Old farmhouse excavated

A large farm, whose history is not known so far, has been excavated here, it was announced here yesterday. Made of mud bricks, the farm is a fine example of a typical palm garden structure.

Christian Velde, Resident Archaeologist at the Ras Al Khaimah National Museum, explained that the farmhouse consists of two rooms and a large courtyard. He said that the farmhouse includes a date press (madbasa) in one of the rooms as well as several tenurs (ovens).

He stressed that this farm has a special importance as most farms made of mud bricks have sadly disappeared in the last 30 years and our knowledge about life on these farms and these buildings is very limited.

The excavation has also unearthed an old well.

He added that the well is faced with stone and consists of the well shaft and a large basin for the water, and the water used to be drawn with the help of an ox. He stressed that the Ras Al Khaimah Department of Antiquities will restore the well to its original form.

The department has continued with the excavations and renovations in the Falayah area. Under the patronage of Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi, the Deputy Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, the department has been encouraged and given all the facilities and help to exert all possible efforts to complete the compilation of the history of the area.

He said that the work concentrated around the old fortified farmstead, once the summer residence of the ruling Quwasim family. The residence is of great historical importance as the first treaty between the British forces and the Sheikhs of the Gulf was signed here in 1820.

This treaty is considered an important step in the foundation of the United Arab Emirates. Velde explained that the work of last winter was concentrated in three areas. First the excavation of the main courtyard was finished.

He added that several different phases of the farmhouse construction were revealed, showing a long and rich history of the building. The complex was surrounded by a mud brick wall, making the building a fortified farm.

In the past the inhabitants lived on these farms inside the palm gardens, and each farm had its own well.

He explained that there were three phases of construction in the excavated farm, one above the other, with people building on the foundations of the older construction. Thus, the lowest one was the oldest, and the people built new walls to replace the old ones.

Samples of pottery, coins, shells and pieces of mud which have been excavated are now under study to determine the date of the farm.

He stressed that this farm will inform us about the way of life of the people in this part of the world in the past, and also about the construction of the time, in addition to shedding light on the daily life on such farms.

Ahmed Hilal, another archaeologist at the Ras Al Khaimah National Museum, said that the excavation of this farm in Falayah will let us know about the way people used to cook, the way they used to press their dates, and the way they used to fight and defend their land.

One of the most interesting features of the new excavation is the well as no one in the UAE has excavated a well so far.

He said that this excavation gives us a clear picture about the life of the people in this area before the discovery of oil.