UNESCO World Heritage Sites In Oman

Frankincense Trees and Spice Trade Heritage

The Frankincense trees in Wadi Dawkah region and the remnants of Shisr/Wubar caravan oasis plus the ports of Al-Baleed and Khor Rori is a distinctive illustration of the frankincense and spice trade that flourished in the regions during the medieval periods. Khor Rori lasted from the fourth century BC to the fifth century AD. The fortress served as a natural harbor due to its proxy to the sea. The monument is located on a rocky spur, stretching east to west in a defensive mechanism. Al Baleed, a harbor lying on the Indian Ocean beaches started in the eighth century till 16th century AD. Artifacts from Ming, China, and the world beyond portray the fortress as an important harbor in the Silk Road to the Sea where frankincense was also traded. Although heavily fortified, the monument faced may attacks and an almost annihilation in the 13th century. In the 15th century, the Portuguese and the European countries changed the trading patterns and soon the fortress died. There was an outpost in the Great Desert of Rub Al Khali, lying approximately 170 kilometers inland. The three sites were heavily fortified. Shisr was an agricultural oasis where caravans came for supply along the Nejd routes heading to the hinterland. The Royal Decree No. 6/80 protects this site. There is a fence enclosing the site and all buffer zones. All visitors must use paths laid on Geotextiles to access the site. In the ruins conservation of the monument is facilitated by the sacrificial stone layers on the stone walls.

...[ Continue to next page ]