News

Pendants Made from Giant Sloths Suggest Earlier Arrival of People in the Americas Sao Paulo, 12 Jul (ONA) --- New research suggests humans lived in South America at the same time as now extinct giant sloths, bolstering evidence that people arrived in the Americas earlier than once thought. Scientists analyzed triangular and teardrop-shaped pendants made of bony material from the sloths. They concluded that the carved and polished shapes and drilled holes were the work of deliberate craftsmanship. Dating of the ornaments and sediment at the Brazil site where they were found ...

National Museum Hosts "Fab Tech" Mobile Laboratory Camp Muscat, 9 Jul (ONA) ---- The National Museum, represented by the Learning Centre, in cooperation with Innotech, hosts the “FabTech” mobile laboratory camp, which targets school students from 10-16 years during the period 9-27 July 2023. This move reflects the museum’s efforts to encourage students to innovate, spread the culture of manufacturing, and introduce them to the technologies of the fourth industrial revolution, The laboratory aims to provide students with various skills through a series of ...

Culture Ministry Launches 2023 Arts Award Muscat, June 18 (ONA) ---- The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth launched Arts Award 2023, which covers three areas: publicity films, animated films (cartoons) and soundtracks. The award can be contested by Omani citizens and residents aged 18 years and above. The award has a variety of goals. It seeks to discover talents, highlight innovative aspects, support the talents of university and college students, encourage young talents in the field of music and enhance cooperation between musicians, producers and directors to promote the ...

Dazzling Ancient Bronze Sword Found in Germany Berlin, 18 Jun (ONA) --- German archaeologists are thrilled to have dug up a Bronze Age sword more than 3,000 years old which is extraordinarily well preserved. The bronze sword with an octagonal hilt was found in a grave in the southern town of Nördlingen. It is thought to be from the late 14th Century BC. Its condition is so good "it almost still shines", Bavaria's State Office for Monument Protection (BLfD) said. The grave contains the bones of a man, woman and boy, and other bronze items, BBC news reported. The ...

Excavation Reveals 3,000 Year Old Mummy in Peru Lima, 15 Jun (ONA)--- Archaeologists in Lima have made an exciting find with the unearthing of a mummy dating back approximately 3,000 years. This discovery adds to the growing collection of pre-Hispanic artifacts found in Peru.Students from San Marcos University and researchers initially found remains of the mummy's hair and skull in a cotton bundle during excavation, before uncovering the rest of the mummy.---Ends/Thuraiya/KH ...

Rare Roman Mausoleum Unearthed in London London, 13 Jun (ONA) --- A "completely unique" Roman mausoleum has been discovered by archaeologists in south London. The remains of the structure at the Liberty of Southwark site in Borough have been described as "extremely rare" and feature preserved floors and walls. Archaeologists think the site was used as burial ground or tomb for wealthier members of Roman society, BBC news reported. Alongside the central mosaic, raised platforms were found and steps on the lowest side were still intact. Excavators were surprised to find ...

Oman Participates in Doha International Book Fair Muscat, 12 Jan (ONA)--- The Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth and Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) is currently taking part in Doha International Book Fair, which runs from 12 to 21 June. The participation aims at highlighting the cultural, civilizational, literary and historical aspects of the Sultanate of Oman, as well as casting light on the Omani intellectual production. Oman's pavilion in the book fair includes various literary, artistic, historical, intellectual and scientific ...

Oman Gets Gold at 41st FIAP Youth Biennal in Norway Oslo, 11 June (ONA) -- Represented by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, the Sultanate of Oman won gold medal at the FIAP International Youth Photography Biennal (FIAP) in the Kingdom of Norway at the individual level (under 21 years old category). The medal was bagged by female photographer Nouf Salim Al Siyabi, who was awarded top prize for her artwork themed "Mystery". Oman also picked two honorary awards after occupying 6th and 7th places at country level, when it collected 324 points at the U-21 category and 353 ...

Oman Participates in Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2023Abu Dhabi, 24 (ONA) --- Represented by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, the Sultanate of Oman is taking part in Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2023, being held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and will last until 29 May 2023.Oman’s participation in the event stems from the strong cultural relations binding the two countries.Oman’s pavilion at the book fair comprises a diverse range of books and publications from a number of government departments, and private sector establishments and civil society ...

Omani Novel Wins 2023 Arabic Booker PrizeAbu Dhabi, 21 May (ONA)--- A novel titled “The Water Diviner” by Omani writer and poet Zahran Al Qasimi won the 16th edition of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction "Booker 2023”.The literary contest’s results were announced today in the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi.Mohammed Al Ash'ari, head of the jury, said that the narrative (named in Arabic as "Taghreebat Al Qafir”) was chosen because it tackled a new domain in modern fictional writing. He explained that the writer focused on the topic of water due to its significance to the natural ...

