synopsis:
This is an examination of the political, economic and social development of Oman from the accession Sultan Qaboos in a palace coup in 1970 to the promulation of the basic law of 1996. The book argues that the sultanate does not follow the "rentier" model but the patriarchal tradition.
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by Francis Owtram (no photo)Synopsis:
A Modern History of Omandetails the British influence in Oman from early contacts with the Sultan of Muscat in 1800. The discovery of oil in the region in 1932, following earlier Middle East discoveries, increased the key strategic importance of Oman and set the pattern for the 20th century. The "modernizing" Sultan Qabus, supported by the British, seized power by a coup in 1970, confirmed Oman’s position as a key state in the Persian Gulf region. This illuminating work is based on state documents from Europe, US, Japan and the Arab world covering Oman and Western geopolitical policy.
Upcoming release:Shipwreck and Survival in Oman: The Fate of the Amstelveen and Thirty Castaways on the South Coast of Arabia
by Klaas Doornbos (no photo)Synopsis:
In 1763, the Dutch ship Amstelveen set sail from the Dutch East Indies for Muscat, Oman. Through a tragic combination of human error and rough seas, the ship never made it to port, sinking off the southern coast of Oman. The thirty surviving crew members then faced a terrible trek across a desolate desert landscape to Muscat. Drawing from the logbook of Cornelis Eyks, the ship’s only surviving officer, Klaas Doornbos tells the fascinating story of the men’s journey across the Gulf of Oman desert, their encounters with the country’s inhabitants, and their struggle to survive.
Quoting extensively from Eyks’s logbook, Doornbos describes how the sailors, barefoot and almost naked, walked hundreds of miles in the blazing sun in the hope of reaching civilization. Some of the men died on the way, while the fate of others is uncertain. It was not until 1766 that Eyks and the remaining men reached Muscat. Throughout, Doornbos uses Eyks’s logbook—the oldest remaining European account of the area—to reveal much about the desert coast of Oman and its people. Equal parts social history, anthropology, and survival chronicle, this gripping account of the Amstelveen’s crew is a thrilling piece of naval history.
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Oman Emerges: An American Company in an Ancient Kingdom
by Lois M. Critchfield (no photo)Synopsis:
When Sultan Qaboos bin Said deposed his father in 1970, he inherited a neglected country with a modest oil income, but virtually no one qualified to advocate for his interests to the executives of Shell Oil until he found James Critchfield. A decorated combat officer in World War II, Critchfield joined the CIA in 1948 and retired 26 years later as the first man to hold the position of national intelligence officer for energy. He was a specialist in the geopolitics of energy who was eminently suited to begin his third career. Originally contracted to advise the Sultanate on oil policy, Critchfield s company Tetra Tech International gradually expanded its role to include the development of the nation s water and maritime resources as well as major infrastructure projects in the vital Musandam Peninsula and the Buraimi oasis. Lois Critchfield s history of Tetra Tech is a behind-the-scenes view of just exactly how such development programs are conceived and implemented on a national scale. She details the technical, financial and political considerations involved in these projects and reflects upon their implications thirty-five years later. Oman Emerges is a case study in international commerce and industry that is most valuable for its insight into the age-old conflict between corporate and national interests.
Upcoming Release:Oman - A Photographic Voyage
by Jaap Croese (no photo)Synopsis:
This beautiful Sultanate, with high mountains and desert lowlands that sweep down to the waters of the Arabian Gulf, has a tourism strategy to bring in twelve million tourists annually by the year 2020.
Jaap Croese's lens here captures a diverse range of views of this enchanting land, bringing out the country's natural beauties and striking traditional architecture and dress.
This is Jaap Croese's second photographic book on Oman, demonstrating his remarkable photographic gift over the course of his travels the length and breadth of the country.
Grace in the Gulf: The Autobiography of Jeanette Boersma, Missionary Nurse in Iraq and the Sultanate of Oman
by Jeanette Boersma (no photo)Synopsis:
"This autobiography bears witness to Jeanette Boersma's lifetime of service in Iraq and Oman as a missionary nurse. An inspiring story of God's grace at work in and through one whose Arabic name, Khatune Naeema, means literally "Respected foreign lady Grace.""
