Forts and Cannon of Oman.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

For a brief but interesting view of what appears to be an Omani Cannon made in Nizwa in the 17th C please see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rN8TCs_u05c

Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Jim McDougall]

What an outstanding topic Ibrahiim!!! and though it is noted that with the cannon used by Omani's they are nearly exclusively European, British or Portuguese, I believe that discussion can be carried out effectively here without a parallel European forum thread .
What is interesting is that here on the ethnographic forum, cannon are almost never covered (aside from lantaka), while of course on the European forum all manner of ordnance is represented, mostly medieval and renaissance.

It does seem that many of these forts were originally Portuguese, and the same is often the case in many colonial regions in other spheres.

It will be interesting to look into these forts and associated ordnance, and some of the history seen with them. Thank you for citing the sources and links credited with material...nicely done!!!

[Norman McCormick]

Mine's bigger than yours !!!


Cannon at Fort Deeg, Rajasthan. Photo 1900, British Library.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

What an outstanding topic Ibrahiim!!! and though it is noted that with the cannon used by Omani's they are nearly exclusively European, British or Portuguese, I believe that discussion can be carried out effectively here without a parallel European forum thread .
What is interesting is that here on the ethnographic forum, cannon are almost never covered (aside from lantaka), while of course on the European forum all manner of ordnance is represented, mostly medieval and renaissance.

It does seem that many of these forts were originally Portuguese, and the same is often the case in many colonial regions in other spheres.

It will be interesting to look into these forts and associated ordnance, and some of the history seen with them. Thank you for citing the sources and links credited with material...nicely done!!!

Salaams Jim, You are right as Michael and many other excellent people have most of the options covered over on the European whilst few cannon have been examined here... despite magnificent pieces of Indian, Persian and Omani work...home grown, perloined, gifted or borrowed.. I hope the blend of Cannon and Forts works well. Regarding Portuguese input it is true that they were superb masters in Fort construction and they did build Mirani and Jelali in Muscat and others like Bahrain however they don't seem to have constructed any others in Oman as the remainder appear to be locally made. I hope members can stay the course with me as with 1,000 Forts and countless cannon it will be a long thread. A bit like making a decent curry !
I was viewing the Met museums Indian cannon exhibits and noted some woppers in that... and as posted by Norman.

In about half an hour I have a full team (10 students) going in to report on The Barka Fort!

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Barka Fort proved to be more incredible as access was granted for a special visit today. You dont at first realise that the fort originally stood inside a giant triangular wall making defence doubly strong. Each point of the triangle had a further tower and heavy armament. The main doors had slots above so that should the enemy be fortunate in getting that close hot molten dates could be poured on top of them. The doors in addition were iron spiked against elephant attack.

Cannon varied at the Barka Fort from English 6 pounder through Armstrong 9 pounder to Monks and Dundas 32 pounder balls fired from two and a half ton barrels!!...Cannon were first used by Oman in 1616 at Sohar fort.

What is clear is that gunpowder was a game changer… Forts had to be re constructed to take the heavy recoil and for protection against incoming rounds. Barka has one peculiar cannon designed to fire small shot like a claymore charge.

My favourite Cannon are a pair of weapons gifted by the English and stamped and decorated with the rose configuration and ER and dated 1587. A makers mark IP? appears over the breach end with their regimental numbers. There were a few shot out barrels discovered excavated from the sand in front of the Fort near the sea, badly corroded but probably English 6 pounders and one barrel blown apart.
The Fort cannon are complete with all their oak water barrels and ash ramrods etc.

As noted the first thing to note about the Fort is that the huge triangular external defensive wall is absent! see pictures below. Apparently local people helped themselves to that wall to build their houses about 250 years ago. It therefor stood inside a massive external triangular 20 foot high perimeter wall with a tower in each corner and must have protected a small population of traders, probably slavers soldiers and local people. The extra layer of defence would have been formidable and with the addition of the fort proper… almost invincible. The fort is built around two massive towers one of 8 sides and the other round. There are hundreds of rifle ports in addition.

Cannon and inhabitants use a lot of water so Barka was built with 4 water wells built into it. The Fort has dungeons simply very deep holes down which prisoners were lowered and a grate dropped over the hole. Food was simply dropped down the hole.

Shown below are a variety of cannon some from different forts as "examples" of weaponry in general circulation including at Rostaq, Jabreen and in the South at Mirbat (with the peculiar spoked wheels).

Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Note as to originality of what is on view~ both in the Fort structures and Cannons and Equipment. As has been said the first Omani cannon shots were fired at Sohar in 1616. Forts at that time and between then and now have fallen apart and been rebuilt for different reasons not least because heavy rain often washed out the walls causing partial collapse and because some of the forts were ancient they simply fell to bits. Rebuilding to take the extra weight of cannon and recoil as well as a program to refurbish Forts has meant a clouding of the original form and in some cases; drastic rebuilding. If you ask me to what extent Barka fort has been rebuilt I would have to say plus of 80%...including innerds that were not in the original and of course minus the great outer triangular wall...now incorporated into local houses. I am uncertain as to why Omani Forts have crenelated tops like Beau Geste Morocan fortifications since that was not the Omani style...however Morocan builders were employed in the 80s to renovate many Forts...

In terms of Cannon it appears that weapons have been centralised in the modern era after 1970...and redistributed to Forts as they have been renovated. This means two things viz;

1. Cannon have moved about and are not in their original locations....
2. Replicas are present in several locations including replica auxiliary equipments...ramrods water buckets cannon balls etc.

For that reason I show for example above at Barka fort in addition to the cannon on display there...other cannon from other Forts. No one is able to say what exact cannon there were in each location...such was the decay and condition of Omans Forts and Cannon stock.

Where possible if evidence exists such as in the case of the rusted barrels above ...being found at Barka just in front of the Fort in beach sand I shall give that information. Generally it appears that a mix of cannon were used in Omani Forts though precise details are not extant.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

This print shows Forts Mirani and Jellali ..The two major Forts constructed by the Portuguese ..There also built a few towers around Muttrah.

[Kubur]

Salaam,

A good reference for Omani forts in East Africa
https://www.academia.edu/4719393/Oma...n_East_Africa_

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