The Afflaj (plural of Falaj) or irrigation systems of Oman, are inscribed on Unesco World Heritage sites since 2006.
The property includes five afflaj irrigation systems (as the one represented in this miniature sheet) and is representative of some 3.000 such systems still in use in Oman. The origins of this system of irrigation may date back to 500 a.d., but archaeological evidence suggests that irrigation systems existed in this extremely arid area as early as 2500 b.d. Using gravity, water is channeled from underground sources or springs to support agriculture and domestic use. The afflaj represente an exceptionally well-preserved form of land use.
