Manal, an Omani village narrates deep-rooted history, authentic heritage

Oman Observer

Published: 5:51 PM, Sep 24, 2020

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Samayil: Manal is one of the villages of Wadi Bani Rawaha in the Wilayat of Samayil in the Governorate of Al Dakhiliyah. The village overlooks the main street heading to the governorates of Al Dakhiliyah, Dhofar and Al Dhahirah, and from there to the Governorate of Muscat.

Shaikh Is'haq bin Mohammed al Hashami says, “Manal village is located at a small mountainside. The village houses “Al Qasr” mosque. Towers were built around it in the rocky heights. The history of the village goes back to the end of the second millennium BC, when an ancient cemetery was discovered behind the rocky slopes located to the west of the village. The excavations indicated that the village was inhabited at the end of the second millennium and the beginning of the first millennium BC. Bronze tools, shells and animal bones were found at this site, in addition to some Islamic inscriptions and rock drawings".The modern houses at Manal village slope towards the east. As for the “Al Qasr” mosque, it was built far from the village. It is distinguished by its beautiful Mihrab and Islamic decorations. In 1998, the Ministry of Heritage and Culture restored the mosque.

There are more than 14 towers and fortresses surrounding the village from all sides. They all tell about the hardness and ingenuity of the Omani citizen in building those towers in order to defend the village's residents. The Ministry of Heritage and Culture restored 4 of these towers. --ONA

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