Harat Al-Bilad
Storm Clouds over Harat al-Bilad
Storm clouds over as-Sabah al-Qasab, the eastern gatehouse of Harat al-Bilad.
Masjid as-Sulaymani, Harat al-Bilad
Al-Masjid as-Sulaymani, located just outside the southern entrance to Harat al-Bilad in Manah, Sultanate of Oman. The tall tower known as Qal‘at al-Nasr (lit. Nasr’s Fort) can be seen in the centre and Qal‘at al-Mardufah (lit. the Inside Tower) in the background
Masjid as-Sulaymani, Harat al-Bilad
Masjid as-Sulaymani just outside the southern entrance to Harat al-Bilad.
Ka'b al-Bilad
Looking northwards from midway along Ka’b al-Bilad, the main street of Harat al-Bilad. The arched windows on the right of the image belong to the madrassah of Al-Masjid ash-Sharah. Further along Ka’b al-Bilad can be seen an overhead extension known as ‘Aqid Yusuf (Yusuf’s Arch). Just left of centre, Burj al-Juss, the tower guarding the northern access to the settlement, can be seen.
Sikkat Harat al-'Ayn
Sikkat Harat al-'Ayn
A view along Sikkat Harat al-’Ayn towards the eastern gatehouse as-Sabah al-Qasab.
Harat al-'Ayn Dwelling
A ruined dwelling on Sikkat Harat al-’Ayn.
Harat al-Bilad Dwelling
In the 1970s, the population of Harat al-Bilad began to move to new habitation nearby and by 1981 the ancient settlement was completely abandoned.
Harat al-Bilad Door
The locked door of a dwelling on Ka'b al-Bilad.
Eastern Gatehouse of Harat al-Bilad
As-Sabah al-Qasab, the fortified gatehouse of the eastern entrance to Harat al-Bilad in Manah, Ad-Dakhiliyah Governorate.
Sikkat Harat al-'Ayn
Sikkat Harat al-'Ayn
A view along Sikkat Harat al-’Ayn towards the eastern gatehouse as-Sabah al-Qasab.
Harat al-‘Ayn
View from the garden of Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman towards Al-Masjid al-'Ayn.
Harat al-Bilad Ceiling
Sikkat Harat al-'Ayn
A ceiling in a mud-brick dwelling in Harat al-Bilad, Ad-Dakniliyah Governorate, Sultanate of Oman.
Qal'at an-Nasr
Qal‘at an-Nasr is the stone and gypsum tower guarding the southern approach to the ancient fortified settlement of Harat al-Bilad in Manah, Sultanate of Oman.
Qal'at an-Nasr
Qal‘at an-Nasr is the stone and gypsum tower guarding the southern approach to the ancient fortified settlement of Harat al-Bilad in Manah, Sultanate of Oman.
Qal'at an-Nasr
Qal‘at an-Nasr is the stone and gypsum tower guarding the southern approach to the ancient fortified settlement of Harat al-Bilad in Manah, Sultanate of Oman.
As-Sabah al-Qasab
As-Sabah al-Qasab, the gatehouse guarding the eastern entrance to Harat al-Bilad.
As-Sabah al-Qasab
As-Sabah al-Qasab, the gatehouse guarding the eastern entrance to Harat al-Bilad, viewed from inside the settlement.
As-Sabah al-Qasab
As-Sabah al-Qasab, the gatehouse guarding the eastern entrance to Harat al-Bilad, viewed from inside the settlement.
Al-Masjid al-‘Ayn at Sunrise
Al-Masjid al-‘Ayn (right) in the ancient fortified settlement of Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman, photographed shortly after sunrise from the garden.
Harat al-Bilad Interior
The interior of a dwelling in the heart of Harat al-Bilad, with artifacts still in situ.
Ka'b al-Bilad
Looking southward from midway along Ka’b al-Bilad, the main thoroughfare of Harat al-Bilad.
Harat Al-Bilad Carved Door
The doorway to a large dwelling on Sikkat Awlad Rashid.
