0738 OMAN - A traditional craftsman

Oman is as much a product of geography and history as of culture and economic change, so even if it shares many of the cultural characteristics of its Arab neighbours, particularly of those in the Gulf, it is unique in the Middle East. The relatively recent and artificial nature of the sultanate means that it is difficult to describe a national culture,  its cultural diversity being much greater than that of its Arab neighbours. One of the elements that identifies it is the traditional handicrafts, which in recent years was preserved, promoted and supported by the state. If I'm not mistaken, the man shown in the postcard makes a braiding of palm leaves, a very old manual work in Oman, a lot of people working even today in this field.

0575 OMAN - Bedouin women in desert

As even their name says, the traditional homeland of Bedouin ("those in the desert" in Arabic) is Arabian Desert, but some groups have migrated north into the Negev Desert region. Mainly nomadic herdsmen divided into tribes or clans, Arabic-speaking and Muslims as religion, in the late 19th century they began transition to a semi-nomadic life, forced by the Ottoman Empire authorities. As a result, today there are two basic groups, the "true" Bedouin, who are nomadic shepherds, and Fellahin, who embraced farming. The "true" Bedouin have been known for raiding any caravans that cross their paths while journeying across barren deserts. They move into the desert during the rainy winter seasons and back to the desert's edge during the hot, dry summers. They speak Badawi, or as it is more commonly called, Bedouin Arabic.