Explorers have been baffled, historians perplexed, the media critical and the layman is left unaware of what may be right and true. The area known as Ubar towards the south of Oman is considered to be what is referred to in the Quran as Iram. Whether this is true or not is a question for which no one can provide a concrete answer as there are many schools of thought. Nevertheless, Ubar has proudly added itself to the long list of attractions in Salalah and definitely displays far greater evidence of being the true Iram than any other place in the world that is known of. As a result, ever since word started circulating about Ubar being Iram, there have been constant inflows to hotels such as Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara.
Historical narrations reveal that Ubar or the Lost City as it is more commonly known or the Atlantis of the Sands as has been popularized by explorers was where frankincense was exported. Thus, there would have been many trading activities within the octagon shaped walls of what is thought to be the city. The ruins of these walls and other findings from excavations matched much of what historians expected to find including the towers and the ramification. Distinguishing fact from legend is another challenge that these historians had to approach diplomatically and little light could be shed on the matter.
Just outside the walls, there had been camps where the support industries probably operated. Satellite images of the area showed ancient tracks under the shifting sand and with some theorizing, it was established that an earthquake would have struck and destroyed much of the city and buried it in sand.
It may take some more years, added excavations and further interpretations of the Quran and chronicles prior to every stakeholder agreeing or disagreeing whether this is actually Iram, however, whatever conclusion they arrive at, it is undoubtedly a great archaeological site which dates back over two millennia.
Fritzjames Stephen is a travel writer, who writes content based on the myriad of experiences and indulgences that the world has to offer travellers across all walks of life.
