SALALAH, Oct 24 - The opening of information centres at Samahram Archaeological Park and Wubar Archaeological Site would add value to tourism in Dhofar as both the places have history blended amid modern development, infrastructure and something very natural still preserved at both the locations. Professor Alessandra Avanzini of University of Pisa has done extensive research on the site and she has been involved in excavating the history of Samahram for the last 20 years. She tells with conviction that Samahram was founded at the end of the 3rd century BC and was not definitively abandoned until sometime during the 5th century AD.
In a document suggesting the timeline of the ancient city, Prof Alessandra states that it is now certain that Samahram was limited not only to a small trading or military outpost, it was a small city surrounded by strong fortifications. “The area within the walls would not have exceeded 7,000 square metres. But it was a city with temples, private and public buildings, a vast warehouse district, impressive fortifications, a necropolis, and busy artisan quarters within the city walls, and fertile fields and orchards outside the city limits. “The impressively coherent layout of Samahram suggests that some sort of preliminary plan had been drawn up even before construction began and the city walls are really impressive.”
Kaushalendra Singh
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