Muscat: Original manuscripts including Quranic science from the 16th century are some of the rare documents on display at the Omani Manuscripts and Documents exhibition being held along with a seminar at the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) Cultural Centre.
The seminar and exhibition are organised by the Omani Studies Centre at the SQU. The exhibitors are non-governmental organisations specialised in collection and maintenance of manuscripts and documents.
Besides an organisation from Algeria, the exhibitors are from different parts of Oman and as far as Musandam.
Mohammad Bin Amer Al Aisari, representing Dhakirat Oman (Oman Memories), a manuscript and document library based in Mawaleh, said that their organisation started collection of old manuscripts and documents ten years ago and secured registration from the Ministry of Heritage and Culture two months ago.
“Our objective is to make people aware of how the former generations in Oman used to prepare manuscripts, documents and books on different subjects including Islamic science, traditional medicine, astronomy and chemistry. They used to write with pens made of bamboo stems and parts of other plants. The ink was processed from natural objects. They used to keep pen boxes made of metal and wood imported from the Indian subcontinent and Africa,” Al Aisari said.
Dhakirat Oman’s collection includes book covers made of leather and other materials, binding tools, original manuscripts including Quranic science from the 16th century, old documents narrating the construction and distribution system of falaj, and waseeyah, or the law of inheritance of family property, etc.
Manuscript treasures such as rare letters written in English and related to administrative decisions of the erstwhile Zanzibar islands have occupied a major portion in the exhibition corner.
Habib Bin Mohammad Al Riyami, secretary-general of Sultan Qaboos Higher Centre for Culture and Sciences, said that these kinds of events help in preserving the culture, art and heritage of the country.
Dr Mohammad Bin Hamoud Al Kindi, Director of Omani Studies Centre at SQU and Chairman of the Organising Committee of the event, said that the seminar is part of the interest of intellectuals and writers in the country. Around 300 participants,including students and those specialised in manuscript and document collection and manuscript writers, are attending the exhibition, which closes on December 26.
