MLH-5 Monumental and Subterranean Tombs, Mleiha Archaeological Center, Sharjah

A large graveyard located south of the fort. The types of tombs and the findings which have been unearthed at MLH-5 suggest the site was in use from the 2nd Century BCE to the 1st Century CE. Six monumental tombs were discovered; three in the central part of the graveyard and the other three around 25m to the south. Some of these tombs have been reconstructed.

All of the tombs share a distinct architectural design with a large square or rectangular shaped pit dug 2m to 3m deep forming the burial chamber. Tomb towers were usually around 2.5m – 3m tall and constructed from square or rectangular gypsum bricks, then topped with a crenulated frieze and coated with gypsum plaster. There are also subterranean tombs, a rectangular pit surrounded by two or three rows of mud bricks over which stone slabs were placed.