UAE | General
Insight: Preserving the past for posterity
A nation's past is an asset for the new generations, and the Department of Antiquities and Tourism (DAT) in Al Ain has been digging deep to unearth the roots of civilisation in this part of the world.
- By Aftab Kazmi
- Published: 00:00 July 26, 2002
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The DAT, which has many achievements in its credit, has recently made new archaeological discoveries in the north of Al Ain.
The find is a part of the human settlements, dating back to the Stone and Bronze ages, about 5000 BC.
President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan has a special interest in the past and heritage, which he wants to preserve for the future generations. Realising the importance of historic items years ago, he issued a decree in 1969 establishing the department to uncover and preserve history.
Sheikh Zayed entrusted to the department the task of setting up Al Ain Museum and also selected the site of the project, where the museum stands today.
Mohammed Amer Mur Al Neyadi, Director of the department in Al Ain, said: "It was the first museum in the UAE and Sheikh Zayed himself came to Al Ain to select an appropriate location."
Museum
The Al Ain Museum was inaugurated by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, the Ruler's Representative in the Eastern Region, on November 2, 1971, on behalf of Sheikh Zayed. The department is now headed by Undersecretary Saif bin Ali Al Darmaky.
Since its inception, local and foreign archaeological teams and experts have been working in collaboration with the department to uncover the past of the region.
Al Neyadi said the DAT has been taking care of the Museums, archaeological sites in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, preservations and restoration of old buildings.
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| An early handwritten Holy Quran on display in the Al Ain Museum. © Gulf News |
"We have special plans and methods for restoring building and heritage sites," he said.
An important operation of the department is to carry out excavation expeditions in search of new discoveries. These campaigns are run on a yearly basis and the most recent was the 2001-2002 Survey and Excavation Season that led to new discoveries in Wadi Al Hammam in the north of Al Ain.
According to Al Darmaky the 2001-2002 excavation season was a great success. The department's excavation teams also started a recovery operation at one of the previously excavated tombs in Wadi Al Hammam.
New sites
The DAT also worked closely with Al Ain Municipality and Town Planning Department to register new sites and place them on maps. It is also planning protection work on these sites. "It's a very delicate and demanding work that needs a high level of attention," said Al Darmaky.
On the archaeological findings, Al Neyadi said the island of Umm Al Nar was the first site discovered in the country. The first excavation was done by a Danish team in 1959.
"It is a very important site since it represents the ancient history of the UAE during the second half of the third millennium BC," he explained, adding that it houses a large settlement and a cemetery, including 50 tombs, which date back to 2600-2300 BC.
Bronze age complex
Another important archaeological site is in the Hili area of Al Ain. It houses the largest bronze age complex. Archaeological finds in this area have been incorporated into a park, called Hili Archaeological Park, designed to highlight the ancient history of the UAE. Several sites dating back to the Iron Age, around 1000 BC, are also located in the preserved archaeological area surrounding the park.
One of the most impressive monuments in the UAE is Hili Grand Tomb, which is more than 4,000 years old. This tomb, discovered in 1960s, is in the middle of the park.
Remains of a huge ancient cemetery were also discovered in the northern and eastern foothills of Jebel Hafit which date back to 3200-3000 BC. The finds in this area show that the cemetery belonged to the community that lived in the region around 5,000 years ago.
Al Ain Museum is the focal point of excavations in the country, particularly in and around Al Ain.
Having a variety of archaeological sites around it, Al Ain is the ideal location for the museum. The museum houses two types of collections that tell the stories from the past and the recent history of the UAE.
Recent past
Al Neyadi said these sections are called Ethnography and Arch-aeology. The Ethnography Section deals with the more recent past such as the history of the pre-oil era.
The traditional way of life has also been recreated in this section as some aspects have disappeared since the discovery of oil. A visit to this section allows the visitors a glimpse into the past and understand the dramatic changes the region has witnessed in only a few decades
Al Neyadi said the Archaeology Section deals with the chronological sequence of the ages past. The section contains exhibits which show how the people of the UAE lived 7,000 to 8,000 years ago. Artefacts from the stone, iron and bronze ages are also displayed.
The Archaeological Section also has an attractive exhibit of old coins. Al Neyadi said a coin board was accidentally discovered in the vicinity of the city of Al Ain in which some 300 silver coins were found. These coins were minted more than 300 years ago.
Forts restored
The DAT has recently restored five old forts in Liwa area, the Western Region, as part of its efforts to preserve the country's past and cultural heritage.
The director of the DAT said his department is also restoring the old glory of an ancient mosque in Al Qatara District and the Seijia Fort in Al Dhahra area of Al Ain. "We are also working hard to discover more about the ancient cultures in the region," he added.
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