New publications trace Omani Empire links from Africa to India

2026-03-10 - 18:18

Muscat – The National Records and Archives Authority has published three English-language volumes of the encyclopaedia ‘The Omani Empire from the Coasts of Africa to the Coasts of India – A Historical and Political Vision and Civilisational, Cultural and Linguistic Communication’. The publications form part of the authority’s research series on national and international documents and aim to highlight the historical role of the Omani Empire and its links with regions across the Indian Ocean. The encyclopaedia examines political, cultural and economic connections that developed between Oman and territories extending from the eastern coast of Africa to the coasts of India and beyond. The first volume, issued as part of the authority’s research series, contains 16 academic studies on the relations of the Omani Empire with countries along the African coast, the Arabian Gulf and the Indian Ocean, reaching as far as China. The studies cover developments from the 17th to the 19th centuries and address historical, political, geographical, economic and cultural themes. The volume also includes historical photographs and maps. The second volume includes 14 research papers that examine the historical and political expansion of the Omani Empire and its cultural and linguistic connections across the region. It also contains an appendix featuring historical documents, images and maps drawn from the authority’s archival collections. The third volume presents 12 studies exploring the empire’s historical, political and economic relations with regions bordering the African coast, the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Gulf during the same period. It also includes an appendix containing historical documents and maps related to the studies. According to the authority, the encyclopaedia is intended as a reference for researchers and scholars studying Oman’s history and international relations. The publication highlights the role played by the Omani Empire in shaping cultural and commercial exchanges across the Indian Ocean over several centuries.