Carved Door Detail
A detail of a chip-carved geometric design on the central post of a wooden door in Harat al-Bilad.
Carved Door Detail
A detail of a chip-carved geometric design on the central post of a wooden door in Harat al-Bilad.
Stairs
The stairway of a large dwelling on Ka’b al-Bilad, leading to a room with a painted ceiling.
Harat al-Bilad Painted Ceiling
A painted ceiling in an upstairs room of a dwelling on Ka'b al-Bilad..
The Dark Street
Sikkat ar-Ruh (lit. Dark Street) looking from Sikkat al-Gharabah towards Al-Bab al-Burj. The tunnel-like nature of this street is due to overhead dwelling extensions along most of its length.
Harat al-Bilad Carved Door
The elaborately carved front door of a dwelling in Harat al-Bilad.
Harat al-Bilad Carved Door
An intricately carved door of a dwelling in Sikkat ash-Sharah, in the walled settlement of Harat al-Bilad, Sultanate of Oman. It was probably manufactured in Bahla, a centre of such crafts in Oman in times past.
Harat al-Bilad Endless-Knot Motif
Detail of the door shown in the previous photograph in Harat al-Binal, Manah, Sultanate of Oman, with an ‘endless-knot’ motif set within a circle and surrounded by a basketwork design. This magnificent door was invaded by termites and collapsed in 2002.
Harat al-Bilad Door
The doorway of the dwelling of the Sheikh of the Bani Abdu tribe next to Burj al-Juss at the northern end of the settlement, with crudely carved frame incorporating vaguely floral motifs amid geometric designs.
Carved Door Inscription
The carved inscription on the door of the dwelling of the Sheikh of the Bani Abdu tribe. It is from the last verse of the epic Ode by the late sixth-century Arab poet Amr Ibn Kulthum al-Taghlibi, celebrating the glory of his tribe. It reads:
When any boy of ours reaches his weaning
The tyrants fall down before him prostrating. (Arberry, 1957: 205)
Ka'b al-Bilad
The facades of several buildings on Ka’b al-Bilad, the main thoroughfare of Harat al-Bilad.
Sikkat ad-Dahmash
Looking northwards along Sikkat ad-Dahmash on the southwestern side of the settlement.
Harat al-Bilad Street
Looking southwards along Sikkat ad-Dahmash from Sikkat al-ʿUqud.
As-Sabah al-Qasab
View through As-Sabah al-Qasab, the eastern entrance to Harat al-Bilad, an ancient fortified settlement in the Sultanate of Oman.
Eastern Gatehouse of Harat al-Bilad
As-Sabah al-Qasab, the eastern gatehouse of Harat al-Bilad.
Harat al-‘Ayn
The northern edge of Harat al-‘Ayn, the garden quarter of Harat al-Bilad, an ancient fortified settlement in the Sultanate of Oman. Successive years of drought in the first years of the 21st century caused the water table to fall by several metres, causing the spring that irrigated the garden area of Harat al-‘Ayn to dry up in 2003 and the date palms and fruit trees to die.
As-Sabah al-Qasab
Looking eastward along Sikkat Harat al-‘Ayn to As-Sabah al-Qasab, the gatehouse guarding the eastern entrance to the ancient fortified settlement of Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman. This panoramic image was made with a Hasselblad XPan camera with 30mm lens.
As-Sabah al-Qasab
Al-Sabah al-Qasab, the eastern gatehouse of Harat al-Bilad, in evening sunlight.
Harat al-Bilad Carved Door
An intricately carved internal door on the first floor of a large house on Sikkat Awlad Rashid.
Harat al-Bilad Carved Door
Detail of an intricately carved internal door on the first floor of a large house on Sikkat Awlad Rashid.
Sablat al-Wali Painted Ceiling
The painted and inscribed ceiling of the Sablat al-Wali at the northern end of Ka’b al-Bilad.
