Qalhāt

Qalhat stood on Oman's eastern coast as a major port of the Kingdom of Hormuz. Its walls and archaeological remains testify to connections linking Arabia with East Africa, India, China and Southeast Asia. Horses, dates, incense and pearls were among the goods associated with its trade; the rulers of Hormuz also used the town as a seasonal residence and refuge.

Travellers described Qalhat and its monuments, including the shrine associated with Bibi Maryam. Portuguese attacks in the sixteenth century contributed to the port's decline, and the old city was abandoned by the end of that century. Its remains preserve the outline of a once-important Indian Ocean trading centre.