Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qassimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Media Council, representing His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qassimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah inaugurated the “Sharjah Archaeology Fair”, under the title: “Culture and Identity of Sharjah Archaeological Heritage” .The event took place in the presence of Dr. Sabah Aboud Jasim, Director General of the Sharjah Archaeology Authority, His Excellency Dr. Graça Fonseca, Portuguese Minister of Culture, and His Excellency Musa Abdul Wahed Al Khajah, the country’s ambassador to Portugal. The fair was held in the halls of the National Archaeology Museum in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon, and it included 150 archaeological artifacts .The fair was organized by Sharjah Archaeology Authority, in cooperation with the Archaeology Institute at the University of Nova Lisbon, and will continue until ‘Past’ April 2020.
The organization of the Fair aimed at effecting the memorandum of understanding that was concluded between the two organizing parties earlier, aiming also to enhance the cooperation in the field of archaeological excavations, exchange of expertise and joint scientific research.
Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qassimi , accompanied by senior Portuguese officials and members of the delegation of the Emirate of Sharjah, toured the Fair halls after the official opening ceremony. The fair included selected samples of archaeological discoveries in Sharjah sites, which represent different civilizational periods, starting from the stone ages through the prehistoric times and the Bronze era, the Iron Age, the Hellenistic period, and the pre-Islamic period up to the Islamic era.
The Fair provides the Portuguese public, tourists, and those who are interested and work in the field of antiquities, an opportunity to be introduced to the cultural and archaeological heritage of the Emirate of Sharjah between the present and the past, and Sharjah and Portugal sections. The two sections include information about the archaeological discoveries in Sharjah, which was found by the Portuguese mission from the University of Nova
In the second hall, the Fair organizers reviewed in front of the audience the most important archaeological discoveries dating back to the period between the third century BC and the third century AD, known as the pre-Islamic period and the Islamic period that extends from the Abbasid era to the present day.
The Islamic period was represented by archaeological finds discovered in Dibba Al-Hisn, Khor Fakkan, Al Lou’lou’iyyah, Al Dhaid, and Kalba.
As for the pre-Islamic period displayed in the same hall, it was represented by archaeological finds from Maliha, dating back to an important historical era in the history of the Arabian Peninsula. They included the Amphora jar from Rhodes Island , a large pottery jar imported from southern Spain, as well as an important collection of Dibba Al-Hisn discoveries.
Then, Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qassimi and their Excellencies went to the third Fair hall titled : “Sunrise Time”, in which they viewed ancient archaeological artifacts from iron, bronze and stone ages. Among the exhibits is an Acholi stone ax, dating back to the ancient stone age. It was discovered at the Suhaila archaeological site in Al Dhaid.
This Fair is a new human, civilizational and cultural window that the Emirate of Sharjah opens to overlook the world, presenting its heritage, antiquities and history through academic knowledge partnerships. It fulfills its aspirations to talk to others and to introduce the others to us.
Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qassimi , Chairman of the Sharjah Media Council assured the representatives of the Portuguese government, intellectuals and visitors that His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qassimi , Supreme Council member and Ruler of Sharjah, the sponsor of the Fair, pays a great attention to the archaeology and archaeological discoveries sector, pointing out that the eighties of the last century highlighted the presence of the first expedition to Sharjah, and its archaeological explorations helped record the historical period of the first human presence in the region.
The Chairman of the Sharjah Media Council explained that what is displayed today at the “Sharjah Archaeology” Fair held at the National Archaeology Museum in Lisbon, reflects the extent of the archaeological richness of Sharjah, which is a distinct combination of archaeological artifacts from different time periods, spanning more than 800 thousand years, and proving the history of human settlement in the region and highlighting the civilizations and their development therein.
