Oman's World Heritage Sites
The Sultanate of Oman has four sites that are on the World Heritage list. Of the four sites three are historical and one a natural reserve.
HERITAGE is the legacy from the past which people live with in the present and through value addition pass on to generations that follow. Every country has a heritage; the cultural and natural heritage of a country serves as an immense source of pride and inspiration to the people of the country.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) works to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world that are considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is part of an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage adopted by the Unesco in 1972. Oman joined it in 1972 and ratified the Convention in 1981.
The Sultanate of Oman today has four sites that are on the World Heritage list — The first site to figure on the list was the Bahla Fort in 1987 and was followed a year later by the archaeological sites of Bat, Al Khutm and Al Ayn. The Arabian Oryx Sanctuary was added in 1994 and the Land of Frankincense in 2000. Of the four sites three are historical and one a natural reserve.
The decision to place a country site on the Heritage List is taken by a Committee elected by the General Assembly of the countries who are a party to the Unesco Convention. A country desirous of placing a site on the list applies for the same and supports the application with evidence to substantiate the claim. Much study ensues before the site finally finds its way into the list. Once listed, commitments have to be made by the member country for the management of the site and to ensure that it is preserved for posterity
Bahla Fort, the first site in Oman to figure on the World Heritage List is a landmark in the Bahla oasis. This oasis region owes its prosperity to the Banu Nebhan, the well-known tribe in the area from the 12th to the end of the 15th century. As the World Heritage List note mentions: “The ruins of the immense fort, with its walls and towers of unbaked brick and its stone foundations, is a remarkable example of this type of fortification and attests to the power of the Banu Nebhan.” It must be emphasised that the Bahla Fort is on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Restoration work on the fort has now been going on for several years. The Mining Museum in Bochum, Germany provided photogrammetric records of the fort to help in the work of restoration. The Omani government has agreed to finance the entire restoration work. When the Bahla Fort is finally restored and thrown open to the public the country will have another superb addition on the list for tourists to visit. Even today, tourists going to Jabrin stop outside the walls of the fort and take pictures of the necropolis.
The protohistoric site of Bat lies in the interior of the country far from the other popular destinations. Together with the sites surrounding it, Bat forms the most complete collection of human settlements in the world from the 3rd millennium BC. The Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in the Jiddat Al Harasis is part of the central desert and coastal bio-geographical regions of Oman.
The prevalence of fogs and dew support a unique desert ecosystem with its own flora and fauna. The fauna includes the first free-ranging herd of Arabian Oryx. The Oryx had become an endangered species in Oman and through a major programme was reintroduced into the sanctuary in 1982. The Arabian Oryx Sanctuary is also home to the endangered houbara bustard, the Nubian ibex, Arabian wolves, honey badgers, caracals and a large population of Arabian gazelle. The inclusion of the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary was done after the government introduced the Royal Decree 4/94 providing for the management of the area. This was then followed by the bye-laws and directives for management of the site.
The Land of Frankincense Dhofar listing includes the frankincense trees of Wadi Dawkah, the remains of the caravan oasis of Shisr and Wubar and the adjacent ports of Khor Rori and Al Baleed. The World Heritage Committee remarked that these vividly illustrate the trade in frankincense that flourished in the Dhofar region for many centuries and was one of the most important trading activities of the ancient and medieval world.
The Committee inscribed this property on the World Heritage List on the basis of two criteria. Firstly they mentioned that this group of archaeological sites in Oman represents the production and distribution of frankincense, one of the most important luxury items in the Old World in antiquity. They added that the oasis of Shisr and the entrepots of Khor Rori and Al Balid are outstanding examples of medieval fortified settlements in the Arabian Gulf region. After it was listed the name of the property was changed to the Frankincense Trail.
When a country nominates a property, it gives details of how the property is protected and provides a management plan for its on going maintenance. Countries are also expected to report periodically on their condition. The number of properties each country has on the World Heritage List varies from one for the Republic of South Korea to over 30 for France and 12 for the Czech Republic.
The costs of conservation and protection of World Heritage sites is managed through the World Heritage Fund. The WHF receives most of its income from compulsory contributions from countries and from voluntary contributions. Other sources of income include profits derived from sales of World Heritage publications or funds-in-trust that are donated by member countries for specific purposes.
The College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at the University of Minnesota, USA has recently established a Center for World Heritage Studies to undertake research and service projects in partnership with Unesco World Heritage Centre. The objective of this partnership is to promote the 1972 Unesco Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.
Inscribing a site on the World Heritage List is just the beginning of the story. The country has to continue to create awareness about the site both internally and abroad and also work to preserve the site for all times. Will Oman have another addition to the list? Will the Al Hota caves also be added? Another natural site on the World Heritage List will decidedly bring prestige to the country and boost its image as a nation that cares for its natural, historic and cultural heritage.
Oman Observer, 18th April 2006
