Land of Frankincense, Cultural landscape in Dhofar Governorate, Oman
Land of Frankincense is a cultural landscape in Dhofar encompassing natural groves of incense-producing trees, ancient caravan stations, and port settlements along the Arabian Sea. Four main locations: Wadi Dawkah, Shisr, Khor Rori, and Al Baleed together reveal the network of ancient trade routes and infrastructure built around the resin commerce.
This region controlled the frankincense trade from 2000 BCE to 600 CE, supplying the precious resin to Mediterranean, Mesopotamian, and Indian civilizations. The area's central role in long-distance commerce shaped its economic and political importance for over two thousand years.
Local communities practice time-honored harvesting techniques, making careful cuts in Boswellia tree bark during specific seasons to gather the aromatic resin. These methods have shaped the region's identity for countless generations and remain central to how people connect with the land.
Visiting all four locations requires several days of travel by vehicle from Salalah, making advance planning essential for exploring the full extent of this cultural landscape. Allow enough time to move between the sites without rushing through each location.
Wadi Dawkah contains thousands of frankincense trees producing a premium grade called Shizri that sets the global standard for quality. The ten-month harvesting cycle for this particular resin demonstrates the patience and skill required in this ancient trade.
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