Author: Violet Astor

British School Muscat: Young Geographers

Violet spoke the British School Muscat’s Young Geographers about Omani wildlife, conservation and how she raises funds to support NGO’s through her drawings.

Orangutan

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Royal Geographical Society

A special piece of artwork has been created for the Royal Geographical Society Annual Heritage Lecture.

This years theme is botanical so in celebration of this

‘Nahlat: Gift of Allah’

Omani Honey Bee (Abu Twaiq)
and
Ziziphus Spina-Christi

Charcoal and Gold Leaf on paper coloured with
powder from the Ziziphus plant
76x60cm

Omani Honey Bee (Abu Twaiq)

The Arabic name for bee is ‘nahlat’, which means a gift of Allah. Honey is at the base of many traditional Omani culinary recipes, remedies and herbal formulas. Abu Twaiq is a special Omani wild bee that makes honey considered to be the best in the Arabian region due to its high percentage of vitamins and protein. Traditionally, the high concentration of flavonoids and antioxidants have led this honey to be used to cure many diseases and help reduce the risk of some cancers and heart disease.

Beekeeping in Oman
Beekeeping has been practised in Oman since ancient times. Omani beekeepers uniquely make beehives out of hollowed date palm in which they place honeycomb and the queen inside to initiate the process. This makes the obtaining honey and propagating bee colonies a sustainable industry in Oman. Beekeeping is one of the main occupations in the Rustaq Governorate of Oman and is financially supported by the government.

Ziziphus Spina-Christi

The Ziziphus Spina-Christi is a perennial, drought hardy tree, which has adapted to grow in water-stressed habitats such as deserts. This species is considered “holy” by Muslims due to its being mentioned in the Quran. It is also thought to be one of several candidates for Jesus’ crown of thorns.

Health benefits of Ziziphus fruits
The ripe fruits of the Ziziphus are edible and attract many local fauna, including the rock hyrax. In vitro antioxidant activities of the Ziziphus spina-christi fruits have long been commonly used in treatments of various diseases from skin infections, snake bites to immune system stimulants.

Drawing nature from the edge of extinction​.