List of ancient settlements in the UAE

The territory currently known as the United Arab Emirates was formerly populated by inhabitants of a number of coastal and inland settlements, with human remains pointing to a pattern of transmigration and settlement as far back as 125,000 years. Prehistoric Arabian settlements in the UAE took place in the Neolithic, with a number of distinctive eras of ancient settlement including the Stone Age Arabian Bifacial and Ubaid cultures from 5000 to 3100 BCE; the Hafit period with its distinctive beehive shaped tombs and Jemdet Nasr pottery, from 3200 to 2600 BCE; the Umm Al Nar period from 2600 to 2000 BCE; the Wadi Suq Culture from 2000 to 1300 BCE and the three Iron Ages of the UAE.

Iron Age I spanned 1200–1000 BCE; Iron Age II from 1000 to 600 BCE and Iron Age III from 600 to 300 BCE. This was followed by the Hellenistic Mleiha era (also known as the PIR - Pre-Islamic Recent), from 300 BCE onwards through to the Islamic era which commenced with the culmination of the 7th century Ridda Wars.

The remains of settlements, burials and other extensive evidence of human habitation throughout these eras is littered throughout the UAE, with many extensive finds of rich materials in the shape of pottery, jewellery, weapons and both human and animal remains providing archaeologists and researchers with an increasingly sophisticated picture of longstanding involvement in regional trade alongside nomadic cultures eking out a living from the frequently arid and inhospitable desert and mountain environment of the UAE.

Settlements

+SettlementEmirate (modern)PopulatedNotesAl AshooshDubai2500–2000 BCEUmm Al Nar site with no burial discovered.Al MadamSharjah1100–300 BCEIron Age aflaj (water systems)Al SufouhDubai2500–2000 BCEUmm Al Nar site with tombBidaa bint SaudAbu Dhabi3200–2600 BCEHafit and Iron Age burialsBithnahFujairah2000–300 BCEWadi Suq burials and Iron Age petroglyphsEd-DurUmm Al Quwain5300 BCE–300 CEMajor ancient city/settlement spanning Ubeid period through Umm Al Nar, Wadi Suq to Iron Age and Pre-IslamicHiliAbu Dhabi3200–2600 BCEHafit and Umm Al Nar tombsJebel BuhaisSharjah5000–1300 BCENecropolis featuring Stone, Bronze, Iron and Hellenistic age burialsJebel FayaSharjah125,000 BCENeolithic, Paleolithic, Stone, Bronze Age finds (See Mleiha)Jebel HafeetAbu Dhabi3200-2600 BCGave its name to the Hafit period, extensive beehive tombs, with some reconstructedJulfarRas Al Khaimah1300-1650 CEPrecursor settlement to Ras Al Khaimah JumeirahDubai900-1100 CERemains of early Islamic era souq, houses and caravanseraiKalbaSharjah2500–1300 BCEUmm Al Nar settlementKushRas Al Khaimah600-1400 CELate pre-Islamic to Islamic settlementMasafiRas Al Khaimah1300–300 BCEIron Age findsMleihaSharjah5300–300 BCESettlement through Ubaid, Hafit, Umm Al Nar, Wadi Suq and Iron Age to Hellenistic Mleiha & pre-Islamic periodsMuweilahSharjah1100–600 BCEIron Age II settlementQattara OasisAbu Dhabi1800–1500 BCEBronze and Iron Age settlementRumailahAbu Dhabi2000–1000 BCEUmm Al Nar through to Iron Age II settlementSaruq Al HadidDubai2600 BCE–1000 CEOccupation since Umm Al Nar period, major Iron Age metallurgical centreSeih Al HarfRas Al Khaimah2000–1300 BCEExtensive Wadi Suq burial siteShimalRas Al Khaimah2500–1300 BCEUmm Al Nar/Wadi Suq burialsTell AbraqUmm Al Quwain/Sharjah2500–400 BCEMajor settlement, spanning Umm Al Nar, Wadi Suq and Iron AgeThuqeibahSharjah1100–400 BCEIron Age II and III settlementUmm Al NarAbu Dhabi2600–2000 BCEBurials and settlement defined the Umm Al Nar period

See also List of cultural property of national significance in the United Arab Emirates List of cities of the ancient Near East

References