Al Dhalam (Darkness in Arabic) Souq is perhaps one of the oldest marketplaces in the Arab world. It is located adjacent to the harbour of Muscat and has seen immense trade in the age of sail, being strategically located on the way to India and China. It has been named after darkness because of the crowded stalls and lanes where the sunrays do not infiltrate during the day and the shoppers need lamps to know their destinations.