List of ancient settlements in the UAE

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Umm Al Nar tomb at Al Sufouh, Dubai Umm Al Nar tomb, Al Sufouh, Dubai.jpg
Umm Al Nar tomb at Al Sufouh, Dubai

The territory currently known as the United Arab Emirates was formerly populated by inhabitants of a number of coastal and inland settlements, with human remains pointing to a pattern of transmigration and settlement as far back as 125,000 years. [1] Prehistoric settlement in the UAE took place in the Neolithic, with a number of distinctive eras of ancient settlement including the Stone Age Arabian Bifacial and Ubaid cultures from 5000 to 3100 BCE; the Hafit period with its distinctive beehive shaped tombs and Jemdet Nasr pottery, 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.

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Iron Age I spanned 1200–1000 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 era (also known as the PIR - Pre-Islamic Recent), from 300 BCE onwards through to the Islamic era which commenced with the culmination of the 7th century Ridda Wars.

The remains of settlements, burials and other extensive evidence of human habitation throughout these eras is littered throughout the UAE, with many extensive finds of rich materials in the shape of pottery, jewellery, weapons and both human and animal remains providing archaeologists and researchers with an increasingly sophisticated picture of longstanding involvement in regional trade alongside nomadic cultures eking out a living from the frequently arid and inhospitable desert and mountain environment of the UAE.

Settlements

Shimal2.jpg
Wadi Suq era burial at Shimal
Restored Hafit period beehive tomb at Jebel Hafit.jpg
Hafit period beehive tomb at Jebel Hafeet
Jebel Buhais 'Iron Age' building.jpg
Iron Age building at Jebel Buhais
SettlementEmirate (modern)PopulatedNotes
Al Ashoosh Dubai 2500–2000 BCEUmm Al Nar site with no burial discovered.
Al Madam Sharjah 1100–300 BCEIron Age aflaj (water systems)
Al Sufouh Dubai2500–2000 BCEUmm Al Nar site with tomb
Bidaa bint Saud Abu Dhabi 3200–2600 BCEHafit and Iron Age burials
Bithnah Fujairah 2000–300 BCEWadi Suq burials and Iron Age petroglyphs
Ed-Dur Umm Al Quwain 5300 BCE–300 CEMajor ancient city/settlement spanning Ubeid period through Umm Al Nar, Wadi Suq to Iron Age and Pre-Islamic
Hili Abu Dhabi3200–2600 BCEHafit and Umm Al Nar tombs
Jebel Buhais Sharjah5000–1300 BCENecropolis featuring Stone, Bronze, Iron and Hellenistic age burials
Jebel Faya Sharjah125,000 BCENeolithic, Paleolithic, Stone, Bronze Age finds (See Mleiha)
Jebel Hafeet Abu Dhabi3200-2600 BCGave its name to the Hafit period, extensive beehive tombs, with some reconstructed
Julfar Ras Al Khaimah 1300-1650 CEPrecursor settlement to Ras Al Khaimah,
Jumeirah Dubai 900-1100 CE Jumeirah Archaeological Site
Kalba Sharjah2500–1300 BCEUmm Al Nar settlement
Kush Ras Al Khaimah600-1400 CELate pre-Islamic to Islamic settlement
Masafi Ras Al Khaimah1300–300 BCEIron Age finds
Mleiha Sharjah5300–300 BCESettlement through Ubaid, Hafit, Umm Al Nar, Wadi Suq and Iron Age to Hellenistic Mleiha & pre-Islamic periods
Muweilah Sharjah1100–600 BCEIron Age II settlement
Qattara Oasis Abu Dhabi1800–1500 BCEBronze and Iron Age settlement
Rumailah Abu Dhabi2000–1000 BCEUmm Al Nar through to Iron Age II settlement
Saruq Al Hadid Dubai2600 BCE–1000 CEOccupation since Umm Al Nar period, major Iron Age metallurgical centre
Seih Al Harf Ras Al Khaimah2000–1300 BCEExtensive Wadi Suq burial site
Shimal Ras Al Khaimah2500–1300 BCEUmm Al Nar/Wadi Suq burials
Tell Abraq Umm Al Quwain/Sharjah2500–400 BCEMajor settlement, spanning Umm Al Nar, Wadi Suq and Iron Age
Thuqeibah Sharjah1100–400 BCEIron Age II and III settlement
Umm Al Nar Abu Dhabi2600–2000 BCEBurials and settlement defined the Umm Al Nar period

See also

References

  1. Gonzaga, Shireen (2011-02-01). "New Timeline for First Early Human Exodus out of Africa". EarthSky.org. Retrieved 2018-09-05.