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Dhofar / Taqah

Wilayat Taqah falls between Salalah and Marbat on the Dhofari coastline. Taqah was once a prosperous port and has been a significant trading centre of the ancient world.

Some of the most famous remains in this area are found at Samhuran, an ancient city which is thought to date back to 3000BC. Old though these remains may be, inscriptions are still visible in the walls and columns of the citadel. Frankincense was the main export, which found its way to Queen Hatshepsut of Egypt in 1500BC. A drawing of a Pharaonic ship docked at Samhuran is still displayed in a temple in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor. The Queen of Sheba also dispatched a boatload of frankincense from this port as a gift to Prophet Solomon (son of David). In 1952, the 'American Foundation for the Study of Man' discovered the remains of stone sculptures and carvings, pre-Islamic tombs and a citadel which is thought to be part of the ancient city of Taqah. Modern day Taqah has silver-white beaches, fresh water springs, caves and grottos which make the district popular with visitors.

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http://www.asiatour.com/oman/e-04dhof/eo-dho15.htm
Jan Garanoz
Juhu Tara Road, Juhu,
Mumbai - 400049 India
Last updated: March 11, 2010