Pedo-Archeo Heritage Sites in Northern Oman: from Traditional Soil-Sediment Materials in Building Engineering to Booming Tourism

Omani soils, often overlooked in geoheritage studies, hold significant cultural and historical value, yet they remain underrepresented in conservation efforts. This study highlights the unique pedodiversity across Oman's regions and their traditional use in building engineering, such as mortar, plaster, and water management systems like falaj liners. Through satellite imaging and physicochemical analysis of geomaterials from five northern Omani sites—including Bahla Fort—researchers identified distinct material properties linked to local topography, geomorphology, and hydrology. These findings underscore the potential for rediscovering ancestral building techniques that offer sustainable solutions for thermal insulation, erosion resistance, and water management in arid environments. The study also explores the growing tourism interest in these ancient monuments, integrating Omani landscapes with educational dimensions that extend beyond agronomic value.

Al-Ismaily, S., Al-Mayhai, A., Kacimov, A., Al-Rawahy, Y., Al-Shibli, A., Al-Mukhaini, N., Al-Sabahi, A., Al-Wahaibi, M., Al-Naabi, I., Al-Thuhli, A.-H., & Al-Balushi, S. (2026). Pedo-Archeo Heritage Sites in Northern Oman: from Traditional Soil-Sediment Materials in Building Engineering to Booming Tourism. Geoheritage, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-026-01288-5