In the 14th and 15th centuries, the most important
city in the Arab Gulf was Hormuz , situated on a small island near the mouth of the Arab Gulf. Between 1300 and 1507 Hormuz controlled many of the towns lying on the Arabian coast, including : Qalhat, Quriyat, Muscat and Sohar.

The most important of these towns was Qalhat, 25 kilometres north-west of Sur.

Every year many ships sailed from Hormuz and Qalhat to India with cargoes of horses, dates, pearls and salt. They returned from India with cloth, metalwork, spices and rice, which were then used in trade with people in Persia and other parts of Arabia. Some spices were also transported to Europe. Hormuz and Qalhat became very rich through trading. 

The great traveller of Islam, Ibn Battuta, visited Qalhat in about 750 AH ( 1330 AD ) and wrote this description of the city: 

" The city of Qalhat is on the coast. It has good markets, and one of the most beautiful mosques in the world. The walls of the mosque are covered with blue ceramic tiles. It stands on a hill beside the harbour. This mosque was built by an important woman named Bibi Maryam. The people here are merchants , and they bring many goods from India. When a ship arrives the people are very happy ".

Qalhat was affected by two terrible events. Firstly, an earthquake destroyed many of the city's fine buildings at the end of the fourteenth century. Then in 1507, the Portuguese arrived in Oman and ransacked Quriyat and Muscat. The following year they attacked Qalhat, killing many of the local population and burning all the ships and buildings there.

They also burned the beautiful mosque of Bibi Maryam. Qalhat was completely devastated and the survivors moved away from the city.

Today it is difficult to picture the great city of Qalhat , all the houses have gone and the harbour is filled with sand and stones. The only building you can see is a small tomb. Some people believe it is the tomb of Bibi Maryam. 

Copyright © 1997 Yaqub Al-Shaaibi