MUSCAT, APRIL 17 - The Sultanate celebrates the World Heritage Day with the rest of the world on Thursday. Proposed by the International Council for Monuments and Sites in 1982 for a day to be dedicated to celebrate as International Day for Monuments and Sites, the Unesco General Assembly passed a resolution in 1983 declaring April 18 each year as International Monuments and Sites Day. The theme this year is ‘Rural Landscapes’ that looks into areas where agriculture, fishing, salt production, hunting and other traditional occupations are practised.
This year the Sultanate is celebrating the occasion for three days.
Under the auspices of Shaikh Saif bin Hamood al Busaidi, the Deputy Governor of Wadi al Maawil, the Ministry of Heritage and Culture started the celebration at Al Ghasham House Museum in Wadi Al Maawil.
The celebration included two scientific papers — ‘Achievements of Archaeology at the Ministry of Heritage and Culture’ and ‘Law of Preservation of Cultural Heritage.’
“In addition to this, an exhibition has already been opened at the Museum with different information corners and Oman’s valuable heritage and some priceless archeological pieces,” said Said Khalfan al Nomani, Director of Bait Al Ghasham Museum.
The museum was named after its previous owner Sayyid Mohammed bin Ahmed bin Nasser al Ghasham al Busaidi.
The museum’s period of construction dates back to the reign of Sayyid Said bin Sultan al Busaidi (1791-1856), which indicates the age of the house exceeds almost 200 years, explained Al Nomani.
The house is 40 metres long and 30 metres wide that includes the part that has been restored.
It consists of 15 rooms for different usage, spread over two floors as well as morning room (Al Sabah) and men meeting room (AL Sabla), some fortified rooms, and one to shelter from attacks, watch towers, and a big yard, in addition to the well and storage areas for dates.
During restoration under the supervision of Ministry of Heritage and Culture, the same old traditions materials used in the past was used which are slurry, Omani Sarooj, Omani plaster, flat mountain stones and different types of wood.
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