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Old Equipment inside Old Walls
Two things define the Sultanate of Oman: old forts and dates. I thought this date juice-jar inside the historic Jabreen Castle made a good illustration of this.
If there are two things that define the Sultanate of Oman, it would be old forts, towers, and castles – and date palms.
This relatively small Middle Eastern country on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula is home to about 1,000 forts and watchtowers – many of which are open to the public. I didn’t see all of them, but I did visit a few – sometimes more than one a day (eg: Oman’s Fortress Castles)!
Dates are central to the Omani culture and economy. The date palm is the most important agricultural crop in the country, with around eight million trees and 60 different varieties. Historically, in addition to being an important general foodstuff and ritually offered to visitors, they were used to make date syrup, which when boiling, could be poured over would-be attackers.
The historic 17th century Jabreen Castle (حصن جبرين) – also spelled Jibreen or Jabrin – is an example of both ideas. Standing alone in a plain of date palms some distance from the Hajar Mountains, from the outside the palace looks like any of the other blocky Omani fortresses.
Jabreen Castle was built as a palace during a time of peace by a ruler who was passionate about science and art, and includes a madrasa, or school, and a library. But, it is well fortified: with thick defensive walls, soldiers’ quarters, gunnery platforms, and even secret internal hideouts and corridors – which visitors can now explore.
One of the most impressive rooms in the castle is the madbasa – often translated as “date press” – a large, specially constructed space for producing producing date syrup or honey. Bags of dates are piled on an elevated floor in a closed and non-ventilated room with channels grooved into the sloped floor. Gravity squashed the dates and the liquid ran downward to be collected in pots and jars (see: Besides the Obvious: Jabreen Castle). Ingenious!
Come explore:
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Power from the Car
Oman is considered a high income country, with a relatively modern infrastructure. Unsurprising then, that many of the highways are flanked by power lines.
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Jabreen from the Car
Jabreen Castle (حصن جبرين) – also spelled Jibreen or Jabrin – stands alone in a wide plain, surrounded by date palms.
Cannons at the Entry
It doesn’t look like much from the outside, but it is home to some fascinating architecture and history.
Negotiating Entry
Our guide and driver Said negotiates our entrance fee.
Castle Plans
Inside the outer wall, the plans of the castle illustrate its layout. I’m glad we had a guide: it was hard to tell one corridor from another, and even with audio guides, visitors often end up wandering lost.
Arches
In typical Middle Eastern style, …
Corridors
… arched doorways lead of in all directions.
Inside Jabreen
Although it is built like a fortress, Jabreen is classified as a castle; it was was built in 1670 by Imam Bel’arab bin Sultan Al Yarubi as a palace and a center for knowledge.
Between the Walls
Like other Omani bastions, the castle is a balance of solid defences and elegant lines.
Interior Cannons
A second set of cannons guard the entrance to the main palace.
Simplicity
The rendered walls and rooms …
Old Date Syrup Dispenser
… are decorated with historical objects.
Madbasa
Dark and airless, a madbasa is a room for extracting date syrup: the liquid once flowed down these old channels to be collected in pots or jars, ready for storage, cooking, or to assist women in labour.
‘Horse Trappings’
One of the more unusual rooms inside the castle would have to be the horse stall, one floor up, where the Imam’s horse was housed.
Interior Courtyard
The inner courtyard between the two building blocks is cool and airy – even in the desert heat – with filigreed windows and wooden balconies
Jabreen Rooftop
From the lower rooftop, you can get a sense of the construction of the thick walls, …
View from Jabreen Fort
… and enjoy views over the surrounding plain.
Flag on the Roof
Date palms extend into the distance.
Sparrows
Back inside in the cooler dark of the castle, sparrows are making themselves at home.
Carved Beam
Many of the ceilings within the castle are intricately carved and vividly painted.
The Whisper Room
Nowhere is this better illustrated than in the little room on the upper level where the Imam held his most secret and confidential meetings: the closely packed ceiling beams helped baffle any sound, preventing anyone outside from listening in.
View from the Upper Rooftop
From the upper roof, the views over the countryside are even better.
Bahla Fort
We had a good view over nearby Bahla Fort and its oasis. Built during the the 13th and 14th century, it is Oman’s largest fort and considered one of the most impressive examples of medieval Islamic architecture. Unesco World Heritage Listed, it was closed when we were in the area.
Looking Out
Entering the special staircase to the Imam’s room, I look back out to admire the lines and contrasts.
Domed Corridor
This dark space is beautifully decorated in Islamic fashion …
Carved Staircase
… with calligraphy and intricate designs.
Beautiful Stairwell
The staircase leading to the Imam’s rooms is functional as well as beautiful: a plank on one of the lower steps makes noise when it is stepped on, alerting people to possible intruders.
Jabreen Castle was restored in the 1980s, and the maze of beautifully decorated rooms and passages are well worth exploring.
I’m just glad I had a guide! I had no idea where I was most of the time – just one of the features that helped keep intruders at bay.
Peace reigned here until 1692, when the Imam’s brother and a large army laid siege. The Imam prayed to Allah for death, and is interred inside the castle he built, in a corner that was his favorite place of prayer.
Pictures: 23October2019.
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