MUSCAT: An Omani discovery team descended to Birkat Al-Sharaf Cave, which is approximately 25 kilometers from Wilayat Al-Hamra through the road leading to the Eastern Mountain. . It is one of two caves located in the eastern mountain, along with the Tawi al-Aqaba cave.

Dr. Muhammad bin Hilal Al-Kindi, President of the Omani Geologists Association, said: The eastern mountain has two caves: the Birkat Al-Sharaf Cave, and Tawi Al-Aqaba Cave, and each of the two caves has their own feature and aesthetics, and both require skilled adventurers to descend. However, it all seems worth it, when one fathoms the true significance of standing inside this prehistoric formation.

Ahmed Al-Salmi indicated that although the first descent requires lamps, one wouldn’t encounter breathing problems even at the depths of the cave and there are no harmful gasses present. The first descent is 27 meters long, making it the longest of them all. The rest of the four descents are relatively easier than the first. At the end of the cave is a deep pool of water with a narrow stream.

Mahmoud Al-Fahdi stressed that going down to the cave is not easy for non-professionals, and requires specialized preparations, and equipment, and must be done with experts licensed by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism.

Ahmed Al-Kindi indicated that the walls of the cave consist of sedimentary calcareous layers, some of which contain marine fossils from the prehistoric mountain range in which they originally formed before they emerged later at the heights of the Hajar Mountains. One can find these fossils at a high altitude of approximately 2000 meters above sea level.

The walls and ceilings of the cave are covered with formations of stalagmites and stalagmites of calcium carbonate resulting from water deposition, some of which are still flowing and dripping water.