Archaeological
Site of Salut: An Iron Age Settlement of Exceptional Global Significance

Bahla, 23 Feb
2026 (ONA) — The archaeological oasis of Bisya and Salut, nestled between the
banks of Wadi Saifam and Wadi Bahla in A’Dakhiliyah Governorate, constitutes an
extraordinary cultural treasure, with archaeological evidence spanning from the
Bronze Age through the Iron Age and into the Islamic era, representing an
organized human settlement of profound historical importance.

Ibtisam Abdullah
Al Maamari, Director of the World Heritage Department at the Ministry of
Heritage and Tourism, told Oman News Agency that the Bisya and Salut site in
the Wilayat of Bahla embodies criteria of outstanding universal value,
representing a unique and exceptional global artistic masterpiece. The site
eloquently expresses human creativity, reflects a significant exchange of human
values, bears witness to enduring cultural traditions, and occupies a landscape
of remarkable natural beauty encompassing environments rich in biodiversity.

She further
elaborated that the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, in partnership with
relevant stakeholders, is actively working to enhance the representation of
Oman’s historical sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The nation is
currently in the advanced stages of preparing the nomination file for the Bisya
and Salut site, to be submitted under the title “Salut: An Iron Age
Settlement.” The designated expert tasked with preparing the dossier will
concurrently develop a comprehensive site management plan to accompany the
nomination submission. The endeavour is expected to require approximately two
years of concerted effort and strategic planning until its culmination.

Ahmed bin
Mohammed Al Tamimi, Director of the Bisya and Salut Archaeological Site
Department, affirmed the exceptional richness of the site, first documented in
1973. Archaeological missions have been conducting excavations since the early
1980s, with a succession of international teams contributing to its
exploration. Presently, the Italian mission from the University of Milan is
engaged in excavating the archaeological tombs at Bisya, seeking to unravel the
mysteries enshrouding these ancient burial structures. Concurrently, a mission
from the Sorbonne University in France is conducting excavations at the
archaeological sites of “Fal” and “Al-Dhabi.” Both missions
are diligently working to determine the chronology of the sites under
investigation, complete previous excavation efforts, and develop a
comprehensive vision and deeper understanding of these archaeological expanses,
whose habitation traces back to the late fourth millennium BC.

Al Tamimi highlighted the ongoing endeavours
of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, channelled through the Bisya and Salut
Visitor Center, to introduce and promote this historical site. Since its
inauguration in February 2023 until the close of December 2025, the site has
welcomed over 16,400 visitors, encompassing citizens, residents, and
international tourists. Promotional initiatives include an annual program of
events executed in collaboration with the local community, with dedicated
outdoor spaces allocated for hosting diverse activities. These include programs
organized by Omani Women’s Association branches, sports teams affiliated with
Bahla Club, civil society institutions, and community libraries. Among the
events realized are poetry evenings, productive family exhibitions, children’s
activities, and art exhibitions, fostering community engagement and cultural
enrichment.

He further
elaborated that the Visitor Center at the Bisya and Salut archaeological
complex features comprehensive exhibition panels delineating the history of
archaeological investigation in the region, diverse patterns of human
settlement, typological classifications of ancient tombs, and the commercial
networks that connected this civilization with neighboring polities. The center
annually welcomes a cohort of scholars and researchers who independently visit
the site to pursue scientific inquiry across multiple disciplines, thereby
advancing the Ministry’s ongoing mandate of archaeological survey and
documentation.

He added that the
center incorporates a dedicated repository for archaeological artifacts, tasked
with receiving and preserving objects from the moment of their discovery during
excavation campaigns. These artifacts subsequently undergo systematic
registration, archival documentation, and secure storage. Selected items
proceed to conservation and restoration laboratories at either the Ministry of
Heritage and Tourism headquarters or the on-site Visitor Center facilities,
while others are designated for museum exhibition. Numerous significant finds
from the Bisya and Salut excavations have been displayed at the National Museum
and the Oman Across Ages Museum, underscoring the site’s national
archaeological importance.

He affirmed
that the site constitutes an exceptionally rich archaeological landscape, encompassing
thousands of Bronze Age funerary monuments, the imposing Salut Fortress with
its adjacent urban settlement, third-millennium BCE towers, extensive
cemeteries spanning both Bronze and Iron Ages, and a remarkable corpus of rock
art. The archaeological hinterland extends to the nearby villages of Al-Dhabi,
Fal, and Al-Ma’mur, revealing a densely occupied cultural landscape. The
settlement of Salut itself represents a particularly significant urban center,
attesting to intensive occupation and human agency during the first millennium
BCE. The fortress, serving as an administrative nucleus, confirms the existence
of sophisticated governance structures and an economic foundation built upon
agriculture and the aflaj irrigation systems.

Regarding
ongoing research initiatives, he stated: “The Bisya and Salut
Archaeological Site Department, operating through the Visitor Center,
coordinates various research activities. We engage external researchers through
collaborative projects as circumstances warrant. During the current year, 2026,
we inaugurated a comprehensive project to inventory and document the rock art
corpus distributed throughout the Bisya and Salut region, enlisting local
community guides possessing intimate knowledge of the drawings’ locations across
mountainous terrain, valleys, and rocky outcrops. Upon completion of this
documentation phase, we will undertake analytical studies to establish
chronological frameworks for these artistic expressions.”

Addressing site development initiatives
launched with the February 2023 opening of the Visitor Center, he noted:
“Visitor pathways have been upgraded and paved to provide access to
principal archaeological features, including Salut Fortress, the Bronze and
Iron Age necropolises, the ancient urban core of Salut, and the
third-millennium tower. During the current year, we will enhance visitor
stopping points with interpretive panels presenting scientific information in
accessible formats. Since the second half of 2025, we have conducted
comprehensive rehabilitation, maintenance, and restoration operations at
multiple locations, continuing through February 2026 at Salut Fortress, along
the visitor circuit, and within the urban precinct adjacent to the fortress. A
local Omani enterprise is finalizing the design and production of multimedia
installations for the Visitor Center’s display systems, scheduled for
completion this month, February 2026. These technological enhancements will
facilitate information dissemination and showcase previously unexhibited
archaeological discoveries through interactive screens. Furthermore, a field
classroom has been established within the palm grove situated within the site’s
protected perimeter, designated for programs integrating theoretical
instruction with practical field applications. Since the center’s inauguration
through the conclusion of 2025, we have conducted 79 educational programs and
cultural events, serving 6,230 participants spanning all age
demographics.”

He further detailed
the programs and events scheduled for implementation during 2026, including the
UNESCO Associated Schools Forum, the second edition of the Salut Photography
Forum, in addition to numerous community-engaged activities, training workshops,
and artistic initiatives designed to promote the archaeological site, introduce
the Visitor Center and its surrounding antiquities, facilitate the exchange of
expertise, and explore diverse experiential methodologies.

It is noteworthy that archaeological
discoveries unearthed at the Bisya and Salut site collectively attest to the
profound civilizational interconnections between Oman and the ancient world.
Among the most significant finds are seals bearing stylistic influences from
the Indus Valley Civilization, serpent figurines, various anthropomorphic and
zoomorphic terracotta artifacts reflecting Indus Valley cultural traditions,
and an assemblage of ceramic vessels. Particularly remarkable discoveries from
the 2024/2025 excavation season include a collection of charred dates and date
stones unearthed at the Al-Dhabi site, meticulously dated to the third
millennium BCE, providing invaluable evidence of ancient agricultural practices
and trade networks.

— Ends/Khalid