SHARJAH ARCHAEOLOGY AUTHORITY

A SUSTAINABLE WORLD CULTURAL HERITAGE FOR SHARJAH EMIRATE’S AUTHENTIC ARCHAEOLOGY

About

Sharjah Archaeology Authority

Titled “Department of Archaeology and Heritage”, under the umbrella of the Department of Culture and Information, Sharjah Archaeology Department was established in 1986 to supervise all the archaeological and heritage sites all over Sharjah emirate and to provide the necessary protection to them; in addition to carrying out the archaeological exploration operations and overseeing the exploration work of the foreign expeditions operating in Sharjah emirate.

Historical highlights in the depths of human civilization

Rare black-glazed Rhodian amphora

Rare black-glazed Rhodian wine amphora discovered in Tomb of Amud FA-5 at Mleiha, Sharjah, UAE. Rhodian amphorae were popular burial goods at Mleiha from the early 3rd to the 1st century BC. Dated to the mid 3rd century BCE. It was glazed on the in- and outside, in Southern Mesopotamia. Around the base are three oval spur marks visible in the glaze, caused by the support on which the vessel was placed in the oven at the time of the glazing. The spike was later removed, a practice documented from other Rhodian amphorae at Mleiha. Figure 13 in Overlaet 2018:19; Figure 14 in Overlaet at al. 2018:37.

Acheulean handaxe

Acheulean style handaxe from the Suhailah Site, north of Dhaid, Sharjah, UAE. Discovered in 2012. Esitmated to be greater than 500,000 years old. Bretzke 2018:52, Figure 6 #2. 534 photos. Completely processed (aligned, scaled, modeled, cleaned, simplified, unwrapped, textured, meshed) in Reality Capture. Knut Bretzke. 2018. The 2013 Paleolithic field work in the interior of Sharjah Emirate. Annual Sharjah Archaeology, Issue 14, Pp. 47-58.

Statue, 1st - 3nd cent. CE. Mleiha 8, “the palace” entrance and courtyard. H. 14.8 cm. Overlaet 2018:21, Figure 15. Catalogue No. 15; Mery and Mouton 2018:53). 558 photos. Completely processed (aligned, scaled, modeled, cleaned, simplified, unwrapped, textured, meshed) in Reality Capture. B. Overlaet 2018. Mleiha, An Arab Kingdom on the Caravan Trails (Brussels 30.10-30.12.2018). Sharjah: Sharjah Archaeology Authority. Sophie Mery and Michel Mouton. 2018. French archaeological expedition in the United Arab Emirates. Annual Sharjah Archaeology, Issue 13, Pp. 44-54.

Bronze Weapon Hoard

Bronze Age bronze hoard containing a variety of spear heads, knives and daggers. Jebel al-Buhais, Sharjah, UAE. On display in the Mleiha Archaeological Center. 2nd millenium BCE. Catalog number EXS254. Processed in Reality Capture from 837 images.

Pre-Islamic bronze statuette of Aphrodite

Pre-Islamic bronze statuette of Aphrodite-The Greek Goddess of love, beauty and pleasure., Mleiha, Sharjah, UAE. On display in the Mleiha Archaeological Center. 1st Century CE. Catalog number ML6.10. Processed in Reality Capture from 783 images.

Bronze horse spout

Bronze horse spout for a bowl. Mleiha, Sharjah. 2nd entury BCE (Córdoba 2016:118, Figure 136). Catalogue No. M7-03. 2017-FG.F049 542 photos. Completely processed (aligned, scaled, modeled, cleaned, simplified, unwrapped, textured, meshed) in Reality Capture. J. Mª Córdoba 2016. La era de Mleiha: navegantes y caravanas antes del Islam. Pp 83-130 (Figure p. 92). In EN LOS CONFINES DE ORIENTE PRÓXIMO: El hallazgo moderno del país de Magán. Museo Arqueológico Nacional Catálogo de la Exposición Temporal Celebrada entre el 18 de abril y el 29 de mayo de 2016. Comisario: J. Mª Córdoba Zoilo. Comisarias adjuntas: C. del Cerro Linares, Mª C. Pérez Díe, E. Pons Mellado.

