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This Web site, dedicated to Bahla Fort in Oman, is currently under construction. Please bookmark this site and visit it again soon. |
Bahla Fort and Threats to Its Survival
Oman is the ancient land of frankincense, the aromatic gum which was once considered more precious than gold. The Omani civilization dates back thousands of years—in biblical times the country was the hub of the rich frankincense trade. Known for their seafaring tradition, the Sultans of Oman ruled over a wealthy trading empire that stretched from the coast of East Africa to the tip of the Indian subcontinent from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries. Not far from the capital of Oman rests the Oasis of Bahla, which owes its prominence to the Banu Nebhan tribe that dominated the region from the twelfth to the end of the fifteenth century. The ruins of the immense Bahla Fort, with walls and towers of earthen brick and foundations of stone, loom 165 feet above the village. Having never been restored, the fort has retained much of its authenticity as a remarkable example of this style of fortification. In the absence of conservation measures, however, large sections of the outer walls collapse each year following the area's rainy season. Both Bahla Fort and the oasis village are evidence of an ancient civilization. In order to protect them from further deterioration, the site was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1987. |
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