Oman: Under Arabian Skies
by Rory Patrick Allen (no photo)Synopsis:
The Sultanate of Oman is a land of oases, deserts, rolling sands, shifting dunes and mountains upon which ancient cities have been carved from stone. A land that boasts the Queen of Sheba, Sinbad the sailor and The Lost City of Ubar buried for millennia under the Arabian Sands. A country that was heralded for its wealth in Frankincense and from here the ancient Frankincense trail began. Oman is a country where the Bedouin still wander the deserts as they have since time immemorial. A mystical land where eagles soar over the mountain that is home to the Tomb of the prophet Job, a prophet in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In the mountains nearby live an ancient people whose language predates Aramaic. The age of the language remains a mystery. It is a spoken language with no written form. In these mountains one finds caves that are decorated with prehistoric art. Mines and distinctive cone like tombs dating from the Bronze Age feature all over the country. It is a country that has tales of wizardry and magic, jinns and exorcisms. Embark on a magical and mystical Arabian Odyssey to the ancient land of Oman.
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Oman and the South-Eastern Shore of Arabia 
by Raghid El-Solh (no photo)Synopsis:
A study of the social conditions, regional relations, and territorial claims of the peoples of Oman and the south-eastern shore of Arabia through the first half of the 20th century. Information is drawn from archive documents from the Public Record Office.
Oman: Stories from a Modern Arab Country
by Stig Pors Nielsen (no photo)Synopsis:
"The Sultanate of Oman occupies the southeastern part of the Arab Peninsula. The country is beautiful and is full of unspoiled nature. The sun shines almost every day. The temperatures are pleasant during winter, but it is often unbearably hot during summer. The country is as large as Italy but sparsely populated. It has oil, gas, and a variety of minerals.
The rapid development of Oman takes place with respect for its cultural heritage. His Majesty Sultan Qaboos and the people of Oman are admired for having transformed Oman from a backwards, non-unified country into a modern, homogenous state with a high standard of living dominated by tolerance and growing democracy.
It is blessed with a ruler, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who has what may be called absolute power, which he uses with great care and wisdom. He is a true servant of his people."
Annals of Oman
by Sirhan Ibn Sa'id (no photo)Synopsis:
Translated by E.C. Ross, with his 'History of Oman from 1728 to 1883' and 'Ibadhiyah of Oman' by Sirhan Ibn Sa'id and S.B. Miles' 'Note on the Tribes of Oman'. Includes Bibliographies. Outlines of the history of Oman, 1728-1883, Notes on the tribes of Oman and Tenets of the Ibadhiyah of Oman by Sirhan Ibn Sa'id.
Part of the Oleander Classics series, this title has been reproduced using the highest-quality modern scanning technology - in order to keep important works from the Press's 50-year history from going out of print. In this way, the invaluable resources provided by this and other books in the series remain available for general readers, academics and other interested parties.
Sultan In Oman
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Jan MorrisSynopsis:
In 1955 the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman, southeast of Saudi Arabia on the Arabian Sea, was a truly medieval Islamic State, shuttered against all progress under the aegis of its traditionalist and autocratic ruler. But it was also nearly the end of an imperial line, for in those days the British Government was still powerful in Arabia. Rumors of subversion and the intrigues of foreign powers mingled with the unsettling smell of oil to propel the sultan on a royal progress across the desert hinterland. It was an historic journey--the first crossing of the Omani desert by motorcar. Jan Morris accompanied His Highness as a professional observer, and was inspired by the experience to write her major work of imperial history. The Pax Britannica Trilogy. The author of some forty books, Welshman Jan Morris has established herself as one of the great modern travel authors. Originally published in 1957 (Faber and Faber) and now back in print.
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Release date: September 30, 2015
A History of Modern Oman
by Jeremy Jones (no photo)Synopsis:
The ideal introduction to the history of modern Oman from the eighteenth century to the present, this book combines the most recent scholarship on Omani history with insights drawn from a close analysis of the politics and international relations of contemporary Oman. Jeremy Jones and Nicholas Ridout offer a distinctive new approach to Omani history, building on post-colonial thought and integrating the study of politics and culture. The book addresses key topics including Oman's historical cosmopolitanism, the distinctive role of Omani Islam in the country's social and political life, Oman's role in the global economy of the nineteenth century, insurrection and revolution in the twentieth century, the role of Sultan Qaboos in the era of oil and Oman's unique regional and diplomatic perspective on contemporary issues.
