Once a phantom “land of frankincense” that boasted great prosperity! Oman’s World Heritage: The Land of Frankincense

Oman’s World Heritage Site, the Land of Frankincense, is located in the Dhofar region. Frankincense is the name for trees that grow wild in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula, mainly around Dhofar. From these trees is obtained an extremely precious aromatic resin called “frankincense,” said to have been loved by Cleopatra herself.

Counted as one of the most expensive fragrances in the world, Dhofar, this World Heritage region, was a flourishing center of trade built around frankincense. For that reason, Oman’s representative World Heritage Site, the “Land of Frankincense,” has long also been affectionately known by another name: the “Incense Route.” This time, we’ll introduce this trade-prosperous land, the Land of Frankincense.

What is the Land of Frankincense?

The history of the World Heritage Site Land of Frankincense traces back to the 2nd century BC. From ancient times through the medieval period, frankincense trade flourished in Arabia, and this region prospered greatly. However, as many long years passed, its very existence was completely forgotten.

Then, in the early 1990s, a satellite photo taken of the Dhofar region happened to capture an urban ruin. As a result of subsequent investigations, in 2000 the historical value of the towns and ports involved in the frankincense trade was recognized, and the area was inscribed as a World Heritage Site. The ruins scattered around Dhofar—such as the Ubar Ruins, Al-Baleed Ruins, and Sumhuram Ruins, which call that former prosperity to mind—were collectively recognized as a single World Heritage Site.

In the Dhofar region, where these World Heritage sites are scattered, frankincense trees that yield the resin grew in dense stands over roughly eight square kilometers. Today you can see actual frankincense trees at the Wadi Dawkah Frankincense Park. It is even moving to see how powerfully they live in land that is by no means rich in water or nutrients.

Access to the Land of Frankincense

To visit the cluster of ruins scattered across the Land of Frankincense, you can either fly from Muscat, the capital of Oman, or charter a car and cross the desert. If you go by car, it will be a long journey of about 9–10 hours, so be sure to carefully check that the vehicle is well maintained before you charter it.

Highlights of the Land of Frankincense ①: Ubar Ruins

Among the World Heritage sites that make up the Land of Frankincense, one of the most famous is the Ubar Ruins, also known as the “Lost City.” Ubar appears in the Quran and in the Arabian Nights as a city that really existed in the area around Dhofar. However, for a long time its remains were never found, and the very existence of this ancient city was in doubt.

In the 1990s, when NASA satellites took aerial photos of the area around Dhofar, they happened to discover caravan routes spreading across the Rub’ al Khali Desert. Soon after excavation by an investigative team began, large fortress remains and pottery believed to have been obtained through trade by the people of that time were unearthed one after another.

Because the underground of the fortress site is hollow and spring water can still be observed there, it is thought that the ancient city disappeared due to ground subsidence.

Highlights of the Land of Frankincense ②: Sumhuram Ruins

Also inscribed as part of the “Incense Route” World Heritage is the Sumhuram Ruins. Located in Khawr Ruri in Dhofar, these are the ruins of an ancient city that once prospered through the frankincense trade. Even today, many historical structures can be seen, including remnants of former city walls, temple sites, and storage facilities.

Numerous inscriptions and artifacts left by the people of the time tell us many facts: that immigrants lived in this city, and that the Dhofar region was a production area for frankincense, among others. Sumhuram is thought to have fallen around the 7th century, but until then it was a city that flourished greatly as a hub of the frankincense trade.

Though the Dhofar region is largely desert, the Sumhuram Ruins face the sea. In the past it was an oasis for the people who lived there, and today it is an oasis for the animals that inhabit the area.

Highlights of the Land of Frankincense ③: Al-Baleed Ruins and the Museum of the Frankincense Land

One of the World Heritage sites, the Al-Baleed Ruins, lies further east from Salalah in the Dhofar region, directly in front of the Museum of the Frankincense Land. Compared to the other ruins included among Dhofar’s World Heritage sites, this one is much more developed and easier to visit.

Spread out before you is a vast area believed to have once been a city. Remaining pillars, foundations, and walls that suggest massive buildings make it clear that this city, too, prospered through the frankincense trade. Shining behind it is the Arabian Sea, across which many people once sailed in search of frankincense.

Inside the Museum of the Frankincense Land on the site, exhibits and clear explanations present the history of Oman and Dhofar, the history of frankincense, and the dhow boats used in such trade. The museum itself is also included in the World Heritage listing, and the valuable materials related to frankincense held there are highly regarded worldwide.

◎ Summary

We have introduced Oman’s World Heritage Site, the “Land of Frankincense.” The frankincense tree, from which is obtained the raw material of the fragrance loved by Cleopatra, is something you rarely have the chance to see. These rare trees grow wild here, and the ruins of ancient cities that once flourished through trade now lie quietly asleep in the desert as a World Heritage Site. Touring this heritage while experiencing its fragrance may allow you to feel the romance of antiquity.

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Once a phantom “land of frankincense” that boasted great prosperity! Oman’s World Heritage: The Land of Frankincense