Number of Archaeological Sites in the UAE and some prominent examples.

As we move on from understanding what are archaeological sites, let's move onto more stuff related with the UAE. First off, we'll start off with the number of Archaeological Sites in the UAE.

How many Archaeological Sites are there in the UAE?

The region known as the United Arab Emirates (previously known the Trucial States) was once populated by inhabitants of a number of coastal & inland settlements, with human remains which points to a pattern of transmigration & settlement as far back as 125,000 years ago. 

Prehistoric settlement in the UAE spanned the Neolithic, with a number of distinctive eras of ancient settlement including the Stone Age & Ubaid cultures from 5000 to 3100 BCE; the Hafeet period with its distinctive beehive shaped tombs and Jemdet Nasr pottery, ranging from 3200 to 2600 BCE; the Umm Al Nar period from 2600 to 2000 BCE; the Wadi Suq culture from 2000 to 1300 BCE and the three Iron Ages of the UAE.

The UAE's Iron Age I spanned from 1200 until 1000 BCE; Iron Age II, from 1000 to 600 BCE and Iron Age III from 600 to 300 BCE. This was followed by the Hellenistic Mleiha (or Late Pre-Islamic) era, from 300 BCE onwards through to the Islamic era which begun with the apogee of the 7th century Ridda Wars.

The remains of settlements, burials & other extensive evidence of human habitation throughout these eras is strewed throughout the UAE, with many extensive finds of rich materials in the shape of pottery, jewellery, weapons and both human & animal remains providing archaeologists and researchers with a progressively sophisticated picture of long-standing engagement in regional trade alongside nomadic cultures eking out a living from the frequently arid & barren desert & mountain environment of the UAE.

The first modern digs to take place in the Trucial States were led by teams from the Danish Moesgaard Museum in 1959 and focused on the island of Umm Al Nar before going on to investigate the beehive tombs in & around the area of Al Ain in Abu Dhabi.

[Major Footnote]
Before, moving on to the next section, I would like to talk about Ed-Dur (Al-Dour or 'The Houses'). It is  considered one of the most significant archaeological sites in the UAE. It is an Ancient Near Eastern City located in Umm Al Qawain. One of the largest sites in the country, comprising an area of around five kilometres, the coastal settlement overlooks the Al Beidha Lake. It has been entitled 'one of the most significant lost cities of Arabia'. It was first discovered by an Iraqi archaeological team in 1973. Successive digs have unearthed evidence of human habitation spanning the Ubeid, Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Pre-Islamic periods. During the Pre-Islamic period, the settlement appears to have been at its most flourishing & the hills of the area were entirely covered with dozens of buildings & thousands of stone-built tombs. Some 500 of these tombs have been excavated, with grave goods discovered counting drinking sets, Roman glass, weaponry, pottery, jewellery and ivory objects. It is thought some 20,000 tombs are on the site in total. Likewise, the necropolis of Jebel Buhais spans a remarkable period, with burials evident as far back as the fifth millennium BCE, while Mleiha also represents human settlement dating back some 7,000 years.

Map of the Arabian Peninusula, Found at Mohammed Bin Rashid Library. [Picture taken by Rabah]. 

Another ancient map of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Also, found at Mohammed Bin Rashid Library. [Picture taken by Rabah].

From the same person, an ancient map of Asia (including some part of Africa & Europe). Also, found Mohammed Bin Rashid Library. [Picture taken by Rabah] 

More images of forts in the UAe in the 1930s to 1950s. Also found at Mohammed Bin Rashid Library. Photos made by Rabah, collage made by Wasel.

The video above is of more ancient maps made. Also found at Mohammed Bin Rashid Library and was made by Rabah

So, to answer the question, they are over 1000 Archaeological Sites spanning over the UAE, (Survey from Dubai say, they have identified 33 sites, but some say 11 but from officials, the number is more than a 1000, but there are no formal statistics on the exact amount, Mr Bukash said,) some of which are: 

Hili Archaeological Park –  Found in Abu Dhabi & is one of the few UNESCO heritage sites and a popular historic site in the UAE. It has a rich history, dating back to the Bronze Age. Thus, most of the site is covert with a series of settlements, tombs, and water channels (Falaj) dating from the Umm An-Nar period.

Hili Grand Tomb at Hili Archaeological Park, Abu Dhabi

Jebel Hafeet Tombs – Again, also found in Abu Dhabi, and are pretty apparent looking and studying their beehive shape. Though the land site is permanently closed, but a coup d'oeil of it can be caught at the foot of Jebel Hafeet. On top of that, the tombs are very close to the Jebel Hafeet Park. 

