Wilayat of Dibba is an open museum with dozens of archaeological and historical sites. Visiting these sites is not complete without visually documenting them. The most important of these sites are tombstones dating back to the pre-Islamic era. It can only be reached with a proficient guide who has sufficient experience to reach these sites that are spread in the plains and on the mountaintops.
Omar al Shihi is one of the citizens who devoted time for the last 20 years to exploring archaeological sites in this wilayat which is located in the northern Governorate of Musandam. Despite his busy schedule, Al Shihi devotes his free time and weekends to explore new archaeological sites.
“My goal is to document all the archaeological sites, not only in Dibba , but in all the wilayats of the Musandam Governorate. Despite the ruggedness of the topography and the difficulty of reaching them, I never hesitate to allocate time to explore more archaeological sites”, Al Shihi explained.
So far, al Shihi has been able to document more than 30 archaeological sites. Most of these sites represent drawings and inscriptions on rocks and tombstones.
“The drawings on the tombstones are considered very rare and have no parallel in the Sultanate of Oman. Usually, Quranic verses are written on the graves, but the graves in the Wilayat of Dibba are decorated with drawings, and this confirms that these graves go back to a period before Islam”, he said.
Al Shihi visits these unique archaeological sites and posts photos on social media.
“I make sure to take photos of these sites and I also take the initiative to publish concise information about each site. I aim to spread knowledge and educate people about the importance of preserving these sites and not tampering with them”, he said.
This interest was greatly appreciated by his followers on social media platforms. “I receive calls and answer dozens of questions that come to me daily. There are many who are interested in archaeology and heritage. I received many calls from Oman and abroad. All of them asked me to provide them with the opportunity to visit these sites after they were amazed by the quality of the photographs that I broadcast on social media sites”, Al Shihi told the Observer.
“The inscriptions and drawings on tomb stones provide us with glimpses into the lives of people who lived here hundreds or even thousands of years ago. Every inscription or drawing expresses a mystery waiting for someone to decipher it and reveal its secrets. These drawings and inscriptions are also considered messages that can shed light on an era. It has historical, social, cultural and ideological connotations”.
Al Shihi feels great joy when he finds new archaeological sites and sad when he sees that some of these sites have disappeared due to natural reasons and human interventions.
“These sites are in urgent need of a plan or strategy of protection. Many of these sites are affected by erosion and climatic factors. Some of them are also affected by urban expansion.” Al Shihi said: “Protecting these sites contributes positively to promoting eco-tourism in this wilayat. The competent authorities must develop plans that help encourage sustainable tourism in the area”, he said.
TEXT & PHOTOS BY YAHYA AL SALMANI
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
