by aindreas
Omani artefacts in Amsterdam
November 18, 2009 in Out an' about, Visual art by aindreas
A small(ish) exhibition that is interesting to see in Amsterdam, is on at the Nieuwe Kerk open until 18 April 2010.
The Nieuwe Kerk is on Amsterdam’s Dam Square. A range of showcases lead the visitor through some aspects of daily life. There’s jewellery, furniture, archaeological finds, pottery and clothing. Ornate, finely crafted and beautiful, the materials used reveal as much about Oman’s trading history as they do about the local aesthetic. It would have been cool, to see more of everything on display. (I was there recently.)
Paddy Maguire has an interesting piece on it.
Geeky Facts = The Sultanate of Oman is situated at the southeastern tip of the Arabian peninsula – 300,000 sq. km boasting some 1,700 km of coastline stretching along the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Gulf. It is the second largest country in Arabia, and has the most diverse landscape including fjord-like rugged mountains in the far north, magnificent tracts of desert and a lush south.
Oman’s history can be traced back to 12,000 BC. The country is strategically located on the crossroads of several trade routes that linked the ancient world. It became a center of power in the 17th century with Omani rule extending from Zanzibar in East Africa to parts of Persia and Pakistan.
people jewelry
jewelry supplier
I spent a year teaching English in Muscat, the capital of the Sultanate of Oman. It is one of the enlightened states in the Gulf region, although I found the intense heat and humidity intolerable at times. The Sultan’s government encourages a strong cultural consciousness among the people. I visited the interior town of Nizweh and saw an old Arab fort with its massive wooden doors. Monuments to Oman’s seafaring past abound. Sinbad the sailor is stated to have lived there. The old Silk Road that connected China with the outside world had one of its trailing routes ending at the coast of Oman. The future government of Oman is uncertain as the Sultan does not have a family heir.
Thanks Garreth, sounds interesting.