As-Sabah al-Qasab
As-Sabah al-Qasab, the fortified gatehouse of the eastern entrance to Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman, seen from inside the settlement. The actual gateway is called Bab Harat al-‘Ayn. The doorway to the right of the gatehouse led into a tribal meeting hall (sablat), known as Sablat al-Bustan (lit. The Garden Sablat) in reference to a fruit garden that was situated just outside Bab Harat al-‘Ayn.
Dead Date Palm
A dead date palm close to the surrounding wall of Harat al-Bilad, a fortified settlement in the Sultanate of Oman. A prolonged period of desiccation in the area caused the underground spring that irrigated the garden within the walls of the settlement to dry up in 2003.
As-Sabah al-Qasab
Summer storm clouds gathering over As-Sabah al-Qasab, the eastern gatehouse of the ancient fortified settlement of Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman. The building on the right, just beyond the outer wall of the settlement, is Al-Masjid al-Bustan (lit. The Garden Mosque), so called because there used to be a fruit garden just outside As-Sabah al-Qasab.
Harat al-‘Ayn
View from the garden of Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman towards Al-Masjid al-'Ayn.
Harat al-‘Ayn
The garden area of Harat al-Bilad, an ancient fortified settlement in the Sultanate of Oman.
Al-Masjid al-‘Ayn at Sunrise
Al-Masjid al-‘Ayn in the ancient fortified settlement of Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman, photographed shortly after sunrise from the garden. The desiccation is due to the spring that surfaced from under the mosque drying up in 2003. The tower guarding the southern access to Harat al-Bilad, Qal‘at an-Nasr, can be seen on the left.
Harat al-Ayn
View along Sikkat Harat al-‘Ayn towards Ka‘b al-Bilad in Harat al-Bilad, Sultanate of Oman, with the steps to the rear courtyard of Al-Masjid al-‘Ayn left of centre. This access to the mosque precinct would have been used by those labouring in the fruit garden in the southeastern section of the settlement, known as Harat Al-‘Ayn. Although the date of the mosque’s original construction is not recorded, local tradition suggests that it is the oldest mosque in the settlement. As Harat al-Bilad was already in existence at the time of the arrival of Islam in Oman, this may suggest that its origins are in the first half of the 7th century CE.
Omani Pot
A date storage jar (khars) in a house on Sikkat al-Ghuwayr in the ancient fortified settlement of Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman.
Ka‘b al-Bilad, Manah
Looking southward from midway along Ka‘b al-Bilad, the main thoroughfare of Harat al-Bilad, an ancient fortified settlement in Manah, Sultanate of Oman.
Bottles
Liquor bottles such as these in Harat al-Bilad, Sultanate of Oman, are commonly seen in old villages in Oman, though they should not be viewed as evidence of the consumption of alcohol in times past. Such bottles, often collected from foreign ships at the ports of Muttrah and Muscat, were valued as airtight containers, particularly for medicines and ointments obtained from the Mission Hospitals in Muttrah and Muscat.
Bottles
Liquor bottles such as these in Harat al-Bilad, Sultanate of Oman, are commonly seen in old villages in Oman, though they should not be viewed as evidence of the consumption of alcohol in times past. Such bottles, often collected from foreign ships at the ports of Muttrah and Muscat, were valued as airtight containers, particularly for medicines and ointments obtained from the Mission Hospitals in Muttrah and Muscat.
Harat al-Bilad Date Storage Pot
A large pot in an interior room of a dwelling in Sikkat Awlad Rashid.
Omani Carved Door
Details of the intricately carved door of a traditional mud-brick dwelling in the traditional fortified settlement of Harat al-Bilad, Manah, Sultanate of Oman.
Carved Door with Endless-Knot Motif
Details of the intricately carved door on in Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman, showing an endless-knot motif. The door was probably manufactured in Bahla.
Carved Door with Endless-Knot Motif
Details of the intricately carved door on in Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman, showing an endless-knot motif. The door was probably manufactured in Bahla.
Omani Pots
Pots in an alcove of a traditional mud-brick house in the ancient settlement of Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman. The two larger pots (ayanah) were used for date syrup (dibs) and may have been made in the pottery-manufacturing centre of Bahla. The smaller narrow-necked bottle is of foreign provenance.
