Meteorite Corner launched at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel

Times of Oman

4 days ago

Muscat: The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism (MHT) launched the Meteorite Corner at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Muscat Governorate as part of its efforts to utilize geological heritage and enhance the tourism and cultural experience in the Sultanate of Oman.
The corner features a collection of rare meteorite samples from the "Jeddat al-Harasis" meteorites, allowing hotel visitors the opportunity to view them up close and learn about their history and scientific value, as well as the Sultanate of Oman's efforts to preserve them as an important cultural heritage.
The corner contains a distinctive sample of the Jeddat al-Harasis 91 meteorite, the largest meteorite fall discovered to date in the Sultanate of Oman. Its fall path extends approximately 52 kilometers, and the number of meteorites collected amounts to more than 700, with a total weight of approximately 4,600 kilograms. Documented scientific studies indicate that this fall in its original location dates back more than 12,600 years.
The corner also includes a meteorite sample from the Jeddat al-Harasis 73 meteorite, classified as a stony chondrate of the L6 type. This meteorite is considered the second largest meteorite discovered to date in the Sultanate of Oman.
Scientific studies indicate that this meteorite has been traveling in the asteroid belt in space, weighing more than 20 tons. Its original location is estimated to have fallen 15,600 years ago, during the Paleolithic period. 3,638 fragments from this fall have been documented, with a total weight of 620.9 kilograms, and the fragments' longitudinal scattering path extending 25.8 kilometers.
The display of these meteorites aims to introduce hotel visitors, both within and outside the Sultanate of Oman, to the importance of meteorites, their scientific and historical value, and the legal frameworks and legislation regulating them in accordance with the Cultural Heritage Law. Meteorites are among the most prominent evidence of the formation of the solar system, and the exhibition highlights the Sultanate of Oman's efforts in collecting, preserving, and studying meteorite samples.
This initiative is a pioneering step toward further partnerships between the public and private sectors to showcase the Sultanate of Oman's unique natural resources on diverse and modern platforms. It aligns with its vision of making culture and science part of the comprehensive and integrated tourism experience.