Oman's Foreign Policy: Foundation and Practice
by Majid Al-Khalili (no photo)Synopsis:
An expert in the history of the Sultanate of Oman, Majid Al-Khalili provides new information and a fresh analysis of the lands bordering the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. Beginning with an examination the reign of Sultan Qaboos bin Said, as well as the sultanate's geography and how location has influenced its history, "Oman's Foreign Policy: Foundation and Practice" analyzes Oman's foreign relations from the early 20th century until the beginning of the 21st century, providing the background to recent events.
Following an analysis of the sultanate's "renaissance" in the 1970s and 1980s, the book considers how Oman's foreign policy changed in the wake of the 1991 Gulf War. It also examines historic power rivalries in the region, as well as modern conflicts that now include Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. The result is a comprehensive understanding of Oman's place in the Middle East--and its influence upon the world's changing power structure.
Oman Reborn: Balancing Tradition and Modernization
by Linda Pappas Funsch (no photo)Synopsis:
The Sultanate of Oman is one of the few 'good news' stories to have emerged from the Middle East in recent memory. This book traces the narrative of a little-known and relatively stable Arab country whose history of independence, legacy of interaction with diverse cultures, and enlightened modern leadership have transformed it in less than fifty years from an isolated medieval-style potentate to a stable, dynamic, and largely optimistic country.
At the heart of this fascinating story is Oman's sultan, Qaboos bin Sa'id, friend to both East and West, whose unique leadership style has resulted in both domestic and foreign policy achievements during more than four decades in office.
Exploring Oman from a historical perspective, Funsch examines how the country's unique blend of tradition and modernization has enabled it to succeed while others in the region have failed. Accounts of the author's own experiences with Oman's transformation add rich layers of depth, texture, and personality to the narrative.
Behind the Veil in Arabia: Women in Oman
by Unni Wikan (no photo)Synopsis:
Through photographs and detailed case histories, Unni Wikan explores the strict segregation of women, the wearing of the burqa mask, the elaborate nuptial rituals, and the graceful quality of Oman's social relations.
"Wikan does provide insights into the real position of these secluded and segregated women. . . . All this is interesting and valuable."—Ahdaf Soueif, Times Literary Supplement
"The book is detailed, insightful, and . . . engrossing. Anyone interested in the day-to-day triumphs and sorrows of women who live 'behind the veil' will want to read this account."—Arab Book World
"Wikan, a fine ethnographer, has an eye for everything that is distinctive about the culture and . . . builds up a wholly convincing picture. Above all, there is a sustained attempt to penetrate the inner lives of these strangely serene people."—Frank H. Stewart, Wilson Quarterly
"This book will certainly be of interest to all scholars concerned with sexual identity in the Islamic world."—Henry Munson, American Anthropologist
The Food of Oman: Recipes and Stories from the Gateway to Arabia
by Felicia Campbell (no photo)Synopsis:
Featuring rustic Middle Eastern dishes infused with the flavors of East Africa, India, and Persia, "The Food of Oman "presents the delicious diversity of the tiny Arabian Sultanate through 100 recipes, lush photography, and stories from the people behind the food in an immersive introduction to a fascinating, little-known corner of the world.
The recipes in "The Food of Oman" offer cooks a new world of flavors, techniques, and inspiration, while the lush photography and fascinating stories provide an introduction to the culture of a people whose adventurous palates and deep love of feeding and being fed gave rise to this unparalleled cuisine.
Women and Community in Oman
by Christine Eickelman (no photo)Synopsis:
Before 1970 Oman was one of the more isolated countries on the Arab peninsula. The growth of the oil economy during the seventies, however, has brought rapid change to the small towns and villages that make up the country.
In "Women and Community in Oman" Chritine Eickelman captures the tone and feel of this desert culture on the verge of substantial, and probably irreversible, change. During 1979 and 1980 she lived in Hamra, an oasis of 2,500 persons and the capital of the Abriyin tribe. Situated on the western edge of the Jabal al-Akhdar region of inner Oman, this was formerly one of the most inaccessible areas of the peninsula. Eickelman lived there among the people of Hamra, visiting Omani, this was formerly one of the most inaccessible areas of the peninsula. Eickelman lived there among the people of Hamra, visiting Omani homes, and speaking daily with the men and women - especially the women. The result is a lively and very personal firsthand account of day-to-day life in the Omani interior.