Harat al-Bilad Streets
The corner of Sikkat al-‘Uqud and Sikkat Awlad Rashid (lit. Street of the Sons of Rashid) in Harat al-Bilad, Sultanate of Oman. The street so called because the three sons of a wealthy man called Rashid al-Wardi each occupied a large dwelling on this street.
Harat al-Bilad Dwelling
Looking southward along Sikkat al-Gharabah in Harat al-Bilad, Sultanate of Oman, towards a dwelling with a large aperture in the façade for ventilation purposes.
Sikkat al-Gharabah, Harat al-Bilad
Looking southward along Sikkat al-Gharabah.
Omani Date Storage Jar
A date storage jar (khars) in a house on Sikkat al-Gharabah in the ancient fortified settlement of Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman.
Harat al-Bilad Artifact
A storm lantern is a window in Sikkat al-Gharabah.
Omani Carved Door
The intricately carved door of a storeroom on Sikkat Awlad Rashid in the ancient fortified settlement of Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman, with several ‘endless-knot’ designs surrounded by basketwork carving. There was also a carved inscription on the lower section which is now illegible.
Al-Burj al-Juss
Al-Burj al-Juss (lit. The Gypsum Tower) guards the northern entrance to Harat al-Bilad, an ancient fortified settlement in Manah, Sultanate of Oman.
Al-Burj al-Juss
Al-Burj al-Juss (lit. The Gypsum Tower), which guards the northern access to Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman. Similar to its counterpart at the southern access, this tower is built of stone rendered in gypsum. Lieutenant J. R. Wellsted of the Indian Navy, who travelled extensively in Arabia in the 1830s, visited Manah in 1835 and noted two very high square towers at Harat al-Bilad:
“at their bases, the breadth of the wall is not more than two feet, and neither side exceeds in length eight yards. It is therefore astonishing, considering the rudeness of the materials, (they have nothing but unhewn stones and a coarse, but apparently strong cement,) that, with proportions so meager, they should have been able to carry them to the elevations they have.” (1838: 119)
He estimated their heights to be 170 feet (c. 50 metres). As al-Burj al-Juss is the only stone square tower existing at Harat al-Bilad today, perhaps Lieutenant Wellsted’s structural concerns proved partly prophetic. Al-Burj al-Juss as it stands today is about 35 metres high, having lost its top two stories.
The tower’s considerable height would have enabled its lookouts to see hostile forces at some considerable distance from the settlement. The tower, though, also served more peaceful functions. According to one former resident of Harat al-Bilad, a cannon was fired from the tower every evening at the time of the Maghrib Adhan during Ramadhan to signal to the whole settlement the end of the daily fast.
Al-Masjid al-Ali Inscriptions
Handwritten graffiti on the inside walls of the prayer hall of Al-Masjid al-Ali in the ancient fortified settlement of Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman before its restoration in 1998.
Al-Masjid al-Ali Inscriptions
Handwritten inscriptions on earlier layers of plaster in the interior of Al-Masjid al-‘Ali, a mosque in Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman, which was constructed in 876 AH/1471 CE. The large inscription on the left contains selected lines of poetry by an early Ibadi Imam of Hadhramout in Yemen, Abu Ishaq Ibrahim bin Qais Al-Hadhrami, who died around 475 AH/1082 CE. The mosque was restored in 1998 and the graffiti is no longer visible.
Harat al-Bilad Artifacts
Alcoves and shelves of an upper story room on Ka‘b al-Bilad, the main thoroughfare of Harat al-Bilad, Sultanate of Oman, with an assortment of artifacts still in situ.
Harat al-Bilad Façade
The upper façade of a dwelling on Ka‘b al-Bilad in Arart al-Bilad, Manah, Sultanate of Oman, with window openings, a cut stucco ventilation grate, known as manakhil, which appears to have been blocked, and lancet ventilation openings on the upper extension.
