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Misfat Al Abriyeen
With a 300-plus-year history of human settlement and agriculture, this is an area known for its incredible mud architecture and its traditional Omani falaj irrigation system.
Nestled at the foot of the Hajar Mountains are some of the oldest villages in Oman.
This is a rugged, desert region with little rainfall. Settlements could only survive where ground water was available. But, where water was found, it was ingeniously managed. Using a type of irrigation system developed 5000 years ago in Persia, UNESCO-World Heritage Listed water channels in the north of Oman date back to 500 AD.
Called aflaj (plural) or falaj, from the classical Arabic meaning “split into parts”, the system uses gravity to channel water from underground sources or springs and then divides it among community members to support crops and domestic use. This allowed the development of agriculture and gave rise to permanent villages. Watchtowers and forts were built in defensive positions near or overlooking the sharia (distribution point: literally “the clear, well-trodden path to water”) and falaj channels.
My visit to Oman included a walk around Misfat Al Abriyeen (Misfat al Abriyyin) in the Al Hamra region. This traditional village built into a mountainside has a 300-year history and is known for its mud buildings, which use giant boulders as foundations. It is also home to some of the more than 3,000 aflaj still functioning in the country.
We drove to a viewpoint over the town from the nearby mountain of Jebel Shams (see: The Grand Canyon of Arabia), before taking a walk through the steep and narrow ancient streets.
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A Rugged Landscape
Looking across the arid foothills around Jebel Shams, you get a feel for how difficult early life must have been for the semi-nomadic tribes who settled near here.
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Misfat al-Abriyeen and Al Hamra
Small mountain villages, with their clever management of spring water, have become oases in an otherwise arid landscape.
Rocky Terrain
The rocks tumbled around the mountain village of Misfat Al Abriyeen are a sample of the those used to construct the ancient buildings we are about to walk through.
Rustic Door
Oman is known for its doors, which range from simple bolted wood …
Coloured Patterns
… to colourful patterned confections in painted iron.
Locked?
Workmen
This village is very lived-in; keeping the ancient buildings maintained must require a lot of effort!
Narrow Laneway
Narrow lanes and steep stairs wind off from the main path …
Boy in the Street
There aren’t many people around, but we spot a few.
Unripe Pomegranate
As we follow a water canal down the hill, our path is lined with greenery.
Playing in the Falaj
A small tank built into the falaj system …
Boys in the Falaj
… makes an ideal spot to play and cool off.
Metal Door
Village on the Hill
We’ve descended a fair distance from our starting point.
Staircase
What comes down, must go up!
Metal Window Shutters
I use another ornate metal design as an excuse to pause on the ascent.
Building on a Cliff
The incredible mud-brick and stone buildings use the hulking boulders of the terrain for their foundations.
Date Palms
Dates are central to Omani life, and palms are the most visible trees in the plantations that also contain mangoes, bananas, papayas, pomegranates, and citrus fruits.
Brick Wall and More Stairs
House Front
A decade ago many of the old houses were abandoned, but the rise in tourist visitors is bringing locals back to renovate their old houses and make an additional income.
Window Rails
Pots for Sale
Tourism has revitalise the local crafts …
Pots in the Wind
… and plenty of beautiful clay pots are available for purchase.
Palms and a Village
At the top of the hill, we get a look over the newer city before heading back to our car.
Misfat Al Abriyeen is a beautiful mud village, blending seamlessly into the very rocks of the mountainside around it, and nourished by the falaj that runs through it.
Until next time,
Safe Travels!
Photos: 23October2019
