The Archaeological Sites of Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-Ayn[1] (Arabic: ٱلْمَوَاقِع ٱلْأَثَرِيَّة فِيْ بَات وَٱلْخُطْم وَٱلْعَيْن, romanized: Al-Mawāqiʿ al-Athariyyah fī Bāt wal-Khuṭm wal-ʿAyn) are a group of beehive tombs or necropolis from the Hafit period in the 3rd Millennium BC, located near a palm grove in Oman. They were declared World Heritage by UNESCO in 1988, becoming only the second such Omani site after the Bahla Fort was designated world heritage in 1987.[2]
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
 Burial mound at the site of Al-Ayn, with the Hajar Mountains in the background | |
| Location | Al Dhahira region, Oman |
| Includes |
|
| Criteria | Cultural: (iii), (iv) |
| Reference | 434 |
| Inscription | 1988 (12th Session) |
| Coordinates | 23°16′11.5″N 56°44′42″E / 23.269861°N 56.74500°E |
  Location in Oman  Archaeological Sites of Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-Ayn (Middle East)  Archaeological Sites of Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-Ayn (West and Central Asia) | |
History or prehistory
editStudies during the last 15 years have shown the existence of numerous human settlements ranging from the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman.[citation needed]
Bat
editThe site of Bat is located inside a palm grove. Around 3000 B.C., there was an intense trade of copper (extracted locally) and stone (probably diorite) with Sumerians.[3] The necropolis consists of 100 graves and circular buildings each with a diameter of about 20 metres (66 feet).[citation needed] These buildings have no outside openings, so besides the possibility of their ritualistic function, they may have been used as tanks or silos. Their precise function is as of yet unknown. In 1972, the excavations carried out by a Danish team led by Karen Frifelt showed that the area has been continuously inhabited for 4000 years.[citation needed]
Al-Khutm
editThe ruins at Al-Khutm are thought to have derived from a stone fort, with a tower made of rock with a diameter of 20 metres (66 feet). They are located 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) west of Bat.[citation needed]
Al-Ayn
editAl-Ayn is a small necropolis, although it is in the best condition of the three necropolises. It is located 22 kilometres (14 miles) southeast of Bat.[4]
Conservation
editThe sites have not been subjected to restoration or other types of conservation before the protection provided by UNESCO, so their isolation has been their only protection. One of the greatest dangers concerning the sites preservation comes from locals who take building material from the archaeological sites.[3]
Development
editA road between Oman and Saudi Arabia,[5][6] which goes through the villages, was completed in September 2021.[7] Measuring between 700 and 800 kilometres (430 and 500 miles) in total, it extends from the town of Ibri in Oman to Al-Ahsa in eastern Saudi Arabia. The Omani side of the road measures approximately 160 km (99 miles), and the Saudi side 580 km (360 miles).[5][6][7]
See also
edit- Al Ain, a city with archaeological sites in the United Arab Emirates
- Al-Buraimi
- Hafit period
- Jabal Hafit
- Umm al-Nar culture
References
edit- ^ Christopher P. Thornton; Charlotte M. Cable; Gregory L. Possehl (2016). The Bronze Age Towers at Bat, Sultanate of Oman. University of Pennsylvania Press, Inc. pp. i–vi. doi:10.2307/j.ctv2t4ct6.1. ISBN 978-1-9345-3607-0.
- ^ "Archaeological Sites of Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-Ayn". UNESCO World Heritage Convention. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
- ^ a b "Archaeological Sites of Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-Ayn". UNESCO World Heritage Convention. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
- ^ Dekanovsky, Vaclav (29 February 2020). "Articles about Al Ayn". The Travel Holiday. Archived from the original on 8 October 2022. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
- ^ a b Al Shaibany, Saleh (6 July 2021). "Oman-Saudi road to save 16 hours travel time nears completion: New road cuts through the Empty Quarter and will be a lifeline for trade between the two countries". The National. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
- ^ a b Al Amir, Khitam (7 July 2021). "New Saudi-Oman road to cut land travel time by 16 hours: Travel between two countries to get lot easier; road is 800km in length". Dubai, the U.A.E.: Gulf News. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
- ^ a b Al Shaibany, Saleh (6 September 2021). "Oman-Saudi desert road will breathe new life into sleepy villages: 700-km motorway to cut through the Empty Quarter, bringing trade to once-abandoned areas". The National. Retrieved 9 November 2021.