Ka'b al-Bilad
Looking northwards along Ka‘b al-Bilad (lit. Heel/Footprint of the Village) the main thoroughfare of Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman and presumably so-called because of the large numbers of people who used to walk its length every day. The stone wall on the right is the plinth of al-Masjid ash-Sharah and the arched windows in the centre belonged to the madrassa (Quran school) attached to the mosque, which children of the area would have been required to attend for several hours each day. Further along Ka‘b al-Bilad is an overhead extension known as al-‘Aqid Yusuf (lit. Yusuf’s Arch), named after the man who owned the house to which it belonged. Left of centre, al-Burj al-Juss (lit. The Gypsum Tower) looms over the northern end of Harat al-Bilad.
Sikkat al-'Uqud
Sikkat al-’Uqud (Street of the Arches) runs east to west from midway along Ka’b al-Bilad to the Western entrance to Harat al-Bilad. The arches originally supported overhead extensions of dwellings on the northern (right) side of the street.
Harat al-Bilad Carved Door
Fragments of what would once have been an ornately carved door, incorporating spiral and ‘endless-knot’ motifs and bands of basketwork decoration. This door and several other similar examples in Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman, were probably manufactured in Bahla, where doors of similar design can still be seen in al-Aqr quarter of the old town and in the Great Mosque
Artifact
Storm lanterns were one of the very few ‘modern’ conveniences to be found in Harat al-Bilad, an ancient fortified settlement in Manah, Sultanate of Oman.
Sikkat al-Qasabah and Sikkat ad-Damash
The right-angle intersection of Sikkat al-Qasabah (right) and Sikkat ad-Damash (left) in the southwest of Harat al-Bilad in Manah, Sultanate of Oman
Qal'at an-Nasr and Bayt al-Qasabah
Qal‘at an-Nasr with the ruins of Bayt al-Qasabah on the left and a section of the Harat al-Bilad's southern defensive wall on the right.
Bayt al-Qasabah
Bayt al-Qasabah, one of the only free-standing dwellings in Harat al-Bilad.
Qal'at an-Nasr
Qal‘at an-Nasr is the stone and gypsum tower guarding the southern approach to the ancient fortified settlement of Harat al-Bilad in Manah, Sultanate of Oman. The arched structure in the lower centre of the image is the mud-brick stairway that gave access to the upper levels of the tower. The stairway collapsed after a heavy shower of rain in 2005.
As-Sabah al-Qasab
As-Sabah al-Qasab, the fortified gatehouse of the eastern entrance to Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman, seen from inside the settlement. The actual gateway is called Bab Harat al-‘Ayn. The doorway to the right of the gatehouse led into a tribal meeting hall (sablat), known as Sablat al-Bustan (lit. The Garden Sablat) in reference to a fruit garden that was situated just outside Bab Harat al-‘Ayn.
Qal'at an-Nasr
The view westward from the garden area of Harat al-‘Ayn towards Qal‘at an-Nasr which guards the southern entrance to the ancient fortified settlement of Harat al-Bilad in Manah, Sultanate of Oman
Harat al-‘Ayn
View from the garden of Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman towards Al-Masjid al-'Ayn.
View of Qal‘at an-Nasr from Harat al-'Ayn
Looking westwards from the garden area of Harat al-’Ayn towards Qal‘at an-Nasr at the southern end of Harat al-Bilad.
As-Sabah al-Qasab
Looking eastward along Sikkat Harat al-‘Ayn to al-Sabah al-Qasab, the eastern entrance to the settlement of Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman. This panoramic image was made using a Hasselblad XPan camera with 30mm lens.
Al-Masjid al-‘Ayn
View towards Al-Masjid al-'Ayn in the ancient fortified settlement of Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of
Al-Masjid al-'Ayn, Harat al-Bilad
The garden entrance to the forecourt of Al-Masjid al-'Ayn in the ancient fortified settlement of Harat al-Bilad, Manah, Sultanate of Oman.
