Sur Al Rumais Fort

Sur Al Rumais Fort, sometimes also spelled as Rumays, lies in the village of Ar Rumays in the Al Batinah South Governorate in Oman.

I know absolutely nothing about the history of Sur Al Rumais Fort. If you know anything, please mail me.

The fort is one of the many aswar (plural of sur) on the Al Batinah coastal plain. A sur was a simple communal fortification. They were built, maintained and used as a place of refuge by the local tribe in times of danger. They mostly have a similar ground plan; a square with 2 round towers on diagonally opposite corners and a rectangular gate building, quite regularly in the northern wall. Some were also protected by a dry moat or an outer wall.

Sur Al Rumais is one of the best preserved examples of a sur. Unlike most others, it has 4 corner towers. It was protected by a dry moat, which can still be seen in the landscape. It may have had a fortified bridge spanning the moat. The fort has a square ground plan and was built out of mudbricks faced with stone.

Sur Al Rumais Fort is freely accessible. I like its appearance very much.

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