The book looks at the practical changes in the life of the Omanis, and at the roles, concerns, and aspirations of the women there. Eickelman explores key concepts in the Omani community and family life, from choosing a spouse and "negotiating" a marriage to giving birth and raising children; from work and status within the community to rituals, mores and sociability in the neighborhood.
Eickelman's study stands as a discriminating and sympathetic view of a sturdily independent culture. This perceptive and informative account will be of lasting importance and interest to Middle East specialists, anthropologists, those concerned with women's studies, and to all persons who want to learn more about the implications of political and social change in the Third World.
Oman - The Islamic Democratic Tradition 
by Ghubash Hussein (no photo)Synopsis:
Oman is the inheritor of a unique political tradition, the imama (imamate), and has a special place in the Arab Islamic world. From the eighth century and for more than a thousand years, the story of Oman was essentially a story of an original, minority, movement: the Ibadi. This long period was marked by the search for a just imama through the Ibadi model of the Islamic State.
Hussein Ghubash's well-researched book takes the reader on an historical voyage through geography, politics, and culture of the region, from the sixteenth century to the present day. Oman has long-standing ties with East Africa as well as Europe; the first contact between Oman and European imperialist powers took place at the dawn of the 1500s with the arrival of the Portuguese, eventually followed by the Dutch, French and British.
Persuasive, thorough and drawing on Western as well as Islamic political theory, this book analyzes the different historical and geopolitical roles of this strategic country. Thanks to its millennial tradition, Oman enjoys a solid national culture and a stable socio-political situation. Today, it is moving steadily towards a democratic future.
Social and Gender Inequality in Oman: The Power of Religious and Political Tradition
by Khalid M. Al-Azri (no photo)Synopsis:
Looking at the social, political and legal changes in Oman since 1970, this book challenges the Islamic and tribal traditional cultural norms relating to marriage, divorce and womens rights which guide social and legal practice in the modern Omani state. The book argues that despite the establishment of legal instruments guaranteeing equality for all citizens, the fact that the state depends upon Islamic and tribal elites for its legitimacy invalidates these guarantees in practice. Two particular features of the legal and cultural regulation of marriage and marital rights are focused on - the perceived requirement for kafaa or equality in marriage between so called high and low socio-economic status peoples is examined, and the institution of talaq, which grants greater rights to men than to women in appeals for divorce. This book addresses highly complex subjects with great rigor, in terms of empirical research and engagement with theory, sociological and political as well as theological and legal. It is an interesting investigation of the divisions of authority between the state, Islam and tribal norms, highlighting barriers to reform in both Oman and wider Islamic society, and advocating the removal of such obstacles.
Unshook Till the End of Time - A History of Britain and Oman
by Stuart Laing (no photo)Synopsis:
A landmark book that will be vital to historians of Oman and analysts of the geopolitics of the Persian Gulf. Draws on previously unpublished Foreign Office archive materials.
Oman's location at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, pincering oil flows with Iran, is of huge strategic importance and makes it the focus on increasing political interest.
Warlords of Oman
by P.S. Allfree (no photo)Synopsis:
The publication of Warlords of Oman in 1967 coincided with the first export of oil from Oman and the beginning of momentous change in a country that had been virtually closed to the outside world. Since then under the leadership of His Majesty, Sultan Qaboos, the development of the country and its people has been recognized as an international success story.
The events recorded in this book describe a very different state of affairs in a part of the world about which little was known at the time. Very few books had been published when this book first appeared in print, and although much has been written since about Oman and the events set down in this book, it remains a classic of Arabian travel and experience. Full of lively descriptions of people and places, its pages abound with delightful scenes of local color, lively encounters, fascinating characters, and enthralling incidents.
The Imamate Tradition Of Oman
by John Craven Wilkinson (no photo)Synopsis:
At the core of this book is an attempt to explain a conflict in Oman in the 1950s and 1960s between two claimants to authority: the Imam of the Ibadi sect in the interior and the Sultan with his capital at Muscat on the coast. The crisis, precipitated by two rival oil companies, acquired wider dimensions because the Sultan was supported by the British, whilst the Imam was eventually backed by Saudi Arabia. In his analysis of the roots of this conflict John Wilkinson traces the themes of regional identity, tribal organization and political authority over some 1200 years of history in south-eastern Arabia. The constitution of the Imamate has periodically unified the tribes of central Oman into a form of statehood capable of creating an overseas empire. But in spite of the accruing wealth, notably from Eastern Africa in the nineteenth century, the institutions necessary for permanent government were never created.
