Oman boasts a distinctive collection of heritage settlements which date back to 6,000 years. However, with economic prosperity, this architectural history is under threat.
So to aid the continuation of fundamental rese-arch into the preservation of heritage sites, Nottingham Trent University has been awarded a RO82,224 research and consultancy grant by the Ministry of Heritage and Culture (MoHC).
The grant comes after MoHC's committee for registering and preserving historical sites met in March and discussed the restoration of important sites like A'Sibani village in Birkat al Mouz, Al Yemen village in Izki, Fanja in Bidbid, A'Sulaif ruins in Ibri and Al Oqas village in Bahla.
Soumyen Bandyopadhyay, architecture professor, Nottingham Trent University, who has been researching heritage sites in the Arabian and Persian Gulf Region, most of which are in Oman, for 20 years, has been granted the fund by MoHC to continue research into the reuse of heritage sites and its significance and preservation.
The project will establish ways the heritage settlements could remain meaningful to present and future generations and will look into their potential as tourist sites which will help generate jobs and income.
Management and development plans for five vernacular settlements in central Oman - Birkat al Mouz, Izki, Bahla, Ibri and Fanja - will be prepared by Bandyopadhyay and his team of researchers to record threats and propose sensitive restoration and re-design for the monuments.
Bandyopadhyay said, "Human settlements are expressions of culture, social order and political intentions in space. They are tangible representations of historical events and illustrate cultural continuity through the built environment. With Oman's rich and diverse cultural heritage, it is vital to preserve it.
"Fast-paced development has resulted in gradual migration from vernacular environments into modern towns and cities. As a result, many settlements are abandoned and falling into disrepair.
"The funding will enable the project to look at the sensitive and sustainable transformation of historic structures and new interventions. By working closely with ministries on the historic settlements, the research will be contributing to transforming the preservation of built and cultural heritage in the region," he said.
Bandyopadhyay, who has been involved in a number of projects in Oman, including the Bahla heritage site, said, "Omani built heritage has remained poorly researched and its evaluation and understanding could throw light on their significance in hot-arid regions and give Oman its deserved place in world architecture."
Talking about the Birkat al Mouz, an official at MOHC said that the site is important as it lies on the route to the popular tourist site Jebel Akhdar and is one of the oldest historical sites in the country.
"The site has a unique architecture with fortified mosques and ancient houses built of stones and clay, and it is interspersed with Falaj al Khatmain which is listed by UNESCO as a world heritage site."
© Muscat Daily 2012
