A lost city in the Sultanate called Ubar, once full of prosperity dating back to 5000 BC, was rediscovered in the early 1990s and is still under archaeological excavation. The city, in Dhofar in southe rn Oman, is believed to have been built by King Shadad and the people of Ad, and is at the center of the frankincense trade, as camel caravans once traveled on routes carrying precious cargo of this rare commodity through the Arabian Peninsula all the way to Jerusalem. Frankincense was used traditionally during religious ceremonies and is still used so today. It was also used as perfume and medicine during ancient times. Historical documents reveal that the Queen of Sheba offered this sacred aromatic gum to King Solomon.

Even in Greek and Roman times, incense was much sought after for various reasons. It was burnt on altars and used for embalming. Globules of frankincense were found in the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s tomb. In the first century AD, the Roman Emperor Nero burned more incense at the funeral of his wife than Arabia produced in a year, which Nero called the wealthiest area in the world.

The popular frankincense tree called the Boswellia Sacra now grows only in the Dhofar region and in northern Somalia. The best of it comes from trees on the inland side of the mountains, but some frankincense also grows on the plain south of Salalah.

Visually, the tree itself is not so attractive; it is a very low twisted bush-like tree and lacks a central trunk. The tree has many prickly branches extended every which way carrying small, crankily leaves. When the silvery bark is pared off, drops of white resin ooze from it like a scar. These drops, known as “Luban” are left on the tree for two weeks to dry into transparent globules that are then collected for export. Marco Polo described the process 700 years ago stating: “The trees are like small fir trees; they are notched with a knife in several places and from these notches the incense is exuded. Sometimes also it flows from a tree without any notch; that is by reason of the great heat of the sun there.”

The globules were worth their weight in gold in Roman times but the incense market collapsed in the fourth century AD as Christianity spread throughout the Mediterranean, which at first did not use incense. Currently, a moderate amount is collected for the use of home incense, for perfumes and as a chewing gum. Samples of the ‘Luban’ frankincense can be found at most Middle Eastern stores.

Contrary to popular Western belief, women from the Arab world are not all just housewives and mothers. In fact, in Oman, they fill many roles as well as maintaining their commitments to family. Most of them are educated; some are in business for themselves, hold political positions, and volunteer toward the well being of their community.

Last year, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos emphasized the importance of women’s role in the growth of the country. “Many years ago I said that if the energy, capability and enthusiasm of women were excluded from a country’s active life, then that country would be depriving itself of 50 percent of its genius. I have taken very good care that this should not happen to Oman, and I look forward to the further progress of women in my country with the greatest pleasure and confidence.” His Majesty added that he foresees increasing involvement of women in Oman’s government. Not only have women already been elected to the Majlis Council, a political group that questions ministers on economic and social policy, but many have entered business, government service, and technical establishments and are making a valuable contribution to the Sultanate’s existence.

Underlining the role that women must play in Omani society, Sultan Qaboos draws on Islamic teachings to emphasize his points on women’s rights. He condemns those who relegate women to subservient positions and calls on every Omani woman to assume responsibilities to ensure that the Sultanate benefits from her input, and for her to be frugal and to distance themselves from “extravagance,” so common among developed countries.

Speaking to Rayya Al-Riyami, a college lecturer, member of The Omani Women’s Association and a dedicated volunteer to her community, one soon realizes the impact of Omani women in their society. Most of her effort focuses on building up the self-image of Omani women and helping them continue their studies in pursuit of their personal goals. Ms. Al-Riyami has also been the director of Oman’s Girl Guides, which is similar to a government position in the leadership required. She was one of the few women who stood for election when Sultan Qaboos established a Majilis al-Shura consultative council to convey to him popular sentiments from different parts of the country. Although her campaign was unsuccessful, two other women were appointed to the Council.

“Community Service is my passion,” she said, adding that motivating young Omani women “is beneficial in the long run in Oman’s social status.”

A woman named Muna Richie, in partnership with her mother, established the first not-for-profit organization in Oman. The organization, Omani Heritage Gallery, is dedicated to preserving and promoting the Omani crafts industry. Richie guarantees that all proceeds from the sale of products are directed to developing the crafts industry in the future and encouraging Omani craftsmen. This Gallery is also acknowledged outside of Oman; in October 1997, “it became the first company in the Gulf to fit the stringent requirement to be accepted as a Body Shop Community Trade Partner,” said Ritchie, adding, “The aim of Omani Heritage Gallery is to provide income-generating opportunities, assistance to the craftsmen, service to the consumer market and the redirection of the profits to assure the continuance of these valuable crafts which form an inherent part of the culture that is uniquely Omani.”

Another outstanding Omani woman is Mrs. Sabrah Al-Riyami, co-founder of Darran Tours. She and her husband and business partner, Ayman Helal, a savvy businessman who is an Egyptian native, run a leading specialized tour and events coordinating company. “Being a local company serving both the locals and foreigners’ needs for tourism or events coordination is an advantage, because we can bring something more unique to their desires than an outside company can,” Mrs. Al-Riyami said. Darren Tours specializes in handling ground arrangements for major national events, such as National Day celebrations, conferences, exhibitions and tournaments for VIPs and foreign delegates. In addition, the company can coordinate organized tours of the desert, mountains, deep-sea fishing trips and other similar tours. In encouraging Americans to open their eyes to the “jewel of the Arabian Peninsula and one of the world’s best kept secrets,” Mrs. Al-Riyami said, “Oman is a beautiful, untouched, unspoiled country and it has a preserved heritage that can be appreciated by all.”

In a nutshell, Omani women are not clustered in one area of interest – domestic – as the West thinks. They are in businesses, banking, in the medical field as both physicians and nurses, and at all levels in government offices. This year, the first Omani woman was appointed as ambassador to the Netherlands. Many Omani women are also at the director-general level; that is, they head major governmental departments. It is amazing that, although Oman was the last of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to inaugurate universal education, its young women already are in the forefront of those countries both in achieving gender equality in the workplace and in assuming full responsibility for the affairs of their country.