- Oman is a country located in south Arabia at the entrance to the Persian Gulf.
- It has Copper Mines that began extraction in 3,000 BCE.
Copper Mines
- The Sumerian clay tablets refer to two countries where Copper came from, one called called Dilmun (Bahrain) and the other called Magan, thought to be Oman.
- The Sumer Civilisation received all its Copper from this area.
Archeological Sites of Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-Ayn
- The three Sites are Necropolises located in or near a Palm Grove in Oman which date from c.3,000 BCE and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Copper and stone were extracted locally and traded with the Sumerian Civilisation in Mesopotamia.
- Bat consists of 100 graves and circular stone beehive shaped buildings in a Palm Grove. These buildings have no entrance and their function is not yet understood.
- Al-Khutm is thought to be the ruins of a fort and is located 1.2 miles (2km) west of Bat.
- Al-Ayn is another necropolis located 14 miles (22km) southeast of Bat.
Iram of the Pillars
- Iram of the Pillars, also known as Ubar, is one of the Lost cities of antiquity mentioned in the Quran.
- Opinion is divided as to whether Iram refers to a city or a region and its people.
Ptolemy
- Ptolemy's Geographia refers to a city called Omanum Emporium, the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Oman, and which is thought to have possibly been Ubar or Iram of the Pillars. Its location remains unknown.
Oman