Churiya Muriya Islands

Churiya Muriya Islands
Main island of al-Hallaniyah
Waters	Churiya Muriya Bay, Arabian Sea
Geographical location	17 ° 30 ′  N , 56 ° 0 ′  E Coordinates: 17 ° 30 ′  N , 56 ° 0 ′  E
Number of islands	5
Main island	al-Hallaniyah
Total land area	72.3 km²
Residents	388 (2010-12-12)
Map of the archipelago

Kuria Muria Is. As part of the former colony of Aden

The Churiya Muriya Islands ( Arabic جزر خوريا موريا, DMG Ǧuzur Ḫūriyā Mūriyā ) are a group of five islands in the Arabian Sea . The archipelago is located in the bay of the same name about 40 km off the south-east coast of Oman and extends over about 73 km from west to east. The approximately 72.3 km² archipelago is Omani territory and belongs to the Wilaya Schalim and Hallaniyyat Islands in the Dhofar Governorate .

history

In ancient times, the archipelago islands of Zenobios ( Latin Zenobii Insulae or Greek Ζηνοβίου νησία , Zenobiou nesia ) or Doliche ( Greek : Δολίχη ) were called. They lay in the bay of Churiya-Muriya (Latin: Sinus Sachalites ; Greek : Σαχαλίτης κόλπος , Sachalites kolpos ) and marked the border between the Parthian Empire and the old South Arabian Hadramaut kingdom, with the inner side of the bay being the border of the Parthian Empire.

Ptolemy describes them as seven small islands (the two rocks in front of al-Qibliyya were probably counted) that lie in the Sinus Sachalites towards India at the entrance to the "Persian Gulf".

The barren nature of the natural environment forced the islanders to eat mostly seafood. In the 12th century, al-Idrisi reported that the islands were under the influence of al-Shiḥr . In winter the inhabitants were very poor and only during the sailing season did they manage to live reasonably well. Her sea voyages took her to Oman, Aden and Yemen . The main trading goods were tortoiseshell and occasionally amber . Al-Idrisi calls the Churiya-Muriya-Bay in his reports Ǧawn al-Ḥašīš (Bay of Herbs). The archipelago in turn was supported by the Arab tribes of Shihr and Mukallā from the Hadramaut visited and the Yemeni Hudaydah strain to the rich guano deposits of the islands al-Hasikiyya and al-Qibliyya exploit. The legacy of the innumerable seabirds served as fertilizer, especially for tobacco cultivation.

The Churiya-Muriya Islands only penetrated the consciousness of Europeans again in modern times , when they were rediscovered by Afonso de Albuquerque on his way to India in 1503 . The Portuguese gave the islands the name still used in Europe today. Although the original meaning of the name is obscure, “Curia Muria” is the Portuguese version of the “Churian Murian” of medieval Arabic geography. The islands have also been mentioned by other Portuguese historians: Almeida describes in a little-known description the journey of two Jesuits to the islands. In January 1589, Antonio De Montserrat and the much more famous Pedro Páez are said to have stayed on the islands for six or seven days. According to him, the islands are 10 miles from the mainland. The Jesuits went ashore on an island they called "Suadie" (probably as-Sauda '), which was near an island called "Hazquie" (probably al-Hasikiyya). The missionaries describe both islands as very small and the inhabitants as very poor. Residents are to their houses with washed ashore seaweed have met and have only lived from fishing. Since they had no wood to cook with, they first dried the fish in the sun and then ate it raw. The sea seems to wash a lot of amber ashore, since they offered it to the priests in large quantities for little money.

In 1818 Qawasim from the Emirate of Ra's al-Khaimah attacked the islands with the intention of using them as a base for attacks on merchant ships (= piracy ). All residents were evicted, and the islands remained uninhabited for several years. Some time before and probably some time after the raid, the islands fell into the possession of the Ibn Chalfān, a subgroup of the Māḥrā tribe, who settled in the vicinity of Mirbat . The South Arabic name for the islands, "Jazāʾir bin Chalfān", is derived from this clan.

