Khor Rori Expedition Khor Rori Expedition September 2006September 2006

A return to Nephi’s A return to Nephi’s Harbor with George Harbor with George

Potter & FriendsPotter & Friends

Advanced Team AAdvanced Team A

(Jim Anderson, Hugh & Linda Smith and Doug Esplin) locates (Jim Anderson, Hugh & Linda Smith and Doug Esplin) locates Neolithic Flint Quarry & GPS Site to 4.5 Miles West of Khor Rori Neolithic Flint Quarry & GPS Site to 4.5 Miles West of Khor Rori

(Nephi’s Harbor)(Nephi’s Harbor)

Team B – Visits Archaeological Park and sets up visit with Ali Team B – Visits Archaeological Park and sets up visit with Ali Al-Shahri.Al-Shahri.

DAY ONEDAY ONELocating Flint Quarry Near Khor RoriLocating Flint Quarry Near Khor Rori

DAY TWODAY TWOEntire Team Surveys Flint QuarryEntire Team Surveys Flint Quarry

Jim Anderson Jim Anderson with Flint Nodewith Flint Node

Rough seas near quarry indicate why Nephi needed a Rough seas near quarry indicate why Nephi needed a protected harbor in which to build and launch his ship. In protected harbor in which to build and launch his ship. In

foreground Gatis Senkans Family (LDS Members from Latvia)foreground Gatis Senkans Family (LDS Members from Latvia)

Ali Al-SharhiAli Al-Sharhi

Author ofAuthor of

Rock Art of Dhofar &Rock Art of Dhofar &

The Language of AadThe Language of Aad

shows us his personal museumshows us his personal museum

DAY THREEDAY THREERock art of ships and wadi Darbat above Khor Rock art of ships and wadi Darbat above Khor

RoriRori

Frankincense TreeFrankincense Tree

In yard of Dhofari historian and archaeologistIn yard of Dhofari historian and archaeologist

Ali Al-ShahriAli Al-Shahri

Sample of rock art in caves near Khor Rori.Sample of rock art in caves near Khor Rori.Since these ships are of a unique design, archaeologist Since these ships are of a unique design, archaeologist

believe the ships were built at Khor Roribelieve the ships were built at Khor Rori(Museum of Ali Shashri)(Museum of Ali Shashri)

Ali Shahri leads our team to caves above Khor Rori.Ali Shahri leads our team to caves above Khor Rori.

Ali & son Saeed takes us to the caves. Ali & son Saeed takes us to the caves.

Stick is guard against snakes, i.e. cobras.Stick is guard against snakes, i.e. cobras.

View from Wadi (Valley) Darbat caves to harbor View from Wadi (Valley) Darbat caves to harbor of Khor Roriof Khor Rori

Honey CaveHoney Cave

Actual name is the “Cave of the Snakes”Actual name is the “Cave of the Snakes”

Ali shows us the cave he lived in for two months while a Ali shows us the cave he lived in for two months while a teenager and where a man came to collect wild honey. 2.5 teenager and where a man came to collect wild honey. 2.5

miles from Khor Rorimiles from Khor Rori

Stick in side of cave indicates where honey was Stick in side of cave indicates where honey was gathered.gathered.

Flower in Wadi Darbat.Flower in Wadi Darbat.

From the caves we continued up Wadi Darbat National From the caves we continued up Wadi Darbat National Park. The valley is located directly above Khor Rori Park. The valley is located directly above Khor Rori

having been formed by the same creek.having been formed by the same creek.

Fig tree in wadi Darbat. Some LDS authors claim Nephi could have used Fig tree in wadi Darbat. Some LDS authors claim Nephi could have used such trees for building his ship. Such gnarly softwoods are useless for such trees for building his ship. Such gnarly softwoods are useless for

shipbuilding. For this reason Nephi needed a harbor where imported Teak shipbuilding. For this reason Nephi needed a harbor where imported Teak wood from India was being traded.wood from India was being traded.

Senkans Family in Wadi Darbat. Gatis is the District President Senkans Family in Wadi Darbat. Gatis is the District President in Latvia. He and his wife San’a helped in the recent translation in Latvia. He and his wife San’a helped in the recent translation

of the Book of Mormon into the Latvian languageof the Book of Mormon into the Latvian language

DAY FOURDAY FOURNephi Project Returns to Nephi’s Harbor at Khor RoriNephi Project Returns to Nephi’s Harbor at Khor Rori

(Refer to our film (Refer to our film Discovering Nephi HarborDiscovering Nephi Harbor))

Our guide was Saeed Al-Mashori, Supervisor for Khor Rori Our guide was Saeed Al-Mashori, Supervisor for Khor Rori Excavations for the Archaeological Park.Excavations for the Archaeological Park.

Remains of smelting furnace for Bronze and Iron Remains of smelting furnace for Bronze and Iron in Sumhuram ruins at Khor Roriin Sumhuram ruins at Khor Rori

Iron smelting slag In Sumhuram fortress at Khor Iron smelting slag In Sumhuram fortress at Khor Rori.Rori.

Saeed pointed out the ancient “ways” and moorings at Khor Saeed pointed out the ancient “ways” and moorings at Khor Rori. It would have been impossible for Nephi to have launch Rori. It would have been impossible for Nephi to have launch his ship without “ways” or ramps to lower the ship into the his ship without “ways” or ramps to lower the ship into the

water. Today the moorings are far from the water since ocean water. Today the moorings are far from the water since ocean levels have decreased while the Arabian peninsula has been levels have decreased while the Arabian peninsula has been

push upward by continental plate movements.push upward by continental plate movements.

Jim Anderson, Garth Norman, Frank Jim Anderson, Garth Norman, Frank Lewandowski and Wayne Shurtliff inspect an Lewandowski and Wayne Shurtliff inspect an

ancient “way” and mooring.ancient “way” and mooring.

Saeed indicated that the fields and orchards Saeed indicated that the fields and orchards that once supported the harbor city were that once supported the harbor city were

located near this fresh water stream.located near this fresh water stream.

Brian and Pamela Ames stand on cliffs that form Brian and Pamela Ames stand on cliffs that form the natural breakwater at Khor Rori. The cliffs the natural breakwater at Khor Rori. The cliffs project out 400 yards from the shoreline, and project out 400 yards from the shoreline, and

provide a possible place where Nephi’s brothers provide a possible place where Nephi’s brothers tried to throw him into the “depths of the sea”.tried to throw him into the “depths of the sea”.

We ended expedition with visit to the medieval port of Al-We ended expedition with visit to the medieval port of Al-Balíd 12 miles west of Khor Rori. The port was visited by Balíd 12 miles west of Khor Rori. The port was visited by Marco Polo. Archaeologist believe (carbon14 dating) Marco Polo. Archaeologist believe (carbon14 dating) that the sand bar that formed the port didn’t exist in that the sand bar that formed the port didn’t exist in Nephi’s era.Nephi’s era.

Diane Shurtliff served as our guide through the Diane Shurtliff served as our guide through the remains of the city of al-Balíd.remains of the city of al-Balíd.

Remains of a huge mosque (120 pillars), Remains of a huge mosque (120 pillars), indicate the wealth of the area even up to indicate the wealth of the area even up to

medieval times.medieval times.