Category: Black & White.

Todays Walk.

Today has seen a wind blowing in from the desert with temperatures reaching 360c that’s a change of 16 degrees in a week!

A good walk though; because the gorge I was in gets quite narrow in places,  the sun does not reach right in until around midday so keeping the heat lower.

Lots of rock art and pottery shards, eventually reaching the abandoned habitation that I was heading for.

This looks like herding cattle?

Looks like ‘antlers’? So I do not have a clue!

I think these are symbols for the sun not ‘Wusum’ or tribal markings.

This one is well endowed!……

The broken cowrie shell – used in some cultures as currency, but in this case was probably a decorative item. Still, quite unusual so far from the sea. All found at the abandoned site in the next two images.

Ziki (Izki) 2.

July 1957: at the request of the previous Sultan, RAF Venom jets flew 12 sorties against this fort; the results can still be seen.

Izki (Ziki or Zikki) was described by Colonel S.B.Miles in the year 1876 as having “some beautiful plantations of palms and extensive cultivation, and stands in a very picturesque location” he also described the castle as being of a lofty construction and walls some 5 feet thick.

It is claimed to be one of the oldest towns in Oman and the falaj ‘Al-Mulik’ alleged to be older than the one built by Malik Bin Fahm near Nizwa.

In 1682 the town was taken by Malik Bin Fahm of the Yaruba dynasty, as part of his campaign to stabilise a large area of the country.

Over the years it has seen many a conflict, either between sections of the town; occupied by two different tribes (which is never a good idea) or just  establish a power base.

In 1957 RAF Venoms stationed at Sharjah attacked the fort at Izki with rockets and cannon.

See this link for further interesting infomation on this campaign. Jebel Akhdar Muscat and Oman 1957-59

In 1970 there was a rebel attack near the town which precipitated the succession of His Majesty the Sultan.

Above As Suwayh.

The abandoned village where this image was made, does not even get a mention on the ordinance survey map (NF-40-038) of 1961: the nearest is Al Hijir.

It is actually near As Suwayh, in fact perched on a rock outcrop above that village.

What with the inscription from an earlier entry, this place has some history about it. Another village which I find has three areas of habitation; moving down the mountain (Jebel) in stages as the years goes by.

Another from the Muti (Imti) series.

MutiMuti (Now known as Imti)

This proved to be a very enjoyable morning; I had intended going back to the ruins behind Izki (Zikki as it was known) but diverted to Imti.

A short diversion as I thought turned into a whole morning out and the promise of another visit.

I have passed this place many times over the years and always promised a visit, but it never happened. I knew there were ruins at the back of Imti from various reference books and manuscripts held by The Royal Geographical Society (thank you Google) but it was never sufficient to spur my interest.