Al-Masjid al-‘Ayn
Steps from Sikkat Harat al-‘Ayn to the rear courtyard of Al-Masjid al-‘Ayn in the ancient fortified settlement of Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman, photographed shortly after sunrise. The names of the mosque and the contiguous garden quarter are derived from the subterranean spring (‘ayn) that surfaces from under the mosque, which was variously known as ‘Ayn Munbak, ‘Ayn al-Bilad or ‘Ayn Kubbah. (Bandyopadhyay, 2004). The spring ran dry in the year 2003. The rectangular, two-story building on the left of the photograph may have served some agricultural function at ground level while its upper story, accessed from the courtyard of the mosque, probably served as a Quran school (madrassah) for children of the locale
Al-Masjid al-'Ayn, Harat al-Bilad
A lateral entrance to the prayer room of Al-Masjid al-'Ayn in the ancient fortified settlement of Harat al-Bilad, Manah, Sultanate of Oman.
Al-Masjid al-'Ayn Interior
An interior view of Al-Masjid al-‘Ayn in Harat al-Bilad, Sultanate of Oman, with the carved stucco mihrab (prayer niche) which is the earliest complete surviving example of the work of Abdallah bin Qasim bin Muhammad al-Humaymi. The two-line inscription reads:
Promoted by the great Sheikh, the generous and noble one, may God forgive him in the Day of Judgment from his sins with all the Muslims, I mean Abdallah bin Wahab bin Ahmad
Work of the poor servant of God, the hoping for mercy and forgiveness of his Lord. Abdallah bin Qasim bin Muhammad al-Humaymi, from the village of Manah, and it was completed in the month of Muharram in the year nine hundred and eleven years [Jun-Jul. 1505] from the Hegira of the Prophet Muhammad, God bless him and grant him salvation.
Prayer Niche of Al-Masjid al-‘Ayn
Detail of the mihrab (prayer niche) of Al-Masjid al-‘Ayn in Harat al-Bilad, Sultanate of Oman, showing the outer bands of alternating larger and smaller medallions set within a stylized floral surround, redolent of the gardens of paradise, and entwined in a so-called ‘endless knot’, which may symbolize the endless space and time of Creation.
Prayer Niche of Al-Masjid al-‘Ayn
The central rosette of the mihrab (prayer niche) of Al-Masjid al-‘Ayn in Harat al-Bilad, Sultanate of Oman.
Ming Dish in the Mihrab of Al-Masjid al-'Ayn
The Folk Kiln blue and white Ming dish embedded in the centre of the rosette of the carved stucco mihrab of Al-Masjid al-‘Ayn in the ancient fortified settlement of Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman, showing a phoenix in flight among lotus blossoms. The calligraphic style of the painting and the year of construction of the mihrab (1505 CE) would suggest that the dish was manufactured in the late 15th century, during Chenghua and Hangzhi Period (1465 to 1505 CE).
Ming Dish in the Mihrab of Al-Masjid al-'Ayn
The Folk Kiln blue and white Ming dish embedded in the centre of the rosette of the carved stucco mihrab of Al-Masjid al-‘Ayn in the ancient fortified settlement of Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman, showing a phoenix in flight among lotus blossoms. The calligraphic style of the painting and the year of construction of the mihrab (1505 CE) would suggest that the dish was manufactured in the late 15th century, during Chenghua and Hangzhi Period (1465 to 1505 CE).
Al-Masjid ash-Sharah, Harat al-Bilad
The front (i.e. east-facing) façade of al-Masjid ash-Sharah (lit. Mosque of the Sellers), with external prayer niche in the centre of the façade and rooftop bumah. The name of the mosque derives from the Arabic word shari, meaning 'to sell', and may refer to the military activists of the exponents of the early Ibadi Imamates in Oman and Yemen in the 8th and 9th centuries CE, who were known as ash-Shurat (lit. the Sellers), that is, “those who ‘buy’ their salvation in the afterlife by selling their lives for the faith of this world.”
Al-Masjid ash-Sharah, Harat al-Bilad
The front (i.e. east-facing) façade of al-Masjid ash-Sharah (lit. Mosque of the Sellers), with external prayer niche in the centre of the façade and rooftop bumah. The name of the mosque derives from the Arabic word shari, meaning 'to sell', and may refer to the military activists of the exponents of the early Ibadi Imamates in Oman and Yemen in the 8th and 9th centuries CE, who were known as ash-Shurat (lit. the Sellers), that is, “those who ‘buy’ their salvation in the afterlife by selling their lives for the faith of this world.”
