حصن بهلا

Location:

Governorate of Dhofar

Year of Inscription: 2000

Contents: The archaeological town of Al Balid and Khor Rory، and the archaeological site of Ubar and Wadi Dokah

Objectives for Preservation:

The objectives for preserving these archaeological sites include restoring them into their original conditions، carrying out archaeologi- cal studies about their history، investing them culturally as well as turning them into tourist destinations and treating them as a signifi- cant source of the income of citizens.

Basic Information about the Frankincense Trade Route Site

These sites are significant because they are evidence of the ancient frankincense and incense trade between eastern and western civi- lizations. They are located in areas renown for cultivating the frankin- cense tree which produce this much-prized، extremely precious com- modity. It was transported by land and the sea which gave it an inter- nationally prominence as a bridge of intercultural communication. In Wadi Dokah in the area of Najd، the frankincense trees grow in abun- dance. Khor Rory was a main port from which frankincense was exported.

Frankincense had many uses. It was burnt in temples and churches and when sacrifices were offered. Ancient Egyptians also knew it and used it in mummification and for sterilization and other medical pur- poses.

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