Oman National Museum loan rare artefacts to Louvre Abu Dhabi

Muscat: A hoard of silver coins dating back to the early Islamic period and an incense burner from the seventh century were loaned to the new Louvre Abu Dhabi museum by Oman’s National Museum.
The National Museum and Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority—the representative of the Louvre Abu Dhabi—signed an agreement on the rare artefacts, which will see them displayed at the Abu Dhabi museum for the next two years.
The hoard of more than 400 silver dirhams was discovered in 2005 in the Al Waqbah village and had remained hidden since the early Islamic Period, according to National Museum officials.
The incense burner was found in the area of Al Baleed and dates back to the period between the sixth and seven century. It is one of the rarest incense burners in the Sultanate.
The agreement was signed by Jamal bin Hassan Al Moosawi, director general of the National Museum, representing Oman, and by Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority. The ceremony was attended by Saif Saeed Ghobash, director general of the Department of Culture and Tourism, and Manuel Rabaté, director of the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
Under the agreement, a selective collection from the National Museum will be exhibited at the Louvre Abu Dhabi for two years.
This agreement supports the aims of the National Museum, which include the promotion of the Sultanate’s rich culture and history, highlighting the cultural role of Oman through the ages as the bridge between the east and the west, and as a positive influence on human civilisation.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi will be open to the public from November 11, 2017.