The Sheikhs of Oman: A Study on the Correlation Between Tribal Hierarchy and Residences

The available literature on the traditional housing patterns in the Sultanate of Oman is limited. Research that specifically associates the social aspect of Arab tribes with architecture has not been carried out, either. Oman’s prolonged isolation from the rest of the world until recently has ensured that its tribal systems have been preserved in their natural state, allowing for an overall better quality of gathered data. This thesis aims to identify the main architectural elements of a Sheikh’s house and determine whether tribal hierarchy plays a role in the design of a tribal member’s accommodation. Working from there, it seeks to answer two questions: Is the Sheikh’s house different from the rest of the tribe? And are the differences or similarities consistent throughout the country? In this context, a Sheikh is the leader of a tribe and the house occupied by a Sheikh and his family is termed a ‘Sheikhly House’. To obtain comprehensive results, eighteen houses across the five most-populated regions in the country were picked at random and visited. These were (in descending order of population) Muscat, Al Batinah North, Ad Dakhiliyah, Dhofar and Ash Sharqiyah South. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the owners, and architectural studies of the houses were carried out. The architectural studies included the building area, plan, section and elevation sketches, a sketch of the site plan, and the degree of ornamentation/façade treatment. The analysis demonstrated some similarities and differences between the sheikhly and non-sheikhly houses in every region, as well as similarities between the sheikhly houses across the different regions of the country. Results indicate that characteristics unique to sheikhly houses do exist, and they could potentially be used to identify if a certain house belongs to a Sheikh, despite rare exceptions. These exceptions indicate that tribal hierarchy, despite thought of as being important in the past, generally holds diminutive value in factoring how an individual now chooses to build their residence. As the Sultanate continues to grow and move towards a more contemporary society, the distinction between sheikhs and non-sheikhs as well as its reflection on their houses will cease to exist altogether. Keywords: Oman, Tribes, Sheikhs, Traditional Houses, Contemporary Houses