Al-Ayn and Bat (Oman) - Tip + photos of Unesco sites

Declared World Heritage by Unesco in 1988, the necropolises of Al-Ayn and Bat (along with Al-Khutm) are the best preserved necropolises from the Bronze age. The tombs structure and their history makes those sites fascinating.
Below is my guide to help you plan your visit.

Al-Ayn and Bat Necropolises Unesco site Oman - Travel Guide

Table Of Contents

Beehive tombs in Oman - Unesco sites

PLANNING TIPS - Al-Ayn and Bat

Unesco site of Al-Ayn, Oman

Archeological site of Bat, Oman

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Beehive tombs in Oman - Unesco sites

Oman has 5 registered Cultural Unesco heritage sites:

the Aflaj irrigation system which you can see in Birkat al Mawz (added in 2006)
The ancient city of Qalhat (added in 2018)
The archeological sites of Bat, Al Khutm and Al Ayn (added in 1988)
the Bahla fort (Oman has a lot of impressive forts - see my article) - added in 1987
The Land of Frankincense in the South around Salalah (added in 2000)

I personally think that the Beehive tombs are the most fascinating:

Unesco site of Al-Ayn Oman

Bat, al-Khutum and al-Ayn are 3 archaeological complexes of tombs built during the 3rd millennium BC. Located in the Hinterlands of Oman, the are the remnants of life during the Bronze age.

I visited only Bat and al-Ayn. Bat is a large area with 100 graves spread over it whereas al-Ayn is a smaller necropolis with incredible background mountains.

And more of those tombs in beautiful landscapes can be found on the Salmah Plateau (4WD off road access only) - see my article.

PLANNING TIPS - Al-Ayn and Bat

Getting to and visiting the Bat site

Ibri to Bat = 25km - 30min drive
Nizwa to Bat = 1h50
Near Maqabil
There is no official entrance at the moment. Just find the hole in the fence with the small sign saying it is an archeological site

Getting to and visiting the al-Ayn site

22 km East of Bat
On the road 21 between Ibri and Bahla, 36km from Ibri turn North.
Ibri to Al-Ayn = 50min
Nizwa to Al-Ayn = 1h10
The al-Ayn tombs can be spotted from the road.
You will have to park next to the road and walk through the river bed and between farms to reach the tombs.
No facilities

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Which site to visit

The most famous site is Bat due to the high number of tombs. However my favorite was al-Ayn because of their state of preservation and the surrounding landscape.

Archeological sites

Please be respectful and do not pick any rocks or damage anything. Those are 5000 years old.

Accommodations

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Unesco site of Al-Ayn, Oman

Al-Ayn is an important group of beehive tombs. It was my favorite.

There are 19 tombs aligned on top of a hill. Some of them are well preserved.
Most of them are small and comprised of only one chamber. They were built with stones cut regularly. Archeologist Sandro Salvatori estimates that they can be receive 30 bodies.

As you approach the site you will spot those small circular shapes on a hill ridge. Cross the wadi and the farm to reach the path (10 min walk from the road).

I really enjoyed this location because of the combination of history and nature. In the backdrop is the magnificent mountain of Jebel Misht.
The scenery is absolutely fascinating. I had a hard time leaving.

Archeological site of Bat, Oman

Bat is the biggest site. Here you have bigger beehive-tombs with multiple chambers. They could receive 200 bodies. Some of them are being restored.
The particularity is that they had white stones in the area so some are white towers.

I had seen many tombs by the time I reached this site and did not wander to find more of them.

If you use the GPS coordinate on my eBook on Google Earth you will see the fence and some of the circular shapes from the tombs.