Small caves between Musandam and Al Sharqiyah governorates attract easy attention of travellers. The caves are located in the mountain range of the governorates and extend for more than 500km.
These caves were formerly a safe haven for the inhabitants. Omanis take it as a place to live, a shelter from the sun’s heat and protection from the cold winter. These sites were also typical places for storing agricultural and marine crops that they harvested throughout the year.
“These natural caves can be found in various regions of the Sultanate of Oman. They are gaps with openings in the rocks of the mountains, unique in characteristics and rare formations, which took thousands of years to form.
They are natural treasures and national heritage that require conservation and care as an important geological heritage of the country,” said a mountain dweller.
Omanis resort to these sites for many reasons, including but not limited to their location in high places, and thus becoming a safe area that is not affected by floods during heavy rains. Some of these caves are located in high places along the paths of the water channels (Aflajs) where residents were guaranteed stability for longer periods due to the abundant availability of drinking water throughout the year.
Despite the civilisational development taking place in various parts of the Sultanate of Oman, many mountain dwellers still use these caves to this day.
“We still use traditional irrigation methods in agriculture, we use traditional methods in harvesting our agricultural products, and we use traditional methods in preserving marine products. These geological sites created by nature are an important resource in our daily life,” a farmer told Oman Daily Observer.
These natural caves attract people and show signs of life in the olden days. A geologist points out the source of agriculture and marine near the caves.
Also, many rock drawings are often found near these geological sites. In addition to that, there are cemeteries and tombs in various geometric shapes.
No accurate studies are showing the real numbers of these sites, and there are no documented studies of their size, area, and times. Therefore, many specialists in geosciences hope to study these sites carefully, and they must be included in the priorities of plans and strategies that provide them with protection from tampering.
TEXT & PHOTOS BY YAHYA AL SALMANI
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