The Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey (Adias) will shortly hold an exhibition of fossils found in the emirate.

According to last month's Adias' newsletter, work is progressing on plans for the exhibition of a selected group of late Miocene fossils.

"We hope to complete the exhibit by late April or early May, 2004. The fossils will go on display in the lobby of the current headquarters of the Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency (Erwda) where Adias has its main offices," said the January 2004 Occasional Newsletter.

Conservation work on the fossils to be put on display was completed last October. The displays include a model of an elephant from the late Miocene era, about six to eight million years ago. The model is based on the fossils discovered in Abu Dhabi's Western Region.

Archaeological finds in island
* A rapid archaeological survey of Bazm Al Gharbi Island, located about 250km west of Abu Dhabi, was carried out recently.

* The survey fills in an important gap in the expanding data on archaeological sites on Abu Dhabi's islands.

* Archaeologists mapped 55 sites on the island using GPS equipment.

* Sites varied from fire-pits and hearths to cairns and house structures. A small stone slab outline mosque was identified on the southeastern coast of the island.

* A mysterious large building was also discovered towards the southern end of the island.

* A large concentration of pottery was collected from an area adjacent to this building.
"We shortly expect to receive the final outwork for our Miocene diorama, life in Abu Dhabi, six to eight million years ago. This is being prepared by Gemma Larkin, the wife of Nigel Larkin, our expert fossil conservator," added the newsletter.

According to Adias, support for the costs of staging the exhibition have been provided by Takreer, which has also funded the Adias work at the major fossil site near Ruwais.

The newsletter, meanwhile, also reported a recent archaeological survey of Bazm Al Gharbi Island, located about 250km west of Abu Dhabi.

Located at the western end of the chain of islands running from Abu Al Abyadh to Junana, Marawah and Liffiyah, forming the outer side of Khor Al Bazm, the island was surveyed by Dr Mark Beech, Adias Senior Resident Archaeologist, and Simon Aspinall.

The work was carried out with assistance and support from the staff of the Marine Environmental Research Centre at Erwda.