In the middle of the 19th century the islands became part of the Sultanate of Masqat . French plantation owners from Reunion Island came from time to time to illicitly load guano.

It was this valuable natural fertilizer that prompted the British government in 1854 to urge Sultan Said ibn Sultan to cede the islands to the British Empire . The declaration of assignment was signed on July 14, 1854. Between 1855 and 1860 up to 50 ships visited the archipelago at the same time and mined a total of around 200,000 tons of guano from al-Hasikiyya and al-Qibliyya. In 1861 a communication station for a submarine cable of the "Red Sea and Karachi Telegraph Company" was set up on al-Hallaniyya. The idea of ​​using the island as a stopover was dropped as early as 1862 because the submarine cable never worked properly. In 1868 the islands were added to the then crown colony of Aden and were subordinate to the governor there. The crown colony was later converted into a British protectorate . In December 1883, Colonel SB Miles undertook a research trip on the HMS Dragon along the southern coast of the Arabian Peninsula . As one of the last stops he visited al-Hallaniyah. From 1953, the British High Commissioner von Aden took over the administration of the islands. After the proclamation of the Yemeni Arab Republic , the British "Chief Political Resident of the Persian Gulf" took control in Bahrain in 1963 .

On November 30, 1967, the islands were returned to the Sultanate of Oman , which at that time (until 1971) was itself a British protectorate, amid protests by the nascent People's Democratic Republic of Yemen . In the recent past, there have been repeated tensions between the two states because of this separation from the former Yemeni state association, as the islands expand the exclusive economic zone of Oman. Further oil and gas deposits are suspected in the area of ​​the islands. It was not until 1995 that these differences of opinion could be resolved within the framework of a border agreement.

geography

From west to east the islands are called al-Hasikiyya (جزيرة الحاسكية, DMG Ǧazīrat al-Ḥāsikiyya ), as-Sauda '(الجزيرة السوداء, DMG al-Ǧazīra as-sawdāʾ , al-Hallaniyya (جزيرة الحلانية, DMG Ǧazīrat al-Ḥallāniyya ), Jarzaʿut (جزيرة جرزعوت, DMG Ǧazīrat Ǧarzaʿūt ) and al-Qibliyya (الجزيرة القبلية, DMG al-Ǧazīra al-qibliyya ).

 Map with all coordinates: OSM | WikiMap

island	Arabic	DMG	Area km²	Height m	Coordinates	Size of the planned bird sanctuary hectares
al-Hasikiyya	جزيرة الحاسكية	Ǧazīrat al-Ḥāsikiyya	2	155	17 ° 28 ′ 28 ″  N , 055 ° 36 ′ 05 ″  E	400
as-Sauda '	الجزيرة السوداء	al-Ǧazīra as-sawdāʾ	11	399	17 ° 29 ′ 28 ″  N , 055 ° 51 ′ 18 ″  E	2,000
al-Hallaniyah	جزيرة الحلانية	Ǧazīrat al-Ḥallāniyya	56	501	17 ° 30 ′ 52 ″  N , 056 ° 01 ′ 29 ″  E	7,000
Jarzaʿut	جرزعوت	Ǧazīrat Ǧarzaʿūt	0.3	70	17 ° 37 ′ 01 ″  N , 056 ° 08 ′ 24 ″  E	0
al-Qibliyya	الجزيرة القبلية	al-Ǧazīra al-qibliyya	3	168	17 ° 30'00 "  N , 056 ° 20'15"  E	800
Churiya Muriya Islands	جزر خوريا موريا	Ǧuzur Ḫūriyā Mūriyā	73	501	17 ° 30 '  N , 056 ° 00'  E	10,200

The islands represent the peaks of an oceanic mountain ridge and consist mainly of granite and shell limestone . The islands jut out roughly 500 m above the sea, although there are also shallower areas. The bare rock islands are only sparsely overgrown with bushes. The islands of al-Qibliyya and al-Hasikiyya are lightly covered with guano , which, however, cannot be mined. The islands are rarely visited by tourists because of their remote and inaccessible location (especially during the Charifs ).

