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.

The book, issued by the Sharjah Archaeology Authority in 2016 AD, dealt with the large cemetery of Mleiha with square towers at the top, especially the tomb of Amud bin Jar bin Ali, the inspector of the King of Oman. It covers architectural elements based on the establishment of the settlement, coins, pottery finds as well as stone, bronze, horse and camel equipment. The book ends with reviews of the iron weapons found in Mleiha.