The frankincense harbour Samharam

The ancient frankincense harbour of Samharam is located on a hill next to Khor Rhori, one of the most beautiful lagoons in the Dhofar region.

Samharam harbour was built in the 2nd century AD, when the region still belonged to the Yemeni kingdom of Hadramaut. Its king had recognised the strategic importance of a secure storage location and export port and ordered its construction. Frankincense and myrrh were shipped from here to Yemen and then further north across the Red Sea. The complex is often referred to as the palace of the fabulous Queen of Sheba, who lived a good 1000 years earlier.

The inscriptions embedded in the walls, which provide information about the beginnings of the city, are significant. The walls are made of massive, formerly almost white limestone blocks. The monsoon has caused the site to weather, the walls are darker today and a small museum worth seeing provides an informative explanation of the site and the artefacts.

The location of the complex in the lagoon still gives visitors an idea of how it got its name, Samharam, meaning “the complex is impressive”.