Muscat: World Heritage Sites of Oman are playing a major role of relevance as they become major tourism attractions these days. Currently, Oman has five inscriptions in Unesco list of world heritage sites. There are currently about 1199 sites across the globe.
Rehabilitation has been going on various sites in Oman including the lighting system, which allows people to enjoy the sites even after sunset. The sites also have path ways and car parking areas making it easy for people to explore.
The first site on World Heritage List was declared in 1987 and that was Bahla Fort and its Oasis, while the latest to be added to the list was City of Qalhat in 2018.
“The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism is working on developing the world heritage sites. For example, we are going to have visitor centres in Qalhat. The designing process has already been completed and we will have visitors site in Bat as well,” said Ibtisam al Maamari, Director of World Heritage, Ministry of Heritage and Tourism.
She said that a local company has been approved to manage activities at the site. Once the company is ready there would be activities for visitors even in the evenings.
Salut is an ancient site that enjoys a visitor centre. Salut, however, is in the tentative list presently. It was updated in 2014 and the site has gone through the preliminary assessment. A distinct feature of Salut is its snake model.
“The snake models are mainly made of clay and iron. The site was opened in February and now one can visit the site and learn more from the centre. Salut is a site that dates back to Bronze and Iron Ages,” Ibtisam explained.
The Land of Frankincense consists of Al Baleed, Shisr/Wubar, Wadi Dawkah and Khor Rori. Collectively titled as Land of Frankincense, it was added to the list in the year 2000.
“Wadi Dawkah has thousands of frankincense trees some of them very old, up to 1,230. Khor Rori is highly significant as the port of frankincense trade,” she noted.
In 2006 the irrigation system, the Falaj of Oman came into the World Heritage Sites List. Another trade of the ancient world that is coming into focus is trade of copper.
“Also in the study are sites that were involved in the trade of copper, and they found in various parts of Oman. We are looking at these sites as the ones with outstanding value because they played significant role in the history of trade in copper.”
Other potential sites that are also being focused on for example are distinct mosques as in the case of Jaalan and another distinct area of study is the rock art of Oman.
“We should be proud of not just of our World Heritage Sites but also all the heritage sites. We should enjoy them and take care of them and not just wait for the government to do so. Each one of us should take the responsibility to take care of the sites. We should not wait for the government to arrange for the protection of the sites. We have noticed it actually where the locals in the areas have begun to take steps to conserve the sites in their neighbourhood in cooperation with the ministry,” Ibtisam noted.
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