Pedo-Archeo Heritage Sites in Northern Oman: from Traditional Soil-Sediment Materials in Building Engineering to Booming Tourism

Abstract Soils in Oman are still out of the optics within geoheritage disciplines, absent from national conservation programs despite their significant yet intangible ecosystem services, including cultural, aesthetic, religious, and historical values important to Arab nations. While Oman’s geological assets are recognized, particularly among petroleum geologists, this paper addresses this lacuna by highlighting: a) the unique pedodiversity across Omani regions; b) historical use of soils and sediments (as components of e.g. mortar or plaster) in traditional structural, geotechnical, and domestic engineering during pre-industrial epochs; c) the rapidly growing international tourism and local recreational sectors attracted by ancient monuments and technologies, integrating Omani landscapes and geographical peculiarities (ophiolite outcrops, wadis, terraced orchards in arid/hyperarid climates); and d) educational dimensions of pedoheritage, including a pioneering survey assessing local perceptions of soils beyond agronomic value. Five northern Omani sites—Wadi Bani Kharus falaj (Al-Awabi), Misfat Al-Abrien village (Al-Hamra), Harat Al-Yemen (Izki), Nizwa Fort, and Bahla’s porcelain factory - were studied through satellite-photographic imaging and physicochemical characterization of geomaterials (soil, gravel, cobbles, boulders). These components form traditional structures and artifacts (falaj liners, adobe-sarooj walls, mud-bricks, pottery). Laboratory analyses indicated distinct material properties linked to each site's topography, geomorphology, pedology, and hydrology. This research emphasizes preservation, enhances touristic value, and underscores valuable lessons for modern engineering: rediscovering ancestral building techniques for sustainable, zero-electricity thermal insulation, erosion-resistant construction, and efficient water storage-distribution systems - practices essential in addressing environmental challenges posed by strong winds and sporadic flash floods.