Craft industries have been a defining element of Omani cultural heritage for more than 5,000 years. In towns, villages, and desert camps throughout the country, craftsmen and craftswomen continue to link the cultural past with the present. Their crafts express national identity and endow Oman with an unparalleled living heritage.

Oman's craft traditions have evolved to meet utilitarian needs, but combine the most basic of these--food, water, shelter, and safety--with the innate human desire for self-expression through personal adornment and artistry. The traditions have been further shaped by harsh climatic conditions, particularly the ...