The large forecourt was used for al-Fagr (dawn), al-Maghrib (sunset) and al-Ishaa (evening) prayers during the hot months and also for the breaking of the fast during the holy month of Ramadhan. (Hamad Al-Masruri, 2014: pers. comm.)
Al-Masjid ash-Sharah, Harat al-Bilad
The external prayer niche in the centre of the east façade of Al-Masjid ash-Sharah.
Mihrab of Al-Majid ash-Sharah, Oman
The carved stucco mihrab (prayer niche) of Al-Masjid ash-Sharah in Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman is a late surviving example of the work of Abdallah bin Qasim bin Muhammad Al-Humaymi and dates from 922 AH/1516-7 CE. The mihrab would originally have been unpainted, the green gloss coat being a modern application. The large inscription in Kufic script along the top of the mihrab is the Shahada, (Confession of Faith), which is the First of the Five Pillars of Islam. It reads:
La ilaha illa Allah wa-Muhammad rasul Allah
(There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah.)
Typical of most of the remaining carved maharib in Oman, the name of Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) is in the centre of the inscription, directly above the prayer niche.
The two-line inscription reads:
This blessed mosque was erected by the savant Sheikh Muhammad bin Abu l-Hasan and by Salih bin Sabah and by Sheikh Halaf bin Abdallah bin Halaf bin Abu l-‘Abad and Halaf bin Belhasan bin Mu‘in may God forgive them in the Day of Judgment.
Work of Abdallah bin Qasim bin Muhammad al-Humaymi from the village of Manh in the year two and twenty after nine hundred [A.D. 1516-7] from the Hegira of the Prophet Muhammad, God bless him and grant him salvation. God is powerful over everything.
Mihrab of Al-Majid ash-Sharah, Oman
The carved stucco mihrab (prayer niche) of Al-Masjid ash-Sharah in Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman is a late surviving example of the work of Abdallah bin Qasim bin Muhammad Al-Humaymi and dates from 922 AH/1516-7 CE.
Mihrab of Masjid ash-Sharah, Harat al-Bilad
The central section of the carved stucco mihrab of Al-Masjid ash-Sharah in Harat al-Bilad, dating from 922 AH/1516-7 CE. The two-line inscription reads:
This blessed mosque was erected by the savant Sheikh Muhammad bin Abu l-Hasan and by Salih bin Sabah and by Sheikh Halaf bin Abdallah bin Halaf bin Abu l-‘Abad and Halaf bin Belhasan bin Mu‘in may God forgive them in the Day of Judgment.
Work of Abdallah bin Qasim bin Muhammad al-Humaymi from the village of Manh in the year two and twenty after nine hundred [A.D. 1516-7] from the Hegira of the Prophet Muhammad, God bless him and grant him salvation. God is powerful over everything.
Mihrab of Al-Masjid ash-Sharah, Oman
Detail of the mihrab of al-Masjid ash-Sharah in Harat al-Bilad, Sultanate of Oman, showing inset Chinese porcelain bowls each side of spandrels of the recessed arch that forms the actual prayer niche. This mihrab is the work of the early 16th-century Omani craftsman Abdullah bin Qasim bin Muhammad al-Humaimi, who was a native of Harat al-Bilad.
Masjid al-'Ali Mihrab
The mihrab of Al-Masjid al-’Ali in Harat al-Bilad, carved by Abdullah bin Qasim bin Muhammad al-Humaimi in 1504 CE.
Mihrab of Al-Masjid al-Ali
The carved stucco mihrab of Al-Masjid al-Ali in the ancient fortified settlement of Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman is the earliest surviving work of Abdullah bin Qasim bin Muhammad al-Humaimi, a native of Harat al-Bilad, and dates from 1504 C.E.