The archipelago is an important breeding ground for seabirds , especially some species of sailors from the southern oceans. Abandoned domestic animals that are not indigenous here (especially feral goats (on al-Hallaniyya) and cats (on al-Hallaniyya and as-Sauda ') as well as rats ( brown rats Rattus norvegicus ) on al-Hasikiyya and the house rat ( Rattus rattus ) on al- Hallaniyya) pose a medium threat. The state is currently not doing anything to prevent it. However, there are plans to set up bird sanctuaries on the four larger islands (see table above).

All of these areas are larger than the respective land areas of the islands and thus also include surrounding marine areas. The proposed reserves include all major sea bird nesting sites.

The individual islands

The following statements are based on the descriptions by Wiliam Rupert Hay and the Sailing Direchtions (Red Sea and The Persian Gulf) of the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA).

al-Hasikiyya

The westernmost island in the group is 34 km northeast of Ras Naws and the mainland village of Hasik . It consists of reddish granite and is completely free of vegetation. On it was formerly guano mined and it is still slightly covered with bird droppings. Two conical peaks at the southern end rise up to 155 meters. On the east side are two small bays. In the breeding season it is populated by flocks of birds, primarily gannets . There are no people living on it.

as-Sauda '

As-Sauda 'is the second largest island and is located around 21 km east of al-Hasikiyya. For the census on December 12, 2010, 190 inhabitants were counted, while in the previous census on December 7, 2003 no inhabitants were documented. This makes it one of the group's two inhabited islands alongside al-Hallaniyya. From the 399 meter high summit near the center of the island, it drops irregularly to the coast. The island is also made of granite and is bare with the exception of some grass and moss near the summit. There are numerous small reef-protected bays. There is also brackish water on it . At the beginning of the 19th century this island was inhabited; However, it was deserted for a long time (at least since 1841 and at least until the census on December 7, 2003), as the inhabitants migrated to Hallaniyya. At the time of the census on December 12, 2010, however, 190 residents were detected again.

al-Hallaniyah

The island of al-Hallaniyya is next to as-Sauda 'one of the two inhabited islands and by far the largest island in the group. The centrally located main island is eight kilometers east of as-Sauda '. The island is rugged and bare, with the exception of a few tamarisk trees and some grass to the east. Wild goats live on the island . Sea turtles can occasionally be seen on the coast . The central area of ​​the island has steep granite rocks that reach a height of 495 meters. At the northeastern end of the island, Cape Ra’s al-Hallaniyya , a three-kilometer-long shell limestone cliff plunges almost vertically into the sea from the island's highest point at 501 meters. The easternmost point is Ra's Sayyir , the westernmost Arichi Frahunt .

Al-Hallaniyya can be reached by boat or plane. In the flatter western part of the island is the only settlement, with a population of around 100 to 150 inhabitants. There is a landing strip nearby. From there the mountains rise steeply to the east. The residents have boats and, weather permitting, visit the other islands to catch birds and collect bird eggs. In addition, they mainly live from fishing. During the Charif from mid-May to mid-September, cold, nutrient-rich water drifts to the surface from the bottom of the ocean, and the water is then rich in fish. However, the sea is rough during this time and a stiff breeze fills the air on the coast with spray. It is also often foggy at this time of the year. The population has remained almost constant over the centuries. You scam

• 23 inhabitants in 1841
• 36 in 1883
• 50 in 1936
• 70 in 1947
• 78 in 1967
• 53 in 1976
• 212 from the census on December 7, 2003
• 198 for the census on December 12, 2010

The island has archaeological sites from pre-Islamic times, especially the settlement in the Anzaur Valley ( Arabic وادي انظور, DMG Wādī Anẓawr ) and the Faghari Cave ( Arabic مغارة فغارة, DMG Maġarat Faġāra ).