Ivory Carving

Small ivory carving from Dibba al-Hisn, Sharjah, UAE. Dated to the 1st century CE. 384 photos. Completely processed (aligned, scaled, modeled, cleaned, simplified, unwrapped, textured) in Reality Capture. Page 129, Figure 176 in J. Mª Córdoba 2016. La era de Mleiha: navegantes y caravanas antes del Islam. Pp 83-130. In EN LOS CONFINES DE ORIENTE PRÓXIMO: El hallazgo moderno del país de Magán. Museo Arqueológico Nacional Catálogo de la Exposición Temporal Celebrada entre el 18 de abril y el 29 de mayo de 2016. Comisario: J. Mª Córdoba Zoilo. Comisarias adjuntas: C. del Cerro Linares, Mª C. Pérez Díe, E. Pons Mellado.

Statue

Green glazed vessels such as this vase with ornamental handles were imported from Southern Mesopotamia (modern Iraq). The lower parts of the handles sometimes end in knobs, or hands / paws. They were popular in SE-Arabia (UAE and Oman). Several of were deposited as burial goods in tombs at Mleiha (Sharjah, UAE). Dated from the 2nd C BCE to the 1st C CE. Examples in Overlaet (2018:18, Figure 6, Cat 6), and Córdoba (2016:119, Figure 143). This vessel was discovered in 2017 in a tomb close to the tomb of Amud (excavation nr. ML17/FG.P.045). Its original green glaze changed into a beige to gold color. 781 photos. Completely processed (aligned, scaled, modeled, cleaned, simplified, unwrapped, textured, meshed) in Reality Capture. B. Overlaet 2018. Mleiha, An Arab Kingdom on the Caravan Trails (Brussels 30.10-30.12.2018). Sharjah: Sharjah Archaeology Authority.

Silver sheet with dedication

Silver sheet with punched dedication to the deity al-Lat. 3rd-2nd Century BCE. Mleiha area 04-East, “farmhouse”. H. 6.2 cm. Overlaet (2018:27, Figure 19, Catalog No. 25). Faro Design Arm Scan. Processed in Geomagic and meshlab. B. Overlaet 2018. Mleiha, An Arab Kingdom on the Caravan Trails (Brussels 30.10-30.12.2018). Sharjah: Sharjah Archaeology Authority.

Glass Vessel

Opaque Glass Vessel, Dibba Al Hisn, Sharjah, 1st C. CE Glass was an important export product of the Mediterranean Roman world from the middle of the first century BC onwards. Large quantities reached the Oman peninsula. This specimen was discovered in a communal tomb at Dibba al-Hisn (Sharjah Emirate) on the East coast of the Oman peninsula, together with glass unguentaria, Indian ivory combs, a Roman intaglio– luxury products that illustrate the importance of Dibba as a trading port (Jasim 2006). Sabah A. Jasim. 2006. Trade centres and commercial routes in the Arabian Gulf: Post-Hellenistic discoveries at Dibba, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy 2006: 17: 214–237.

International Exhibitions

Various exhibitions narrating Sharjah’s civilization and history

Sharjah Archaeology Authority concludes its participation in the UAE Innovation Month

Sharjah Archaeology Authority concluded its participation in the activities of the UAE Innovation Month in Sharjah, which was organized at the headquarters of Sharjah Book

Civilization Unity and Cultural Diversity

Under the motto ” civilizational Unity and Cultural Diversity “Sharjah Archaeology Authority will participate in the sixth periodical joint Fair of the archaeology of the

Contribution to Sharjah Fringe Festival

His Excellency Dr. Sabah Aboud Jassim, Director-General of Sharjah Archaeology Authority, said: “We are pleased to contribute to sponsoring Sharjah Fringe Festival, the largest artistic

Our Latest Publications

Sharjah Archaeology Annual Magazine 19

By the end of 2021, which coincides with the expected date of the issuance of the new issue of the Annual Sharjah Archaeology Magazine, we would like to underscore the fact that this year was a continuation of the case that prevailed in the past year due to the critical juncture caused by the large scale epidemic. This situation has, naturally, led to a reduction in the range of activities related to Archaeological Survey and excavation by foreign excavation missions operating on the lands of Sharjah.

