A-Dhahira
The
Dhahira region is a desert plain which extends from the foothills
of the Western Hajar Mountains towards the Empty Quarter. It
is separated from the Dakhliyah region by Jebel al Kawr, a spectacular
mountain peak in Yanqul. It also borders Saudi Arabia in the
west and the United Arab Emirates in the north. Archaeological
discoveries indicate that ancient land routes have passed through
Buraimi, Ibri, Wadi al Jizzi and al Hawanash with trade caravans
using the region as a resting place.
The wilayat of Buraimi is in the northwest of the region. It
has a number of forts, two of which, al Khandaq and al Hillah,
have been restored by the Ministry of Heritage and Culture.
There are 49 villages in the wilayat, which are irrigated by
49 afalaj. Outside of these areas, there is only desert. Farming
is a main occupation in Buraimi and crops such as limes, dates
and alfalfa are cultivated.
The wilayat of Ibri possibly gained its name from the Arabic
root 'a-b-r', which suggests 'crossing' or 'traversing', indicating
its location on some of the main trading caravan routes. Today,
Ibri is well known for its oil and gas fields which provide
the country with its main revenue. However, it is also renowned
for the 'Bat Tombs', which were the second site in Oman to be
listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The tombs were discovered
in 1976 by a team of Danish archaeologists. The southern section
of the site consists of 'beehive' tombs which contain up to
five graves.
Another section contained tombs of a different nature, which
appear to have been communal graves. In both types of tomb,
red pottery similar to the 'Jumdat Nasr' ware from Iraq was
found. According to UNESCO's World Heritage List, the Bat Tombs
constitute, "..along with neighbouring sites, the most
complete collection of settlements and necropolises of the 3rd
millenium BC."
There are three main forts in Ibri: Jebel al Shahshah Fort,
Al Aswad Fort and Ibri Fort, which contained a large 'Friday
Mosque' (one in which many people pray on Fridays). There are
a number of springs and afalaj in the region, and a popular
area with locals and visitors alike, is the village of Dhamm
in Wadi al Ain: after the rains, water tumbles down Jebel Al
Kawr and Jebel al Akhdar in spectacular cascades.
The wilayat of Mahdhah was the home of Ahmed bin Nu'man al Ka'abi,
the first Arab ambassador to the United States in 1840. It now
contains 99 villages and many of its inhabitants farm the land,
growing crops such as corn, dates and animal fodder. Indeed,
its soil is so suited to agriculture, that the wilayat adopted
the corn ear as its emblem. Local crafts include weaving, spinning
and palm-weave products.
Yanqul lies in the northeast of Oman and is considered a 'transit
station' between the Dhahira and Batinah regions. The most famous
landmark in Yanqul is Jebel al Hawra, a beautiful mountain peak
adopted by the wilayat as its emblem. The area has a great deal
to offer visitors: at the summit Jebel al Khutaim, some 600ft
above the surrounding plain, the panorama reveals a number of
ancient ruins. Wadi al Raki is a popular tourist location owing
to its fine scenery and wide variety of trees. Traditional crafts
in Yanqul include goldsmithing, sugar-making, carpentry and
weaving.
Wilayat Dhank was of great interest to the historical Imams,
as evidenced by the number of 'Imam's Forts' in the area. Popular
tourist attractions are the Dhank caves, Wadi Dhank, Wadi al
Fath and Wadi Qumaira.