Jarzaʿut

Jarzaʿut is about 10 km east of Ra's al-Hallaniyya , is rocky, dry and has a 70 meter high double peak. The base of the island is made up of four red granite rocks .

al-Qibliyya

Al-Qibliyya, the easternmost island, is 21 km east of al-Hallaniyya. This rocky, bare island is dominated by several limestone cliffs. A small sandy bay is located on the northwest side of the island. The highest peak rises 168 meters. It is dry and inhabited only by sea birds, although the discovery of some graves testify that it was inhabited in the past. Nearby, two rocks jut out of the sea:

• Four-Peaked Rock , a separate small rock island, lies 830 meters NNW of the northwest end of the island. It has a base diameter of 140 meters and an area of ​​1.5 hectares .
• Well Rock , a small rock that just rises above the surface of the water, is 800 meters SSW of the southwest end of al-Qibliyya. It has a base diameter of 85 meters and an area of ​​0.6 ha.

population

language

Sir Rupert Hay reported in 1947 that the islanders shauri (Engl. Shahari ) spoke. This language is mainly spoken by the cave-dwelling tribes of the Qamr and Qara Mountains. Interestingly, the islanders call their language Shihri. Asch-Schihr is now an Arabic-speaking city far away in southern Yemen. However, the islands were ruled by the Sultan of Schihr in the time of al-Idrisis , and this ruling family ruled the islands even in the time of Pedro Páez , who became a prisoner of the Sultan. Folk wisdom connects the old city "Zufar" with the modern Mirbat . Al-Idrisi reported that the islanders spoke the ancient language of the 'Ad people and were not understood by the Arabs. The current name of the language Shauri is derived from the Shahara tribe, which claims to be descended from Schaddad, son of 'Ad.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Cf. Grohmann, Adolf : Ḵh̲ūryān-mūryān, in: Bearman, P./Bianquis, Th./ Bosworth, CE / Donzel, E. van / Heinrichs, WP (ed.): Encyclopaedia of Islam, Vol. 5 (Khe -Mahi), Leiden: Brill, 1986, p. 70, col. 1.
2. ↑ Cf. Ptolemy : Geographike Hyphegesis , VI, 7, § 47; Arrian : Periplus Maxis Erythroei, p. 19.
3. ↑ This probably means the Gulf of Aden .
4. ↑ Cf. al-Idrisi : Nuzhat al-musštāq fi 'atirāq al-āfāq, Indian and the neighboring territories in the Kitāb Nuzhat al-mu_s_htāq fi' _hḥtirāq al-āfāq of al-Sharīf al-Idrīsī, a transl. with comm.n of the passages relating to India, Pakistan, Ceylon, part of Afghanistan, and the Andaman, Nicovar. and Maldive islands, etc. by S. Maqbūl Ahmad with a foreword by Vladimir Fedorovič Minorsky [Minorskij], Leiden: Brill, 1960, Section I, p. 54 and Section II, p. 49.
5. ↑ Portuguese sources speak of al-Hasikiyya as Asquié, as-Sauda 'as Sodié and Jarzaʿut as Rodondo.
6. ↑ ^{a b} Cf. Beckingham, CF : The Kuria Muria Islands, in: The Geographical Journal, Vol. 110, No. 1/3, (Jul.-Sep., 1947), p. 144.
7. ↑ Cf. de Almeida, Manuel : Historia general de Ethiopia a alta, por Balthasar Tellez , Coimbra, 1660, libr. iii., ch. 2, iv., Ch. 24.
8. ↑ old unit of length of very different sizes.
9. ↑ . See the description of Almeida , in Beccaris found their work: Beccari, Camillo : Rerum Scriptores aethiopicarum occidentales inediti a saeculo XVI ad XIX curante C [Amillo] Beccari, Romae: Casa Editrice Italiana (12 excud C. de Luigi.) , 1903-17, vol. 6, p. 8.
10. ↑ The sources are unclear here.
