Coffee Pot
This coffee pot is made of sterling silver and is based on the style of the town of Nizwa, a religious and commercial centre in central Oman. Coffee pots represent the strong tradition of Omani hospitality. Serving coffee from this type of pot welcomes guests in Oman and throughout the Arabian Peninsula and Levant. These pots are also representative of the rich heritage of Omani metalwork and traditional crafts. Some traditions date back as far as the 3rd millennium BCE and the government seeks to preserve and encourage traditional craftsmanship.
The surroundings, in which the pot is encased, are made out of lacquered wood gilded in gold leaf in the same style as the traditional arches of Bait Graiza, “a historical landmark mansion built in Muscat over 150 years ago.""
Omani coffee, or Gahwa, the Arabic word for coffee, is very different from other types of coffee. The green coffee beans are lightly roasted in a pan over an open fire and ground with a mortar and pestle into a fine powder. The coffee powder is then mixed with boiling water in the pots.
A gift from Sultan Quaboos of Oman – a silver coffee pot in the best tradition of Omani handicraft - was presented to the United Nations on 11 December 1973 by Faisal Al-Said, Permanent Representative of Oman. Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim received the gift on behalf of the Organization.
SG Waldheim said, “Silver handicraft from Oman has long been known to be among the most outstanding examples of Arabian art” and “it will further enhance the United Nations Headquarters.”