Sharjah’s Faya Palaeolandscape draws global attention after UNESCO recognition

Pictures and Video by Virendra Saklani , Video Edit by James Martinez

Sharjah’s Faya Palaeolandscape, located near Jebel Faya in central Sharjah, has officially been inscribed as the UAE’s second UNESCO World Heritage Site—and the only Arab nomination accepted in 2025 under the "Cultural Landscape" category. This ancient fossil desert landscape preserves a remarkable 210,000-year record of early human occupation, making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the region.

Led by the Sharjah Archaeology Authority, in collaboration with the University of Tübingen and Oxford Brookes University, archaeological teams have uncovered 18 distinct layers of human activity, spanning from the Paleolithic to the Neolithic periods. These findings include sophisticated stone tools created by early humans who adapted to dramatic climate changes over millennia.

UNESCO recognized Faya for its Outstanding Universal Value, emphasizing its critical role in challenging previous theories about early human migration in Southeast Arabia. Instead of serving solely as a migratory corridor, as once believed, Faya reveals a pattern of long-term, repeated settlement—an exceptional trait for a desert landscape. It is now the first desert Paleolithic site to be listed as a World Heritage Site.

The UAE and Sharjah governments have launched a comprehensive 2024–2030 management and conservation plan to protect and preserve the site. The roadmap includes initiatives for further archaeological research, sustainable tourism, and community education, ensuring that Faya’s legacy continues to inform and inspire future generations.

With this inscription, the World Heritage List now includes 1,226 properties across 168 countries, with 96 sites located in 18 Arab nations. Faya Palaeolandscape stands as a symbol of the UAE’s growing commitment to cultural preservation and global heritage leadership.