Category Archives: Blog

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.”

With so much violence taking place around the Middle East and North Africa, the tourist industry has been decimated across the region. As a result, many are now wondering if tourism in the Middle East can ever recover. It’s not just violence here in the Middle East that’s scaring tourists away — in the wake of the Paris attacks, I personally heard of several acquaintances and students from the United States canceling upcoming trips to the Middle East — including Oman (which I can assure you is safe, as I live here). Unfortunately, the drop in tourism is sure to lead to even greater economic instability — a prime catalyst for further desperation and radicalization. It’s sad to see so many of my favorite spots in the world suffering from violence and a subsequent loss of revenue — and sadder still to see so many tourists missing out on some of the greatest sites and landscapes on earth…

If you travel to Bhutan and attempt the challenging hike to Tiger’s Nest, take a moment to enjoy the waterfall (and catch your breath) before ascending the final staircase to the legendary monastery hovering high over the valley…

A recent New Yorker piece, The Rubble-Strewn Road to Damascus, notes that “Syria, after almost five years of war, is strewn with the rubble of a shattered state, a fractured society, and a demolished landscape.” It’s heartbreaking (really tears at my soul) to think of how devastated Syria has become — especially since I remember Syria as a place of such beauty and peace…

Here is the program for the International Syrian Congress on Archaeology and Cultural Heritage taking place this week in Beirut from December 3rd-6th.

Tonight in Oman, I enjoyed a spectacular performance at the Royal Opera House of The Fountain of Bakhchisarai — a ballet based on a poem by Alexander Pushkin (1799–1837). Since my students and I have been studying Russian Orientalism all week, I felt primed tonight to watch and analyze this Orientalist ballet which features a Tatar ruler who kidnaps a Polish noblewoman and brings her back to his harem (where she meets an unfortunate fate).

I was sad to hear about yesterday’s fatal rocket attack that hit the mostly Christian neighborhood of Bab Touma in the Old City of Damascus. When I was in Syria visiting Sufi sheikhs and shrines, I had the opportunity to visit historic churches and chapels in Bab Touma (باب توما / “Thomas’ Gate”). I was first introduced to this neighborhood while studying the history of Christianity in Syria at Brown University with Professor Susan Ashbrook Harvey. Famous residents of the area included St. Paul, St. Thomas, St. Ananias, and Alphonse de Lamartine. Peacefully strolling through the streets of Bab Touma in the heart of Damascus just a few weeks before the war began, my only concern was being blinded by the bright light of the sun (as you can see in the photo above)– but over the course of the Syrian war, this neighborhood has sadly become marred by violence. For Bab Touma, like the rest of Syria, the end of the Syrian war can’t come quickly enough…

This afternoon, I explored the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat — a true architectural wonder in every way. Unlike any other mosque in the world, the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque showcases a diverse array of artistic and architectural styles from different Islamic eras and regions around the world — from Andalusia to China.

In the hallway above, I came across a gold sign with information on “Persian Kashi Design: Lavish Safavid Splendour” that read: “Persian designs are rooted in the Mongol Ilkhanid dynasty (1256-1353 CE) founded by Hulagu Khan. The Ilkhanid ruler Mahmud Ghazan (1295-1304) embraced Islam and this resulted in the dynasty’s prolific output in architecture and the visual arts. Tile production flourished in Kashan, which gave its name to the word kashi for tile. The patronage of the Safavids (16th-18th) celebrated tilework tradition in Isfahan brought new colour schemes and an emphasis on geometric features and relief.” The designs in this hall are based on original designs depicting the flowers of heaven — and each niche is different in pattern and design. Since I’ve spent time excavating Mongol archaeology in Turkmenistan and studying Sufism in Isfahan in Iran, I was most drawn to this hallway connected to Mongolian and Persian history and art.

The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, a masterpiece of modern Islamic architecture, was a gift to the people of the Sultanate of Oman from His Majesty Sultan Qaboos to commemorate the 30th year of his reign. Construction of this enormous sandstone mosque began in 1995, and it was inaugurated by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos in 2001.

The mosque is famous for its gigantic Persian carpet which weaves together classical Persian Tabriz, Kashan, and Isfahan designs. It measures 70m by 60m wide (it’s the second-largest hand-loomed Iranian carpet in the world), weighs 21 tons, and contains 1,700 million knots. From the mosque’s rich carpet to its reflective marble floors and heaven-bound arches, the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque embodies a harmonious blend of different Islamic art traditions — setting tolerance and “unity in diversity” in stone.

May there be well-being in all [Sarveśām Svastir Bhavatu / सर्वेषां स्वस्तिर्भवतु]
May there be peace in all [Sarveśām Shāntir Bhavatu / सर्वेषां शान्तिर्भवतु]
May there be wholeness in all [Sarveśām Pūrnam Bhavatu / सर्वेषां पूर्नं भवतु]
May there be success in all [Sarveśām Maṇgalam Bhavatu / सर्वेषां मड्गलं भवतु]

Two years ago, I had the opportunity to study Islam and spirituality in Java as a Fulbright scholar in Indonesia — the most populous Muslim nation in the world. So I was intrigued to see a NYTimes article this week discussing how a group of Muslim scholars in Indonesia are using media to challenge the ideology of the Islamic State. For example, Nadhlatul Ulama (a group with more than 50 million members) just released a 90 minute video with interviews of Islamic scholars from inside and outside of Indonesia.

In the video, former Indonesian president, Abdurrahman Wahid, sings from a mystical Javanese poem: “Many who memorize the Quran and Hadith love to condemn others as infidels while ignoring their own infidelity to God, their hearts and minds still mired in filth.” According to the leader of the group, A. Mustofa Bisri, “every aspect and expression of religion should be imbued with love and compassion, and foster the perfection of human nature.” These scholars have every reason to be worried — Indonesia was just forced to increase security after a militant video called for an attack. Having been immersed in Javanese culture for fifteen years, I sincerely hope that Indonesia stays safe from the violence currently affecting so many other places in the world…

After a long week, I’m finally feeling restored after a Balinese massage today at the Chedi Muscat in peaceful Oman…

A few weeks ago, on my way back home to Oman from Bhutan, I stopped in Nepal and saw for myself the effects of the two month blockade. My driver said he had waited for three days in line to get gas for our vehicle before taking me on a private tour of Hindu and Buddhist temples. Nepal has been facing severe shortages of fuel, cooking gas, and medicine. It was difficult for me to see so many people struggling from the lingering devastation and trauma of the earthquake — plus the pressures of the blockade. In fact, to fly back to the Sultanate of Oman, our plane had to land first in India to refuel — as there was not enough jet fuel in Kathmandu. Today, tens of thousands of students protested the blockade in the capital — with many more protests to come…

Today I headed to the water to practice some capoeira moves in the sea — every day is a perfect beach day in Oman!

I spent my Thanksgiving afternoon in Oman collecting seashells at low tide — was grateful to be reminded of the countless hidden treasures in the sea!