The Emergence of States in a Tribal Society: Oman Under Sa'id bin Taymur, 1932–1970
by Uzi Rabi (no photo)Synopsis:
This book reassesses the reign of Sa‘id bin Taymur, who was deposed by his son, Qabus bin Sa‘id, in a coup in July 1970. Contemporary historiography of the period of Sa‘id’s rule (1932-1970) views Oman as medieval and isolationist; Qabus’ later government is seen as progressive and enlightened, with his ascendancy to the throne often described as the “rebirth of Oman” from its “medieval slumber” into a thriving and prosperous Sultanate.
This study refutes the prevailing view that Sa‘id’s four-decade reign should be perceived as a place where time stood still. The author offers a critical look at the economic, political, social and cultural aspects of Oman during the reign of Sa‘id bin Taymur. … The Emergence of States in a Tribal Society mainly focuses on tribe–state relations, emphasizing their dynamic interaction, with particular attention paid to the relationships between the tribal groups. Uzi Rabi’s book reinterprets a significant timescale in the modern history of the Arabian Peninsula and pre-oil societies, and will be essential reading for both students and scholars of Middle Eastern history, culture and society.
The National Museum Project - Sultanate of OmanWebsite: The National Museum Project
The National Museum Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. 2015
Description
The National Museum building was designed by internationally experienced architects and represents the culmination of a series of museum projects administered by the Ministry of Heritage and Culture. It will work as a modern museum with a window that opens up to the Oman’s historical and cultural scene. The National Museum is built over an area of 25,000 square metres in Muscat city, close to the al-‘Alam Palace, where it harmonises with its surroundings that embrace various cultural, historical and tourism potential.
The objective behind the establishment of the National Museum was to preserve the assets of Oman’s heritage and maintain material and spiritual possessions that make up the history of Oman as well as its culture and arts. The museum will highlight the cultural and historical dimensions of the Sultanate of Oman by using and adopting best practices and standards in the field of museums including administration, collections management and exhibitions. The museum is also distinguished for embracing elements and special activities such as visitor services, museum education, research, publishing, public relations, marketing and museum security systems.
The construction area of the museum is 13,000 square metres with 4,000 square metres of this area dedicated to thirteen permanent exhibition halls that feature different fields. Among these halls are Earth and Man, Maritime History, Weapons, Cultural Achievements, Aflaj, Coins, Pre-history and Ancient Ages, Oman and the Outer World, the Majesty of Islam and the Renaissance Era. The museum includes a hall for temporary exhibitions built to international standards.
Among the other halls of the museum is one where visitors can examine pieces on display under the supervision of a member of staff. There are also other halls where visitors can directly interact with restored and conserved pieces.
The museum contains an education centre and lecture hall that are equipped with integrated equipment and learning systems for people with special needs and students of various ages. It also has a conservation centre, which is considered unique in the Middle East. There are also specialised facilities to support the collections management program including stores, workshops and laboratories, in addition to service facilities that include a restaurant, a coffee shop and a gift shop.
The museum’s display cases have been designed according to scientific standards, following those in a number of the world's leading museums, thus ensuring the optimum quality of displays and methods of dealing with collections through advanced technological methods being implemented in the museum, which will be unique to Oman. The National Museum has the largest display cases in the world.
The museum applies a series of remarkable interpretative procedures to convey cultural messages to all segments of society through the development of an interactive and integrated system. Besides labelling all displays, special systems have been provided to enable people suffering visual impairment to interact with museum facilities through an open display and Braille language symbols, creating direct tactile contact with the pieces, which follows direct interaction with objects that is common in local Arabic culture.
To enable families and children to interact with museum facilities, a number of halls have been allocated for cultural exercises and educational games. The museum will contain a wide range of digital interpretation systems, including television screens, interactive presentations and audio systems that will be used in presenting Oman’s intangible heritage.
In addition to these interpretative systems there will be a cinema hall provided with 3D technology for displaying rich documentary films that reflect subtle cultural principles. These halls are particularly aimed at visitors who do not have time to stroll around the exhibition halls and different sections.
