Here is what ancient Omanis did to isolate the sick, prevent pandemic

Muscat: Eighty-one ancient stone quarries that were used to previously quarantine patients with diseases such as smallpox and plague in order to protect the rest of the population have been inspected by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism.

The inspection, which was conducted in 2020 and 2021, was carried out by teams from the Directorate General of Antiquities, as part of its efforts to document areas that were used to care for the sick, and add them to the inventory of historically significant sites from antiquity.

“The aim of these quarries was to reduce the spread of disease among the population,” said the MHT in a statement.

“These quarries varied between buildings, caves, and wadis. The presence of these quarries indicates the awareness among Omanis about the seriousness of infectious epidemics and the need to isolate patients to avoid its spread.”

The ministry thanked everyone who contributed and cooperated with the field teams to conduct this documentation. Their work will contribute towards conducting more extensive studies and research by researchers and academics.