Beside the village of Al Ayn, and arranged along a low, russet-coloured ridge, this string of tombs makes a dramatic silhouette against the mountain of Jebel Misht that towers behind. Little is known about the ‘beehive tombs’ except that they were constructed between 2000 and 3000 BC, during the Hafit and Umm An Nar cultures. Archaeologists, however, believe that the free-standing structures of piled stones were designed to protect the remains of up to 200 people.
It is estimated that these tombs are about 5,000 years old, which makes them the oldest funerary structures in the Arabian Peninsula. Archaeologists, however, believe that these structures of a pile of stones were the burial place for up to 200 people.
In Oman, you will see many a graveyard driving around. People get buried according to Muslim tradition before sunrise or sunset. They are simply wrapped in cotton cloth and placed on the ground. Stones will be arranged around them, as the ground in too hard in Oman to bury people. A woman will typically have a large stone placed at her head upright. A man will have a large stone at his head and his feet.
Al Ayn is about a 3 to 4-hour drive from Muscat, and drive towards Nizwa. One will need a 4×4 to drive out to this site as the final approach is on a rough dirt track.
The best time to visit is in late afternoon or near sunset, because of the rainbow colours of Jebel Misht make the most stunning backdrop for the highly atmospheric site.
This archaeological site at Al Ayn in the Sultanate of Oman is one of my favourites. As you will know by now, I love everything to do with history. Maybe I should have followed in the steps of my Oma Maal and become a history teacher. I love history.
Burial mound at the site of Al-Ayn, with the Hajar Mountains in the background
This site, together with archaeological sites of Bat and Al Khutm, and the fort of Bahla are UNESCO World Heritage site since 1988.
As the site is hard to find, go towards the mosque and look up towards the mountains. There is a dirt track up a hill, you will see the 19 mounds, those are the beehive tombs of Oman. I have attached the Google maps link.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/YLc4EVwrz7qCvwD99
Made with love from the Open Road,
Rolanda
https://www.instagram.com/travellersnestoverland
Leave a Reply