The museum houses more than five thousand archaeological pieces that reveal various historical periods of Oman’s history, since the beginning of human settlement to the present time, through a systematic and integrated conservation system. The Ministry has signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, a prestigious institution based in Portugal, and to initiate this cooperation, the Ministry invited a team of specialists to study two thousand archaeological pieces to assess their physical condition in order to develop a practical program for the rehabilitation of collections, which will start in 2013. The foundation has also conducted laboratory studies to determine the quality of the soil and materials used in building the museum so as to develop a risk management programme to control the safety of the collections. The foundation has also prepared precise criteria for environmental factors required for the display cases and exhibition halls.
One essential part of the structure of the National Museum is designed to deal with different types and age groups of visitors. It aims to serve all visitors, but for those with only a short time to visit the museum there are specific tours for this purpose. Through these guides they can get a general idea of the history of Oman with its various areas. In addition the cinema will show a twelve to fifteen-minute 3D film summarising Oman’s entire history.
Visitors who have more time can tour the various facilities of the museum such as the Maritime History Hall, which relates to one of Oman’s coastal cities. If visitors wish to visit one of the castles and forts mentioned in the Cultural Achievements Hall, they can travel to the actual sites to enjoy a full cultural experience.
To enrich the museum with tangible evidence that expresses Oman’s heritage and culture, the Ministry communicates with the community to obtain important new collections of historical and aesthetic artefacts by purchasing or borrowing them for display with the museum’s other collections. This program includes anything related to traditional handicrafts in various forms, old and rare photographs, original manuscripts, documents and old correspondence, traditional navigation tools, al-raḥmāniyyāt (guides) records of falajs, and the old tools used in their construction and maintenance, banknotes and coins traded in old Oman, rare postage stamps, fine art works by pioneering Omani artists and archaeological finds.
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by Jamal Al-Moosawi (no photo)
The Persian Gulf: Dutch-Omani Relation, a Commercial and Political History 1651-1806
by Willem M. Floor (no photo)Synopsis:
Dutch relations with Oman from 1651 to 1806 were substantial and the written accounts provide the most detailed picture of the political and socio-economic situation in that country during this period. The information on Muscat in the 1670s and 1750s is unique and revealing, while the trek of the Dutch shipwreck survivors in 1763 gives us a glimpse, for the fi rst time, into the life and conditions of the people of Oman's interior regions. All this information is brought to life in this book, which will be rewarding both to scholars and to those readers interested in the history, economics, and development of Oman and the people of the Persian Gulf.
Frankincense: Oman's Gift to the World
by Juliet Highet (no photo)Synopsis:
In this fascinating and beautifully illustrated study of the fragrant crystal once valued as highly as gold, Juliet Highet takes readers back through time and over the Frankincense Trail: from Southern Arabia to Gaza.
The Frankincense Trail-a trade route in Southern Arabia and the ancient cities that once thrived there-was recently named a UNESCO World heritage sight. The history and importance of the resin, one of the most important trading goods of the ancient world, is not widely appreciated today. This stunning book that combines travel writing, history, and a glimpse into the world of perfumery explores every aspect of these fragrant, amber-colored "pearls," from frankincense's harvesting from the barks of desert trees, through the vital role it played in the economy of ancient Southern Arabia, to its use today in aromatherapy and French perfume. Hundreds of color photographs illustrate the cultivation and preparation of frankincense in the modern world, while ancient artworks and maps reveal how this luxury item was once so crucial to the economy of Arabia.
Juliet Highet is a writer and photographer who has published widely on frankincense, culture, and travel in the Arab world.
The History Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
Frankincense: Oman's Gift to the World (other topics)The Persian Gulf: Dutch-Omani Relation, a Commercial and Political History 1651-1806 (other topics)
The National Museum, Sultanate of Oman: Highlights (other topics)
The Emergence of States in a Tribal Society: Oman Under Sa'id bin Taymur, 1932-1970 (other topics)
The Imamate Tradition of Oman (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Juliet Highet (other topics)Willem M. Floor (other topics)
Jamal Al-Moosawi (other topics)
Uzi Rabi (other topics)
John Craven Wilkinson (other topics)
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Since we are doing the Middle Eastern challenge; setting up one thread per Middle Eastern country is a good idea.