[Inside Photo] The Jebel Hafeet Tombs in Abu Dhabi 

Bida Bint Saud - Again found in Abu Dhabi. And is also one of the most important archaeological sites found in the UAE. Excavations from there have unearthed several stone tombs at the site, some of which range from 5000 years old – dating back to both the Bronze and Iron Age. Other notable findings include a 3000-year-old falaj irrigation system.

A Panoramic shot of Bida Bint Saud. For preservation efforts, the area is restricted, so the unearthed artefacts can be found at Al Ain National Museum.

Baynunah Fossil Site – Again located in Abu Dhabi, it is renowned for the remains of an ancient 6000-year-old wild camel hunt, narrated in a time long before the notorious ships of the desert were domesticated. The site provides insight into hunting practices of the Neolithic people who lived in the Al Dhafra Region of western Abu Dhabi.

The Baynunah Camel Site—Found in Abu Dhabi, Al Dhafra

Jumeirah Archaeological Site – The is found in Dubai (one of its districts, hinted from the name). The area is one of the more famous archaeological sites in Dubai. A visit to the Jumeirah Archaeological site takes back visitors to the 9th & 11th centuries during the Abbasid period.

The original site when first excavated in Jumeirah in the 1960s. Now it's preserved at the Dubai Museum, with many artefacts from there.

Hatta Heritage Village - Hatta is a very large area in Dubai; And one of the many things to do there is to visit the ruins at the Hatta Heritage Village. Home to centuries-old towers, citadels, forts, and the remains of a former village, the historic location is a site that history nerds will very much have a field-day at. It is one of the oldest villages in Dubai, within the site, is a house of the local ruler then known as 'Bait Al Wali'.

The ruins at Hatta Heritage Village, restored in 2001, also includes artefacts which showcases the culture of that time.

Wadi Al Helo - Found in Sharjah, is home to a historical site and unearthed Islamic watchtower, considered as one of the most important sites of the UAE and personally to us as a capsule of Islam preserved. It can be found very deep in the Hajar Mountains, the site is home of the Bronze Age; Indicated by the discovery of ancient (smelting) furnaces, traces of ores and workshop remains, clearly lead researchers to believe the area was used for metal production.

The area has been declared protected because of the abundance of wild fauna and flora. 

Wadi Al Helo, also known as the 'Sweet Valley' of UAE, found in Sharjah. The picture here is of the watchtower (or fort by some people).

Khor Fakkan - Everybody who knows slightly about the UAE knows about Khorfakkan Beach, but a fun fact about it was that the area as a whole has historic significance. Found in Sharjah, excavation carried out by the Department of Antiquities (or Sharjah Archaeology Authority (SAA)) in Sharjah, discovered large quondam settlements on slopes of the three mountains is Khor Fakkan by the sea. Another fun fact about Khorfakkan is that they are many archaeological sites found here and was one of the places we all enjoyed as the “city” is pretty small with almost no traffic to get there.

An Ancient Tomb on a hill in Zubara, Khorfakkan, very close to the sea. In addition, they are Petroglyphs on the stones around the site.

Al Thuqaibah – Out of the many archaeological sites from the Iron Age in the UAE, Al Thuqaibah is one of the most prominent sites, coming before Sieh Al Herf. It was excavated in the 1990s & is found in Sharjah, Town of Al Madam.

Analysis of the discovered items such as the bronze blades, awls and needles point to remunerative activity from an early age.

A 3-D render of Al-Thuqaibah as a whole by Wasel and other of our friends. The site was massive, so this is one part of the site they've made. Located in Sharjah.

The Necropolis of Shimal - Not a lot can be talked about this site. It is located in Shimal, Ras Al Khaimah. Visitors there can spot remains of circular tombs in the necropolis of Shimal, similar to those found at Hili Archaeological Park. It is a catacomb for those who don't understand what a necropolis is.

As we went further down the road, we found another site, the area of the place where Sheeba Palace once stood. Apart from a few stone walls and wells. Hardly anything remains of the palace.

The Necropolis of Shimal, found in Shimal, Ras Al Khaimah. It is on the side of the road, so is protected by fences. This was a drone shot taken by Muaz.

Now, before I end this post, a poster made by Rabah talks about more Archaeological Sites in the UAE as well as that, what we mentioned was just a glimpse about the types of sites found here. The fact, there are 33 sites located in such a small country still amazes. So, supposing we have neared the end of our 3rd post with many more still in the way, we hope you enjoyed today's post and don't forget to like, share and comment if you enjoyed it. Hope you readers have a good day!

-NG

Here is the Poster made by Rabah (and then edited by Wasel), hope you guys have a fun-time reading