Objects of Omani culture
Typical wooden objects such as coffee tables, chests and traditional doors are available as decorative items in scale models, which are easier to bring home. Replicas of dhows, the famous Omani ships, can be purchased mainly in Sur at the workshops where life-size dhows are made.
Precious materials such as gold and especially silver are also worked and often sold by weight. Unmissable in the souks, Bedouin jewelry (or imitations thereof) stands out for its imposing size. Silver is also used to make perfume bottles, jewelry boxes, Arabic coffee pots..
Another must-have is the kandjar, the broad-bladed, curved dagger inseparable from Oriental culture. An emblem of the country and a reflection of its owner's rank and tribal affiliation, it is still worn today for important events and official ceremonies. Miniature kandjars can be purchased in a variety of forms (key rings, pens, magnets, etc.), none of which match the true beauty of this white weapon with its ornate scabbard and pommel. To bring home a real kandjar, you'll need to spend some time in the souks, particularly the one in Nizwa, where it's one of the specialties.
Camel canes, or aassa, are also on sale everywhere. Very fine and adorned with silver tips, they are used as riding crops and are worn by Omanis during festivities.
Baskets, another authentic local handicraft accessory, are sold in the souks and can be used as wall decorations, while the finest pottery can be purchased in Nizwa or Bahla.
Perfumes and fragrances
For thousands of years, incense trees have been the source of wealth and charm in the south of the country. Known as the "gold of the desert", incense has long been the source of the sultanate's power, thanks to a fruitful trade woven over the centuries. As soon as you arrive in Oman, your nostrils are tickled by its omnipresent scent - a pleasant, dizzying odor that pervades most public places. Presented in the form of white crystals or brown powder, incense is on sale everywhere, even in supermarkets. It is purchased with an earthen or copper incense burner and carbon pellets that allow the gum to burn. More original, culinary incense is another local specialty, to be drunk as an infusion or chewed for its astringent and digestive virtues.
The scent of shisha is another olfactory souvenir of the sultanate, and is omnipresent, especially when approaching certain coffee shops or dedicated areas in hotels. Water pipes can be bought in any souk and are a typical souvenir.
Much more upmarket, the essences of Amouage perfumes are exported internationally and are increasingly found in airport duty-free windows. Created at the request of Sultan Qaboos in 1983, this luxury perfumery launched its first fragrance the following year with the collaboration of a French nose. Originally very oriental, the notes became more international as the collections progressed, to satisfy a wider, lighter-skinned clientele. You can visit the Muscat factory and buy a bottle in the adjoining store, or simply visit one of the Amouage boutiques in the capital or local airports.
Other typically Omani perfumes, less well-known and therefore less expensive, also exist. They are sold in certain tourist locations, such as the W boutique in Muscat, which offers only 100% Omani products.
Foodstuffs
We'll be focusing on culinary specialties that can withstand the journey, such as dates. The Sultanate is one of the world's largest producers of Phoenix dactylifera. In the Middle East, the fruit is not only a foodstuff, but also a symbol of hospitality. It is also said that dates protected sailors from scurvy and fed Bedouins during their long desert crossings. It is also customary to plant a date palm when a son is born. For Muslims, dates are the fruits of paradise, eaten to break the Ramadan fast and for all celebrations, from weddings to funerals. Dried dates can be purchased at any supermarket or souk, including the one in Nizwa, which devotes an entire hall to this culinary treasure. Dates can also be bought in a more elaborate form, in specialized stores such as Tamrah in Muscat. Delicately filled with dried fruit, they are packaged in superb cases and become almost a luxury product. Tasty by-products such as honey and date vinegar are also available.
Halwa is the country's other sweet culinary specialty: THE local dessert. It's a kind of confection made from brown sugar, rosewater and spices. The best halwa can be bought in Nizwa, Sohar or, more simply, in the stores of the Al Diwaniya Omani Sweets chain, whose specialty it is.
Finally, all souks and supermarkets sell oriental and Indian spices such as cardamom, saffron and others.
Textile
The first thing that springs to mind is the dishdasha, the traditional garment, and above all the little headgear that goes with it, the kumma, superbly embroidered and almost an aesthetic souvenir - in fact, some designers are turning them into decorative objects. They come in all colors and sizes (even for children) and it's a real pleasure, in the heart of a souk, to spend a moment in a kumma boutique - scenes of life guaranteed.
You can also bring back Bedouin weavings in camel hair or goat's wool: bookmarks, key-rings, rugs, bracelets, etc., to be purchased directly from the source in the souk. - These can be purchased directly from the source in the Bedouin camps of the Sharqiya Sands or at the Ibra women's market on Wednesdays.
Cashmere, wool or cotton pashminas from India, on sale in all the country's souks, in a variety of colors and patterns, are often prized by travelers.
