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The images in this gallery are from 35mm colour slides in the Charles Pirie Collection GB165-0516 and were taken by Charles Pirie whilst on tour with the Trucial Oman Scouts in Oman in 1966 and consist of images of Muscat, Nizwa and Sohar covering subjects such as a tribal delegation going to see the Sultan, Muscat and Nizwa forts, Sultan’s Armed Forces soldiers and outpost, market scenes and the Oman coastline. The captions below the photographs were provided by Charles Pirie. |
For more information about the Collection please see the Charles Pirie Collection Catalogue (pdf file).
For further information about the Trucial Oman Scouts please see the Hugh Nicklin Adventures in Trucial Oman Scouts Website
For viewing purposes the images in this gallery are at a low resolution. Higher resolution images for publication are available from the Middle East Centre Archive. Prices for images and publication fees are advertised on our Photographic Resources webpage. To order copies please contact Debbie Usher
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Charles Pirie 001
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Charles Pirie 002
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| This is a tribal delegation who were making their way to the Sultan’s palace for an audience with the Sultan. | Same delegation from the rear. |
Charles Pirie 003
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Charles Pirie 004
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| The delegation entering the gate to the outer courtyard of the palace. | One of the two forts guarding Muscat harbour. |
Charles Pirie 005
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Charles Pirie 006
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| Uniformed members of palace guard Muscat. | Old cannon in a Muscat street. |
Charles Pirie 007
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Charles Pirie 008
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| Old cannon in a Muscat street. | Door into outer courtyard, Sultan’s palace with one of the guards. |
Charles Pirie 009
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Charles Pirie 010
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| Soldiers of the Sultan’s Armed Forces (SAF). Many of the Europeans serving with the SAF were seconded from the British armed forces. However there were a substantial number of ‘contract’ officers who served and were in essence ‘mercenaries’. | Camel going through gate in Nizwa fort. |
Charles Pirie 011
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Charles Pirie 012
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| One of the gated entrances into Muscat. At 6pm each day a cannon was fired and shortly after this the gates were locked. No one was allowed in or out until they were unlocked at 6am the next day. In 1966 it was still prohibited to be out at night without carrying a lit lamp and if found in a street without one, it was assumed you were up to no good and arrested. Smoking in public was also prohibited at this time and to do so invited ones arrest. | An outpost of the SAF. |
Charles Pirie 013
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Charles Pirie 014
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| Part of the souk in Muscat. Note the English signage. There was no tourism in 1966. It might have been for the benefit of sailors of the Royal Navy who made frequent courtesy visits to Muscat. | Outside the Muscat city walls. |
Charles Pirie 015
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Charles Pirie 016
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| Sunset over the date palms Sohar. | A typical wadi in the Oman hinterland. |
Charles Pirie 017
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Charles Pirie 018
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| Cameleers preparing a camel train in Nizwa. | Old gun battery, Muscat harbour fortress. |
Charles Pirie 019
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Charles Pirie 020
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| View of harbour from gun battery of Muscat harbour fortress. | View of Oman coastline. |
Charles Pirie 021
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Charles Pirie 022
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| Cove where we swam during our stay in Muscat. | The second of the two fortresses that guarded the harbour. During a tour of these fortresses we were shown prison cells which consisted of a compartment six feet from the floor and approximately 8ft wide by 4ft deep. There was a male prisoner chained to the back wall and we were told that it was his families’ responsibility to come each day and feed the prisoner. |
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Charles Pirie 023
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Charles Pirie 024
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| Burami fortresses where we camped overnight before crossing the nearby border into Oman. | RAF aircraft that land on a gravel plain to re-supply us. I managed to get the young boy and his donkey to stand in from of the plane and the landrover to illustrate the means of transport over the ages. |
Charles Pirie 025
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Charles Pirie 026
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| Inspecting the guard (Oman Gendarmes) at their headquarters in Sohar. | Date palms in Sohar. |
Charles Pirie 027
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Charles Pirie 028
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| Barrack building Gendarmes HQ Sohar. | Another view of RAF supply aircraft. |
Charles Pirie 029
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Charles Pirie 030
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| Nizwa as seen from the fortress. | Muscat as seen from the fortress. |
Charles Pirie 031
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Charles Pirie 032
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| Another view of one of the fortresses guarding Muscat harbour. | View of typical Oman landscape. |
Charles Pirie 033
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Charles Pirie 034
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| Market day Nizwa. | Some of the scout armoured cars parked in date palms Sohar. |
Charles Pirie 035
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Charles Pirie 036
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| A gunner’s view of Muscat. | Looking into the mouth of a bottle dungeon, Nizwa fortress. It was apparently still in use. This was confirmed by the pungent smell that emanated from it. We were told it was the families’ responsibility to feed the prisoner. |
Charles Pirie 037
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Charles Pirie 038
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| Mounting the guard at the police barracks Sohar. | Another view of Nizwa. |
Charles Pirie 039
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Charles Pirie 040
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| Another view of Muscat. | Residents of Nizwa going about their daily lives under the shadow of Nizwa fortress. |
Charles Pirie 041
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| Part of the battlements of Muscat fortress. |
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