Oman Across Ages Museum Marks International Museum Day Manah, 18 May (ONA) --- The International Museum Day, which falls on 18 May of every year, was marked today at an event held at Oman Across Ages Museum. This year’s International Museum Day is themed “Museums, Sustainability and Well-being”. This day contributes to enhancing the position of museums in society and highlighting their vital role in preserving the cultural and historical heritage of humanity. The celebration was held under the patronage of Eng. Ibrahim Said Al Kharousi, Undersecretary of the ...

Ministry of Culture Opens Registration for Child Culture AwardMuscat, May 17 (ONA) --- The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth today announced the start of registration for the Child Culture Award. Registration for the award, which is launched for the first time, will last until 31 July.The award comprises two competitions codenamed “Oman Speaks” and “Speak so I See You”.The award will be contested by children and personnel operating in the field of child culture.The contest seeks to hone children’s cultural and literary abilities. It will motivate writers and ...

National Museum Launches Corner at Muscat International Airport Highlighting Oman Cultural Heritage Muscat, 3 May (ONA) ---- The National Museum has launched a special corner in the departure hall of Muscat International Airport with the aim of enriching the cultural experience of travellers. The cultural corner will showcase tales of communication between Oman and its civilized surroundings, with emphasis on Muscat International Airport as an additional chapter in the history of communication between Oman and the world. The corner is divided into several sections for the ...

National Museum Signs 2 Agreements with Palestinian Ministry of Tourism Muscat 2 May (ONA)--- The National Museum today signed two agreements with the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. The first agreement provides for organizing an exhibition and activities for “Oman Day” in the State of Palestine. The exhibition will be mobile and it will take place in accordance with schedules and venues to be agreed about later. The second agreement provides for the establishment of a special corner for the State of Palestine in the National Museum. The venue will ...

ROHM to Present ‘Percussionisti della Scala’ Music Concert on 1 May 2023 Muscat, 19 Apr (ONA) --- The Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM) announced that it will be featuring ‘Percussionisti della Scala’ music concert on 1 May 2023. The concert comprises a programme of arrangements from a diverse range of composers. The concert also consists of a group of four percussionists of the prestigious La Scala Theatre, Milan. --- Ends/AG ...

A T. Rex Skeleton Named 'Trinity' May Attract Millions at Auction in Zurich Bern, Switzerland, 18 Apr (ONA) --- Interested investors may have to dig deep into their pockets to claim a giant Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton going up for auction — a first in Europe — that's been dug up from three sites in the United States and could make the ultimate ornament for a tycoon's abode or other eye-popping display. The 293 T. rex bones, assembled and erected into a growling 11.6-meter-long (38-foot-long) and 3.9-meter-high (12.8-foot-high) posture, are expected to fetch 5 million to 8 ...

Sega Agrees to Buy Video Game Maker Rovio Tokyo, 17 Apr (ONA) --- The maker of Angry Birds video games has agreed to be bought by the Japanese gaming giant behind the Sonic the Hedgehog character. Japan's Sega Sammy Holdings is paying €706m (£625m) for Finland-based Rovio Entertainment. Rovio has said Angry Birds was the first mobile game to be downloaded one billion times, and the brand has also produced two Angry Birds movies. Sega is seeking to tap into Rovio's expertise in mobile gaming. Last year, Rovio - which has about 550 employees across its eight game ...

Acclaimed Jazz Pianist Ahmad Jamal Dies at 92 New York, 17 Apr (ONA) --- Acclaimed jazz pianist, composer and band leader Ahmad Jamal has died aged 92. Ahmad Jamal was a lifelong friend of jazz icon Miles Davis and influenced a generation of musicians. He was known for a sparse playing style - often placing silence between notes - and critics hailed his "less is more dynamics". Jamal, who called jazz "American classical music", said during his life that he liked to honour what he described as the spaces in the music. He started his seven-decade jazz career as a teenager ...

ROHM to Present Accademia Stauffer All Stars Ensemble Muscat, 16 Apr (ONA) --- The Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM) will present the Accademia Stauffer All Stars Ensemble on 5 May 2023. It is a talented and extraordinary ensemble of musicians from the Stauffer Academy of Cremona in Italy. The academy is an institution which nurtures education in stringed instruments. The evening concert offers a programme of two special composers, Vivaldi and Piazzolla, each exploring the seasons of the year through compositions arranged for stringed instruments. Well-known and well-loved ...

Archaeologists Discover Dcoreboard for Ancient Maya Ball Game in Mexico Mexico City, 12 Apr (ONA) --- Archaeologists in Mexico have uncovered an intricately carved stone they believe was used as a scoreboard for pelota, a ball game played by the Maya hundreds of years ago. The circular stone was found at the Chichen Itza archaeological site and is thought to be at least 1,200 years old. At its centre are two players in elaborate headgear surrounded by hieroglyphic writing. Experts are now analysing the writing to decipher its possible meaning, BBC news reported. The ...

