By Yeru Ebuen — The Omanis in ancient times were prolific tower builders. We know about this because the skillset has been handed down from generations to generations. With several UNESCO world heritage sites spread across the country, the existing ruins and the discoveries of new ones are testament to the ability of the Omanis to build forts. Muscat alone is home to several towers of different sizes with historical, scientific or political importance..
Yet, it was in Fanja, the first town in the Al Dakhiliyah Governorate from Muscat, that I found myself wandering in the last two weeks.
Located about 40-minute drive from the capital, Fanja is an interesting place. The first thing you would notice about it is the wadi and the thick palms that surround the area. What made it more popular over the years is the old souq where one can buy unglazed earthen jars and artisanal crafts — a really good place for bargain hunting.
I’ve passed through the town’s souq countless times and I have a good idea of the layout of the place. Fanja’s old souq has been reviewed many times and I know that there was hardly anything new to add to the story fluttering on the Internet. It is popular and it’s been milked for all its worth.
If you’ve gone to the interior of Fanja, the dramatic towers perched on hills and located on some very noticeable points will definitely get your attention. And although a lot were written about their location, there are no other details as to why they were built, who built them and how long they have been there.
People know they exist but the details seem not to matter. They are good for photographs, but the particulars seem not important.
Cramped on the passenger seat of a week-old uncleaned car on a nearing 40-degree temperature, there it was, a silent sentry looking at a vast dried, river.
We were headed for Nakhal with all the intention of seeing Al Thowarah Hot Spring when the GPS showed us that there was a different way other than the one we were accustomed to. It was the fifth tower we’ve seen from the old souq and it was the most accessible.
Ever the digital guy, I browsed through sites after sites trying to figure out what’s the name of the tower but the Internet failed me. I was looking at a nameless tower and I wonder if such were the case for all the other towers we’ve seen thus far.
I realised that maybe, they were too insignificant to ever have a name. But it didn’t stop me from asking the next question. Why?
Why are most of Oman’s towerS circular?
This particular tower we were in, fortunate to have the door open, is made of mud with only but one entrance and many windows on top. It is circular, stands about 25 feet high with the door made of wood. There weren’t any steps on the stairs.
Upon reaching the top, one will have a clear 360-degree unobstructed view of the surrounding — not only the mountainous area in the back but also the wide expanse of wadi in the front.
A falaj also runs in the front, a few metres away from the wadi, while on each side of the tower are some gardens.
In the book published by the Sultanate’s Ministry of Information in 1995 entitled Oman in History, it concluded that the primary reason for the secret construction of round forts and castles by extension, the myriads of towers all over the country, is defence.
The book said, “Since there are no corners on the building the enemy would find it difficult to hide and the guards could watch the whole area around the fortress.”
It added, “This building design would also be resistant to high winds and storms which would be deflected as soon as they hit the wall.”
The Omani people, the book claimed, were aware of the advantages of such forts and castles long before the arrival of Islam, having built cities 3,000 years BC.
The round shape towers, if they were built higher near a fort, were meant to offer a high degree of surveillance and control.
Knowing this information, it made a lot of sense. Even the steep stair would render getting to the top difficult in case of attack.
Why is it located where it’s located?
A further reading of the book revealed that the materials used and the way that most structures were built were in consideration to Oman’s harsh climate.
Considering the kind of weather we are experiencing today, even back then, the older generation has to find ways to soften the impact of severe weather conditions when they are inside the structure.
Incorporating many windows on the walls of buildings — including these towers, allows the significant reduction of heat inside the structure.
As for the wooden door, the book revealed that it’s no secret that during the Middle Ages, Omanis were able to procure the timber if not from within the country, by importation from India and Africa, using the sea routes to import the woods with which they kept the craftwork traditions going for many centuries.
But why was it built where it was built? Not only for that particular tower but for all other towers in all of Oman?
Oman in History said that these structures were naturally married to their surrounding and their engineering design and architecture highly considered where it’s located. The positioning has a direct correlation to its functions.
For this tower in particular, it was used as a post where guards can watch over the domain and monitor those who are coming and going — strategic placement to protect life and property.
Oman in History also added that the Sultanate is “one of the earliest countries in the region to develop defensive structures. Its history and the challenges it faced required building of forts, towers and palaces in many parts of Oman.”
If they were not significant politically, they were scientifically or historically. “The design was rooted in the heart of Oman’s history and the great civilisations that existed on this land,” the book claimed.
Make tower-hunting a ‘thing’
After a quick tour of the tower, we noticed one local who was tending to his garden. Although with hesitation, we asked him what the tower’s name was.
He said he didn’t know.
A closer inspection didn’t reveal anything. There was no inscription. It was built for a specific purpose and I presumed that it wasn’t meant to become any reference when talking about direction or I thought, maybe its name is still hidden in Arabic.
The local man told us that there was another tower up in the hill with an even better view of the whole of Fanja. The same way, it didn’t have a name. He said it required a bit of a climb. From a distance, we can see what he was pertaining to but we didn’t have the time to venture further out with the sun already setting down.
I managed to take a few good shots of the tower after venturing into the falaj. From that vantage point, surrounded by the daily watered-grass and year-round vibrant green, I thought to myself that it could easily be mistaken as a tower from somewhere else — Europe perhaps.
It occurred to me that many pictures had been taken of the desert — of the arid lands that make up Oman. The mountains and the villages were also following suit and are starting to get their much-deserved recognition.
The fort of Nizwa amongst other popular forts had already been photographed thousands of times and the more pictures that were taken of them, the more they become great attractions.
It occurred to me that these nameless towers of Fanja, the forgotten ones because they were insignificant, can be, on their own an attraction as well.
For some reason, I’d like to believe that in some books that are yet to be transcribed or translated, the purpose of when, how and why these towers were built would have been discussed in details.
I know that tower-hunting is also a ‘thing’ for many travellers. We just have to show them first the beauty and the diversity of these towers. We also have to uncover their history and tell their story. Everyone loves a good story after all and that will be good for tourism.
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