UAE | Heritage and Culture
Digging up ancient past to unearth forest's secrets
A natural history team from Yale University has arrived in Abu Dhabi to begin a four-year project in collaboration with the Historic Environment Department at the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage.
- By Eman Mohammed, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:36 January 1, 2008
- Marilyn Fox of Yale University and Walid Yasin of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage excavate the fossilised jaws of an elephant in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi.
- Image Credit: Supplied Picture
Abu Dhabi: A natural history team from Yale University has arrived in Abu Dhabi to begin a four-year project in collaboration with the Historic Environment Department at the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage.
The joint project concerns the investigation of the Baynunah Formation, a set of geological deposits rich in fossils in Abu Dhabi's Western Region.
The team from the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History led by Professor Andrew Hill and Faysal Bibi from Yale University, is working in Abu Dhabi for one month surveying and mapping fossil sites.
These sites date back about six to eight million years ago, a time known as the late Miocene epoch. During that time Abu Dhabi was greener than today, with rivers flowing through it teeming with hippos, crocodiles, turtles and fish. Forested areas and savanna-like grasslands were occupied by animals such as elephants, rhinos, giraffes, horses, antelopes and ostriches.
The team includes members of Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage's (ADACH) Historic Environment Department. The joint ADACH-Yale team has so far carried out surveys at Hamra, Ras Dubay'ah, Ras Al Qal'a, Shuwaihat and Jebel Barakah.
Further work this year is planned for Mleisa, Niqa, Umm Al Ishtan and Jaw Al Dibsa. Several important new fossil specimens have already been discovered including the remains of an extinct giant form of ostrich as well as the jaws of an extinct elephant.
The fossils of Abu Dhabi contain elements in common with sites of a similar age from Africa, Asia, and Europe, as well as a number of new species.
ADACH's historic environment team is currently working on an extensive project mapping the location of all the fossil sites within Abu Dhabi.
Share this article
More from UAE Heritage & Culture
More from UAE
Popular in UAE
-
Your pictures
Readers' pictures
The best reader pictures from around the UAE this week
Latest news
- Student tackles used cooking oil
- Road accidents the leading cause of brain injuries in Dubai
- No one wants to teach
- Notary phone bookings to start next month
- Move abandoned vehicles out of the way
- English to stay as medium of instruction
- Fishmongers, consumers trade charges
- DIFF function to raise funds for Aids charity
- Seven held trying to fly from Abu Dhabi illegally
- Trucks queue eases at Saudi border
- 15 genetic triggers linked to birth defects in UAE
- Haj mission's H1N1 measures lauded
- Employer prosecuted for false accusation
- Number of Saudi students rises
- Petrol fumes at gas stations are threat to health
Community Reports
-
Keeping out curious cats in Abu Dhabi
Felines trapped in electrical substations create a nuisance
-
Construction site turned into dump
Sharjah residents using abandoned spot to dispose of waste
-
Stop disregarding road rules
Gulf News reader calls on authorities to curb reckless driving during rush hours in Mussafah industrial area underpass
-
Public transport is the way to go
Residents must stop complaining about feeder buses taking up parking space