01/01/2021

Geographical Distribution of Archaeological Sites in United Arab Emirates

The book examines the map of archaeological sites in United Arab Emirates and discusses the historical eras that it passed through, such as the Stone Age in its various stages, beginning with the Middle Antiquity, and its most important settlements are Jebel Barakah, 250 thousand years ago, and Jabal Al Faya, 130,000 years ago, and its influence lasted until the fourth millennium BC;The Bronze Age, which includes the periods of Hafit, Umm an-Nar, and Wadi Suq, and dates between the end of the fourth millennium and the end of the second millennium BC; The Iron Age, which included the appearance of the aflaj and was dated between 1300 BC and 300 BC. Muwailih, Rumailah, Al Thuqaiba, Saruq Al Nar, Al Bathna, Masafi, and Heli are among the most important settlements; The pre-Islamic era, which lasted from 300 BC to 610 AD, witnessed flourishing of several cities in the country, including Maliha, Dibba, Al-Dur, Sir Bani Yas, and Turaif; The Islamic era, which began with the period in which the Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, was sent, and the period that followed his death. Its most important sites are the Abbasid-era Jumeirah, Kalba, Khor Fakkan, Dibba, Julfar, and Tell Kush, which date back to the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The archaeological sites featured in the book include 24 in Abu Dhabi, 7 in Dubai, 21 in Sharjah, 15 in Ras Al Khaimah, 12 in Fujairah, 5 in Umm Al Quwain, and two in Ajman.

01/01/2010

The First Exhibition of Antiquities Discovered in the Emirate of Sharjah

01/01/2016

Mleiha … An Arab Kingdom on the Caravan Way

The settlement of Mleiha is one of the most important archaeological sites in the United Arab Emirates and the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in general. Based on the results of the archaeological excavations carried out by the Belgian archaeological mission, it appears that this geographical spot included a prosperous community during the period between the third century BC and the third century AD. It played an important role as a caravan city that enjoyed long-term trade relations with the commercial centres in the Arabian Peninsula, the northern Persian Gulf, Mesopotamia, Iran, the Greek islands, and the Roman Empire.

01/01/2020

Sharjah Archaeology Annual Magazine 18

This new issue of the “Sharjah Antiquities” yearbook is issued, and the world is still living in an unprecedented atmosphere due to the pandemic pandemic that casts a dark shadow over every place, and for all academic activities and research, in spite of you. It was represented in organizing a number of lectures, in addition to holding seminars, which dealt with presenting the results of archaeological excavations, and discussing related future projects.

21/03/2022

Early Abbasid Era in the Emirate of Sharjah

In the introduction to his book, the author discussed the concept of studying archaeological finds and the importance of placing them within the geographical, historical, and cultural contexts of the region in which they were discovered, as well as the role of heritage sources in the process of analyzing and studying the discovered antiquities. He devoted an important part of his research to discussing the issue of Arab, Islamic, and foreign coins that were in circulation at the time, in terms of the region’s political, practical, social, and economic importance, after being presented in detail to the review and discussion of various pottery and stone finds. The author focused on the Abbasid group of dirhams, which were discovered inside a small Abbasid-style glazed jar. They were nine silver dirhams and one copper fil. It also contained five small square copper pieces of varying weights. These silver coins date back to the first Abbasid era, which dates back to 123-218 AH (750-833 AD)

Photos Gallery

Every picture has a story, every story belongs to an era, and every era has its people and tales

News Update

We narrate the news through story, history, and archaeological remains

Sharjah’s Sira Khorfakkan Island in for Major Transformation after being Declared Archaeological Reserve

THE FAMOUSLY IMPREGNABLE ISLAND OVERLOOKING EMIRATE’S EAST COAST IS A TREASURE TROVE OF HISTORY GOING BACK AS FAR AS THE CRETACEOUS AND MIDDLE AGES Sharjah’s

WhatsApp Image 2022 07 07 at 11.06.02 AM 4 - SAA

“SHARJAH ARCHAEOLOGY” ANNOUNCES THE INCLUSION OF “SHARJAH: GATEWAY OF THE TRUCIAL STATES” IN THE FINAL LIST OF ISLAMIC WORLD HERITAGE

The First UAE Site to be Included in the List The Heritage Committee of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) added the

NEW ARCHAEOLOGICAL DATA REVEAL HUMAN OCCUPATION AT THE JEBEL FAYA ROCK SHELTER, UAE, REACHING BACK 200,000 YEARS

An international team of researchers from the Sharjah Archaeology Authority and the universities of Tübingen, Freiburg and Oxford Brookes, have uncovered startlingly new results that

Virtual Tour for the culture identity exhibition for
Sharjah Archaeology Authority
Lisbon - Portugal

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