The mihrab comprises two incongruous styles: the decorations in the spandrels of the recessed arches above the prayer niche, the central rosette and the lower inscription are the original knife-carved work of al-Humayai, whereas the outer band of medallions and the inner decoration of the prayer niche are made up of mold-cast tiles. The calligraphic styles of the two inscriptions on the upper band of the mihrab may suggest that they are by a different hand. Whether the mihrab was left incomplete by al-Humaimi or was modified or restored at a later date is unknown.
Masjid al-'Ali Mihrab Detail
A detail of the mihrab of Al-Masjid al-’Ali in Harat al-Bilad, carved by Absullah bin Qasim bin Muhammad al-Humaimi in 1504 CE.
Detail of the Mihrab of Al-Masjid al-Ali
Detail of the central arches of the knife-carved stucco mihrab in Al-Masjid al-Ali in the ancient fortified settlement of Harat al-Bilad in Manah in the Sultanate of Oman. The mihrab, dating from 1504, is largely the work of Abdullah bin Qasim bin Muhammad al-Humaimi, a native of Manah.
Detail of the Mihrab of Al-Masjid al-Ali
Recessed arches above the prayer niche of the mihrab (prayer niche) of Al-Masjid al-Ali in the fortified settlement of Harat al-Bilad, in the Wiliyat of Manah, Sultanate of Oman.
Ming Dish in Mihrab of Al-Masjid al-Ali
The blue and white Folk Ming dish embedded in the centre of the central rosette of the mihrab. The cavetto is decorated with a scroll of chrysanthemums and leaves while the central medallion shows a splay of chrysanthemums on either side of a pierced rock, a popular theme in late-15th century Chinese ceramics. The rock with tortuous shape symbolizes durability and has long been a common feature in Chinese gardens. The chrysanthemum is a symbol of longevity.
The symbolic meanings of the dish’s decoration would have been completely obscure to al-Humaymi whom we may suppose was attracted to it on a purely aesthetic and even abstract level, as indicated by the fact that it is placed sideways in the mihrab.
Central Rosette of the Mihrab of Al-Masjid al-Ali
In addition to the Shahada ('There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is the Prophet of Allah') in large Kufic script on the right hand side of the upper band, the mihrab of al-Masjid al Ali has two inscriptions. The one on the left side of the upper band reads:
This blessed mihrab was erected by the great sayh the generous and noble one Abdallah bin Wahab may God forgive him and the believers in the Day of Reckoning. This mihrab was completed on Tuesday 13 of the month of Rajab of the year nine after nine hundred from the Hegira [1st January 1504 C.E.] of the Prophet Muhammad, God bless him and grant him salvation.
The second two-line inscription, on a panel above the central rosette, reads:
The work of this mihrab was made by the poor servant, the hoping for forgiveness and mercy of his Lord Abdallah bin Qasim bin Muhammad al Humaymi from Manah who wrote this script by his hand. In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. The date of building of mosque of al-Ali, erected by god for the Muslims was completed in the 8th of the month Jumada II of the year six and seventy after eight hundred [22nd November 1471] from the Hegira of the Messenger, God bless him and grant him salvation. Its promoters were seyh Wahab bin Ahmad and Ahmad bin Sulayman and Hasan bin Sulayman Belqasim and Ahmed bin ... and he was ... of the mosque.
Ming Dish in the Mihrab of Al-Masjid al-Ali
The mihrab of Al-Masjid al-Ali in the ancient fortified settlement of Harat al-Bilad in the Sultanate of Oman displays the earliest extant example of the use of Chinese ceramics as a decorative element in Omani architecture. Four of the five surviving examples of the maharib creator, Abdullah bin Qasim bin Muhammad al-Humaimi, originally had one or more embedded Chinese porcelain bowls or dishes. This decorative practice was continued by later mihrab carvers.
Harat al-'Ayn
Looking eastwards across Harat al-'Ayn, the garden quarter of Harat al-Bilad.
Qal'at an-Nasr at Sunset
Qal‘at an-Nasr at the southern approach to the ancient fortified settlement of Harat al-Bilad, photographed just after sunset.