Know the UAE: Life under the tent

For centuries, the Bedouin tribes kept moving across the desert in nomadic cycles dictated by seasonal changes, availability of grazing land, and the location of water.

Although water, food, soil and energy were always in short supply, the people had an intrinsic understanding of their realities and the rich culture that emerged from their transient lifestyle was deep in resourceful adaptation.

A notable example of this is their dwelling place. The bedouin needed homes that could be easily constructed and maintained, be flexible yet rugged and, most of all, be suited to climatic conditions.

They found their answer in animal skins, and the Arabic Beyt al Sha’ar translates as ‘house of hair’.

Know the national symbols of the UAE and their meaning

Today, the black bedouin tent is considered an ingenious vernacular design that is culturally rich and relevant in equal measure