STRONG AND MUSEUM

This museum of local history, also called Al Ali Fort, offers the opportunity to observe the old houses, built in coral stone and finely decorated. Flanked by its cannons and built in 1768 by Sheikh Rachid ben Majid al-Mualla, the fort evokes the struggles of influence that often agitated the region. Between the Portuguese, the Dutch and especially the English, the local populations have always had to compromise or fight. In 1929, Sheikh Hamad bin Ibrahim al-Mualla was shot dead by two of his cousins in a coup attempt. The population is furious and decides to avenge the deceased ruler. They dig a ditch all around, fill it with palm branches and set fire to it. The two cousins were burned alive. This traditional defensive complex housed the "government" of the emirate until 1969. The buildings enclose a typical garden, where a dhow recalls the maritime dimension of the region. The visit takes us to the sheikh's room, the kitchens, and the date store. The museum presents various archaeological vestiges brought to light during the excavations of ed-Dur, traces and testimonies of the very ancient human presence in the region, such as these 7000 year old jewels, or like this remnant of an ivory comb from the third millennium before our era, or these diorite containers dating from the Iron Age. An exhibition devoted to the emirate's craft tradition pays tribute to the skills of local artisans. The museum is small, deserted and takes less than an hour to visit.