Treasures of the World Series
The Irrigation System of Oman

Oman‘s aflaj irrigation system which allows towns to thrive in the desert.

Oman is renowned for its bold seafarers, its skilful boat-builders, and fish stocks so abundant that the coastal inhabitants are positively spoilt. But stretching out only a few kilometres inland is the stony desert of Oman.  In this desert land, finding springs and skilfully utilising the little fresh water available has become the basis of survival. 
No civilisation on Earth has developed an irrigation system like the one found in Oman. The aflaj, a system of water distribution channels, has defined an entire society for centuries.
The origins of this system of irrigation may date back to AD 500, but archaeological evidence suggests that irrigation systems existed in this extremely arid area as early as 2500 BC. Using gravity, water is channeled from underground sources or springs to support agriculture and domestic use. The fair and effective management and sharing of water in villages and towns is still underpinned by mutual dependence and communal values and guided by astronomical observations.

Treasures of the World Series
Hawaii – Home of Pele, Goddess of Fire

Pele is the Goddess of Fire in Hawaiian mythology.  Her tales spring forth in conjunction with the eruptions of the largest and most active volcano in the world, Mount Kilauea.

Over 11 million years ago, the seabed in the mid Pacific Ocean was torn open and lava spilled forth.
Five volcanoes were formed and over thousands of years they became the islands that are now called Hawaii. 
Hawaii was discovered more than 1600 years ago by Polynesian seafarers. 
In 1881 the eruption of Mount Kilauea lasted eight months.  It is the world’s largest and most active volcano.
Ancient Hawaiians lived in a caste society with strict rules. Much of their mythology has to do with the volcanoes and the numerous and continuous eruptions. Pele, the Goddess of Fire, was born from the union of the earth mother and the sky father.
In Hawaiian mythology, a woman possesses the secret of fire. Symbols and figures are carved in the lava when it cooled down.  One of the customs was to bring the “piko” the umbilical stump of a newborn baby, to Pu’I Loa.  It was placed in a hollow and covered with a stone.  If it was still there the next morning, the baby was assured of a long life.
Tales about Pele and other spirits and gods are recorded and handed down in song and dance. People still revere spirits and gods today, and the rituals are still being performed as they were in years past.
In 1778 Captain Cook landed in Hawaii and was killed on the beach in Kealakekua Bay after having taken the chief hostage in order to exchange him for one of his boats that had been stolen.