Bouchnak to Perform Inshaad Chanting at ROHM Muscat, 9 Apr (ONA) --- The Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM) announced that it will be hosting a performance of Inshaad chanting by Lutfi Bouchnak and his Ensemble. Bouchnak is among the most prominent names in the Arab and Islamic world. The event, which will be held tomorrow (Monday) at 9:30 PM, comes within the framework of the season’s tradition. A programme of several evening events will be performed at the Royal Opera House of Musical Arts. Each concert is a unique expression of devotion, offering audiences a depth of ...

Japanese Zoologist Masanori Hata Dies at 87Tokyo, 6 Apr (ONA) —- Japanese zoologist and filmmaker Masanori Hata, who made connecting humans with animals his life's purpose, has died at 87.Mutsugoro, as he was fondly known, was famous for directing The Adventures of Milo and Otis, an 80s classic about the unlikely friendship between a kitten and a pug.Back home in Japan, he also served as an oracle of sorts for TV audiences who wanted to better understand their pets. He reportedly died of a heart attack, BBC news reported.He lived much of his life at a ranch in Hokkaido, an island in ...

Global Art Market Achieves Sales Worth $67.8 Billion in 2022 Basel, Switzerland, 4 Apr (ONA) --- The art market rose slightly to $67.8 billion in 2022 despite an uncertain global climate, thanks to high-end and digital sales, an annual report said today. Worldwide sales of art increased three percent in 2022 compared to the previous year, lifting them above the level seen in 2019 before the disruptive impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. "The year 2022 saw the art market hold onto its post-pandemic rebound and strengthen further despite severe economic uncertainty and the return ...

Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth Celebrates Arab Music Day Muscat, 29 Mar (ONA) --- The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth organized an artistic forum marking the Arab Music Day, which falls on 28 March each year, with the participation of 17 musicians at the Omani Society of Arts. Observing the day comes with the aim of maintaining high quality of music and reviving such arts in the memory of critics, intellectuals, and young generations. Marking this occasion also aims at paying attention to arts of music culturally, educationally and socially, and encouraging the ...

Ruins of Large Scale Building Complex Found in China's Chongqing Chongqing, 29 Mar (ONA) --- Ruins of a building complex have been found at the site of Diaoyu City, an ancient fortress in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, during recent excavation work. The site was named after the hill on which it was built in the latter period of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). During the war between the Song imperial army and Mongolian troops in the 13th Century, Diaoyu City, as an essential part of the defense system of the present-day Sichuan Province and ...

Board of Trustees of National Museum Holds its 10th Meeting Muscat, 29 Mar (ONA) --- The Board of Trustees of the National Museum today held its 10th meeting under the chairmanship of Salim Mohammed Al Mahrouqi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Museum. During the meeting, the Board’s members approved the 2022 annual report of departments of administrative and financial affairs, the Museum Learning and Community Outreach, the Collections department and the Media and Communication department. The Board also approved the ...

National Museum Inaugurates “Oman Gallery” at Nairobi National Museum Nairobi, 20 Mar (ONA) --- The National Museum inaugurated today “Oman Gallery” at the Nairobi National Museum in the Republic of Kenya, as an embodiment of the common history and cultural heritage between the two countries. The gallery, titled “Oman-Kenya: A Collective Memory”, is divided into four main sections, which are: Ancient South Arabian Kingdom, Omani influence at the East African Coast, development of Omani Kingdoms and dynasties, and key Omani personalities at the East African ...

Oman Culture Festival Begins Muscat, 19 Mar (ONA) --- Activities of Oman Culture Festival, began under the auspices of Dr. Abdullah Nasser Al Harrasi, Minister of Information at Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre today. The three-day festival is organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, with the participation of 16 poets and 10 folklore groups from various governorates of the Sultanate of Oman. The festival aims to preserve the continuity of the poetic movement in terms of its form, content, and poetic heritage and its literary styles. It also aims to focus on ...

Registration, Candidacy Opens for Sultan Qaboos Award for Culture, Arts and Literature Muscat, 12 Mar (ONA) --- Sultan Qaboos Higher Centre for Culture and Science at the Diwan of royal Court today announced the opening of registration and candidacy for the 10th version of Sultan Qaboos Award for Culture, Arts and Literature. This version of the award is designated for Arabs in general. Contestants will compete in areas of media and communication (Culture category), cinema production (Arts category) and novel (Literature category). --- Ends/AG ...

Omani Writers Achieve Top Places in Sharjah Award for PlaywritingSharjah, 9Mar (ONA) --- Omani writer Osama Zayid Al Shaqsi won first place in Sharjah Award for Playwriting 2022-2023, in the “texts for adults” category. His script was titled "Waiting for the Family."Kuwaiti writer, Othman Ali Al Shatti, bagged the prize of the second place through his text titled “Nothing”. Third place went to Omani writer Nasser Mohammed Al Kindi. His script was titled “The Lost Death.”The winners will be honoured at a ceremony to be held on 19 March 2023.The competition highlights the ...