The population of Oman’s interior regions largely follow the Ibadi sect, which was established during the early days of Islam. The decorated prayer niches (mihrab, pl. maharib), the earliest extant example of which is found in Nizwa that dates to 1252CE. Following a hiatus, this tradition appears to have had a new lease of life in the early-sixteenth century, when several decorated prayer niches were produced in quick succession from 1503 CE onwards. Chinese porcelain bowl inserts were part of the decorative schema in many of these, their number varying widely. The talk focused on the nature of the decorative schema, the close links the Omanis had with the expanding Indian Ocean Chinese porcelain trade, as well as the possible meanings this innovation introduced.
