Tools & tillage: a journal on the history of the implements of cultivation and other agricultural processes (2.1972/1975)

Fig. 1. The Oman ard at work in a palm garden at Ibri. Photo Glob Febr. 1973.

Der Haken von Oman bei der Arbeit in einem Palmengarten bei Ibri.

THE OMAN ARD
Ar
P. V. Glob

Agriculture is old in the peninsula of Oman
which sticks out in a point from the north-
east side of the Arabian mainland in the Hor-
muz strait and divides the Arabian Gulf from
the Gulf of Oman. At the present day it is rare
to see the old plough type of Oman, the crook
ard, in use, because agriculture has declined
considerably and where it is now done it is
carried on with modern equipment and motor
power. This is due to the presence of oil which
was found here in the course of the last dozen
years.

The peninsula of Oman is dominated by a
mountain chain which stretches down through
the country to the eastern point of the Arabian
peninsula with the almost 3000 metre high Ja-
bal Akhdar as the centre. The precipitation
from this mountain at the time of the monsoon
is carried in great streams by means of under-
ground canals more than 2000 years old, called
falaj, plural aflaj. These lead the water down
to the plains along the coast and to the moun-
tain villages and to oases towards the west and
south side of the mountain chain. Considerable