Bibi Maryam…

Today in Oman, I hit the road with archaeology colleagues to explore medieval mosques and the marvelous mausoleum of Bibi Maryam — a powerful woman who once ruled over Qalhat. Her tomb reminded me of the Sufi shrines I helped preserve while doing archaeology on the Silk Road in Central Asia — since both regions were under Persian influence around the same time. When legendary 14th century traveler Ibn Battuta (1304-1377 CE) visited Qalhat, he described the city in these terms: “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 harbor. 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.”