Culture and history

Oman's cultural code is born at the intersection of desert, mountains and the sea: incense caravan trails, fishing and long-distance dhow voyages connected the country with East Africa, India and Persia.

The Ibadite tradition gave society a special ethic of moderation and community; fortified villages, aflaj (ancient irrigation canals) and fort ensembles of Muscat, Nizyva, Bahly form a recognizable landscape.

In modern times, coastal fortresses left the trail of the Portuguese, and the Umayyad and subsequent sultans consolidated statehood; in the XX-XXI centuries. the country underwent accelerated modernization, retaining crafts (silver, hanzhar daggers, ceramics), music and dances (a variety of regional rhythms), cuisine with rice, dates and spices.

Today, Oman combines a careful attitude to heritage with festivals, museums and ethnotourism, where hospitality, cardamom tea and family customs coexist with Muscat's modern urban rhythm.