11. ↑ Cf. Grohmann, Adolf : "Ḵh̲ūryān-mūryān.", In: Bearman, P./Bianquis, Th./ Bosworth, CE / Donzel, E. van / Heinrichs, WP (ed.): Encyclopaedia of Islam, vol. 5 (Khe-Mahi), Leiden: Brill, 1986, p. 70, col. 1.
12. ↑ Cf. Clements, Frank A .: The Islands of Kuria Muria: A Civil Aid Project in the Sultanate of Oman Administered from Salalah, Regional Capital of Dhofar, in: Bulletin (British Society for Middle Eastern Studies), Vol. 4, No . 1, (1977), pp. 37-39; here p. 37.
13. ↑ See Phelps Harris, Christina : The Persian Gulf Submarine Telegraph of 1864, in: The Geographical Journal, Vol. 135, No. 2, (Jun., 1969), pp. 169-190.
14. ^ Miles, Samuel Barrett (1912): The countries and tribes of the Persian Gulf, with a new introduction by JB Kelly , 2nd ed., London: Cass, 1966.
15. ↑ See above : Coasting Journey along Southern Arabia, in: Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society and Monthly Record of Geography, New Monthly Series, Vol. 8, No. 2, (Feb., 1886), pp. 100-101.
16. ↑ See agreement on return. ( Memento from November 24, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
17. ↑ However, the spelling is not uniform, as different authors have reproduced the orally transmitted names phonetically differently in their mother tongue. For example, different sources name al-Qibliyya also Al-Gibiliyya, Jabaliyya, Jebeliya, al-Qibiliyah, Al-Qibiliyah, Jubaylah etc., while Jarzaʿut is also written as Qarzawit, Ghazawt, Karzawt, Gharzaut, Ghardhawat (cf. Clements, Frank A. : The Islands of Kuria Muria: A Civil Aid Project in the Sultanate of Oman Administered from Salalah, Regional Capital of Dhofar, in: Bulletin (British Society of Middle Eastern Studies), vol. 4, No. 1, 1977, p. 37 –39; here: p. 39, fn. 1).
18. ↑ See BirdLife International 2008 BirdLife's online World Bird Database: the site for bird conservation. Version 2.1. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International. Available: http://www.birdlife.org/ (accessed June 1, 2008).
19. ^ Wiliam Rupert Hay: The Kuria Muria Islands. In: The Geographical Journal (= The Geographical Journal. Volume 109, No.4 / 6). The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers), 1947, p. 280.
20. ^ Pub. 172. Sailing Direchtions (Enroute). Red Sea and The Persian Gulf ( English , PDF) National Imagery and Mapping Agency. 2001. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
21. ↑ JG Hulton. "An Account of the Muria Isles Curia, near the South-Eastern Coast of Arabia." The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London, vol. 11, 1841, pp. 156–164, here p. 158: It was inhabited by a few families at no very distant period ( online )
22. ↑ Citypopulation.de: Oman: Dhofar
23. ↑ Cf. JG Hulton : An Account of the Curia Muria Isles, near the South-Eastern Coast of Arabia, in: Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London, Vol. 11, (1841), pp. 156-164.
24. ^ People's Republic of South Yemen - in the spirit of Che, DIE ZEIT, December 8, 1967
25. ↑ See Hay, Rupert : The Kuria Muria Islands, in: The Geographical Journal, pp. 279–281, here p. 280.

Web link

Commons : Khuriya Muriya Islands  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Sailing Directions (PDF file; 376 kB)

literature

• Kuria Muria Islands, in: Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. II, 1917, pp. 1074-1075 ( online )
• “KURIA MURIA ISLANDS”, in: Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia Online, Edited by: Brill. Consulted online on 11 July 2018 ( online )