Friday 05 / July / 2024
Muscat: The beaches of Sur reflect the deep-rooted civilisation and cultural heritage.
The beaches tell the story of the wave and the wooden boats that sailed to other parts of the world carrying the essence of the history of Oman and its products.
Since the early dawn of history, Sur was known for boat building industry. The boat building in Sur is not just a craft industry but a heritage that passed from one generation to the other.
Craftsmen in Sur also managed to build large boats /ships with a payload of 100 to 250 tonnes.
The boats and ships of Sur used to sail to other parts of the world carrying the Omani products including dates and frankincense among others.
The wooden boats ( ships) differ from one another in terms of shape and size and the purpose of usage and capacity.
Al Badan is a type of a small Omani boat used for fishing and sea trade mainly to Yemen and the eastern coast of Africa.
Sur is also known for fishing boats with 8 metres in length, and the height of 1.5 metres that carry big quantity of fish and 4 to 6 persons using oars or sails when the wind is fine for sailing.
With the emergence of modern ships that operate with steam or diesel and the changes in the patterns of international trade, the traditional ship building industry stated to fade away, leaving behind a deep-rooted heritage, however, the ship making industry in Sur stands as a symbol for the deep-rooted civilization of Oman.
The ship building is not just a traditional craft but also a story of people who loved the sea and who built a great civilisation.
