UAE | Heritage and Culture
Standing the test of time
Located in the centre of the commercial business district in Bur Dubai, Al Fahidi Fort serves as a reminder of Dubai's roots.
- By Mariam M. Al Serkal, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:18 September 19, 2008
- Image Credit: Vazhisojan/Gulf News
- Located in the centre of the commercial business district in Bur Dubai, Al Fahidi Fort serves as a reminder of Dubai's roots.
Dubai: Located in the centre of the commercial business district in Bur Dubai, Al Fahidi Fort serves as a reminder of Dubai's roots.
Al Fahidi Fort is one of the city's oldest monuments, built in about 1787 to defend the city against invaders. It was converted into a museum in 1971 and has been providing visitors for over 35 years with insights into the cultural heritage of the UAE.
In 2007 Dubai Museum received 611,840 visitors, an average of 1,300 per day, according to officials.
Director Aisha Mubarak Obaid says the museum was renovated in 1995 and an extension was added to the basement of the fort.
"The fort has only two halls, and it used to display archaeological artefacts and items reflecting society's heritage, such as tools associated with fishing and pearl diving," said Obaid, who has been working at the museum since 1979.
She notes that since the extension was completed, the fort has been displaying traditional dancing gear and weapons such as firearms and khanjars (traditional daggers).
The museum provides a chronological tour of Dubai's progress that dates back to the late 1870s, when it was considered the principal port on the Arab Gulf coast. "We have found over 250 graves in Al Qusais dating back to the second millennium BC. Only a few graves still had items in them. We believe that they were ransacked," says May Hameed, historical researcher at the museum.
Over the past three decades, excavations have been conducted from January to June in Qusais, Hatta, Al Sufouh and Jumeirah. The latest excavation site is currently at Sharooq Al Haddid, far out in the desert.
"The Jumeirah site was a major city from the ninth to 12th centuries because of its location between Baghdad, Oman and East Africa," Hameed said.
Life in the city's early days are clearly replicated at the museum, where one can see how people lived next to the sea, in the desert or in the city. A traditional souq, dhows under construction and Bedouins camping around a night fire are some of the aspects of life that have been replicated. Examples of dhows can also be seen in the courtyard of the fort.
One of the most important economic activities of old Dubai was fishing, since the industry al.so supported boat building, net making and pearl diving.
Pearl divers risked their lives to gather oysters and had to remain under the water for more than two minutes at a time, using nothing more than a nose-clip and a heavy stone to weigh them down.
Pearl diving was the backbone of the city's prosperity until the 1940s when the advent of cultured pearls led to the collapse in demand for the natural variety, forcing traders to shift their focus to gold.
More from UAE Heritage & Culture
More from UAE
Latest news
- Tracks to be laid on recycled material
- Golden Hour crucial to a patient's survival
- Opening show worthy of UAE
- Sun is shining on prospects for solar power
- Artists focus on craftsmanship
- World leaders committed to supporting civilians
- Schools open a new page in teaching English
- Special parking to help disabled tourists
- Helping hand surgeons have long sought
- Blind woman lights up corridors of power
- In Mind
- At times, I think of committing suicide
- Designer of a creative haven
- Fund to help Dubai taxi drivers' families
- New life-saving fleet of vehicles
Community Reports
-
Warming up to ‘Mobilise the Earth' theme
Dubai school dedicates a whole week to celebrating Earth Day with can-collection drives, sapling plantation and painting competition among others
-
Drivers using mobiles put others' lives at risk
Speeding is dangerous for the driver and other motorists
-
Supporting the needy with food supplies
Group of families engaged in serving isolated labour community hopes to motivate more people to help underprivileged and hungry
-
Leukaemia boy granted wish to meet footballer
Emirati meets hero Al Qahtani, Al Ain team
