This article first appeared on our partner site, Independent Arabia
Myths and legends were our ancestors’ main source of entertainment and escape in times before the Internet, television or radio. The most compelling of these folktales are those with a hint of the supernatural, especially those related to ghosts and spirits known as ‘jinn’.
In Omani folklore, the ‘jinn’ are often associated with specific geographical locations. There are legends of a ‘valley of jinn’ that people dare not venture into, and of a ‘city of jinn’ where the mysterious creatures are said to live.
One such city full of stories about jinn is Bahla, located in the heart of the Omani desert, more than a hundred kilometers from the capital Muscat. The city, one of the largest in the Ad Dakhiliyah Governorate, is also among the oldest human settlements in the Gulf Sultanate.
Supernatural beings
Bahla is a uniquely charming oasis surrounded by palm trees, with abandoned houses made of mud bricks dotting the landscape. However, widespread myths about the presence of jinn, said to be supernatural beings distinct from humans and angels who live alongside humanity, and legends about camel-eating hyenas and spirits that turn people into donkeys, led many Omanis to call Bahla the ‘city of the world’. djinn”. So it has become an isolated area where the local population rarely visits.
UNESCO heritage site
Bahla Fort was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, making it the first Omani monument to be added to the list. The protected area includes the entire Bahla Oasis, including the Bahla Wall and all the architectural, archaeological and cultural monuments and monuments it contains, both tangible and intangible. According to local guide Hamad Al Rabaani: “At Bahla Fort, which dates back to the Middle Ages and is a World Heritage Site, we believe that jinn are God’s creation, therefore they are not alien.”
One of the popular myths surrounding Bahla is that supernatural forces built an eight-mile wall around the city in one night to protect it from invaders. Speak with Independent Arabia, the 55-year-old guide added: “There is a myth of two sisters from the jinn. One of them built the wall, while the other created a centuries-old irrigation system for the crops.”
The idea of jinn has a significant presence in Arabic culture; However, few places are as strongly associated with the jinn as Bahla. The guide tells that an old woman heard someone milking her cow after midnight. But every time she went to look, she found no one there. Hamad added, “Jinn can be heard but never seen because your mind is unable to understand the idea.”
Fear of a bad name
As silence falls in Bahla’s old souk after midday prayers, some residents anxiously discuss the subject of jinn, for which the city is notorious, fearing it could tarnish its image. But Mohammad al-Hashemi, a 70-year-old resident of Bahla, says he has been influenced by beliefs surrounding the jinn for most of his life, and that as a child he heard stories of flame-breathing hyenas that roamed the desert in search of camels to kill. to devour.
He told AFP: “They warned us not to go out after sunset because of the magic.”
Deep in the Arabian Peninsula
Dr. Ali Olomi, assistant professor of history at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles explains: “Oral traditions and ancient texts indicate that jinn stories are widespread in the remotest areas of the Arabian Peninsula. Oman and neighboring Yemen, located at the southernmost point of the peninsula, are both known not only as ancient lands of significant historical importance, but also as lands of jinn.
He adds: “In Bahla there are stories of imaginary fires and fires, shifting mystical desert storms and buildings built by supernatural beings”.
The geographical isolation of this region, surrounded by desert and the Hajar Mountains, has contributed to the spread of these myths. Dr. Olomi points out that “the presence of jinn in places like Bahla is a valuable source of insight into the history and culture of the Arabian Peninsula. These are the stories of a people who lived in remote areas with little connection to other communities and a deep awareness of the natural world around them.”
Growing doubt
Despite the many myths about jinn in the oasis, a generation of younger Omanis are unconvinced of their existence, including 24-year-old Mazen Al Khateri, who sees the legends as “stories told by our ancestors in the past.” We don’t know if they are right or wrong.”
However, 30-year-old Hassan believes these rumors about the oasis are still valid. He says, “My family would never allow me to go to Bahla. There are rumors that it is the city of the jinn, where these beings enjoy more freedom.”
Bahla’s history
Bahla Oasis is located in the Al Dakhiliyah Governorate of the Sultanate of Oman. It is the ancient name given to the area stretching from the south of the mountains west of Bahla to Izki. Wadi Bahla borders the oasis to the west, while the mountains surround it from almost all sides. Streams flow into the valley and its location has made it a bridge between neighboring areas, especially considering its proximity to ancient cultural sites in the Omani state of Ibri.
Archaeological sites
The oasis is notable for its proximity to numerous ancient archaeological sites, such as those found in Bisya on the banks of Wadi Bahla, where excavations revealed the presence of circular defenses built of stones. Also nearby is Salut, considered one of the most famous sights in Oman’s ancient history.
It is worth noting that the excavations carried out in 1993 and 1997 by the Ministry of Heritage and Culture of the Sultanate at the Bahla Fort revealed important findings, including the discovery of several settlements. A broken terracotta statuette of a knight on horseback, with influences from the Sassanid dynasty, was found, along with an artifact made of soapstone. In addition, a large earthenware jar for storing dates or collecting honey, and pieces of local pottery and Chinese porcelain were also discovered.
Reviewed by Tooba Ali and Celine Assaf