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Jabrin fort is located about 200Km southwest of muscat or 40 Km from Nizwa. Jabrin Fort was built by Imam Sultan bin Saif Al Ya'arubi in 1670. It was a castle initially and afterward two towers were added to it and it was transformed to a fort when Imam moved his capital from Nizwa to Jabrin. You may find defensive measures such as hidden holes for shooting and for pouring boiling date oil on the invaders behind the gates just like those in Nizwa fort. The fort includes many rooms for Imam and his wives, guests and soldiers,a large date store, a stable at the first floor! a Mosque and a Quran school at the roof top, a spacious kitchen and a beautiful courtyard in addition to separate prisons for men and women. The fort also has its own water wells and an irrigation channel (Falaj) flowing through it. The castle has rooms and ceilings decorated with fine carvings. Jabrin fort arguably is the most impressive fort in the Sultanate and the details and carvings in the rooms and balconies are most elaborate. Finely painted flowers and symbols are found on the ceilings in the 'living' rooms. After his death Imam was buried in this fort and his very modest tomb lies within the fort.
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Modern civilization began right here in the Tigris-Euphrates river valley. Also known as the Fertile Crescent or Mesopotamia, this is the place where, six thousand years ago, agriculture, writing and mathematics were brought into widespread use.The term "Middle East" comes from the British navy, which used it to describe the countries on the trade route from Europe to India and China. Everything from Afghanistan to Morocco may possibly be classified as "middle eastern", depending on whom you ask -- and when.Only a partial list of past Empires in the middle eastern territory includes Sumeria, Babylonia, Persia, the Ottoman Empire and the Roman Empire!When northern Europe was still lurking about in slimy cold stone castles playing chess, the Middle East was enjoying the flowers of poetry, luxurious craftsmanship, music and literature. In fact, the Renaissance in Europe was partly inspired by stories brought back from the middle east by travelers along the trade route.Strategic location, religious history and the world's largest supply of crude oil have kept the Middle East at the center of world activity for centuries. The saga continues.Text by Steve Smith.
