ADACH expert gives heritage lectures at Zayed University

Dr Mark Beech, Head of the Division of Cultural Landscapes at ADACH is presenting a total of three lectures on the palaeontology, prehistory and historical development of the U.A.E.

This lecture program forms part of the fulfilment of a memorandum of understanding signed between Zayed University and ADACH in July 2006. The memorandum lays the groundwork for the development of joint programs that will train Emiratis in heritage management, museum management, exhibition and display, conservation and preservation. The MoU was signed by Dr. Sulaiman al Jassem, Vice President of Zayed University, and Muhammad Khalaf Al Mazrouie, the Director General of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH). Both stressed the significance of the preservation and appreciation of the UAE's heritage, and the need to build capacity within the country to develop and sustain heritage through deeper knowledge, management and promotion.

Al Mazrouie said: "With the implementation of the Abu Dhabi Cultural Heritage Management Strategy, the authority has cooperated and coordinated with various government departments, universities and institutes, particularly Zayed University, which has a great role in the cultural development process of the UAE."

The MoU covers increasing student and faculty involvement in ADACH's cultural activities, the placement of students in internship positions at the authority and cooperation and collaboration for curricula development in subjects related to UAE culture.

The lecture programme presented by Dr Mark Beech provides the students at Zayed University with an introduction to the rich cultural heritage of the UAE. The following topics are to be covered:

• Abu Dhabi 6-8 million years ago - the story behind the discovery of vertebrate fossils in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi emirate. Whilst much of Abu Dhabi is desert at the present day, it was a different matter during the Late Miocene period, some 6 to 8 million years ago. Higher rainfall at that time meant that Abu Dhabi was much greener. The landscape was more like modern day East Africa. Large rivers criss-crossed the Western Region, flowing northwards into a shallow basin that is now filled by Arabian Gulf waters. Extraordinary animals living in Abu Dhabi at that time included a large four-tusked elephant known as Stegotetrabelodon syrticus, which stood over 4 metres in height. Other mammals present included carnivores such as sabre-toothed cats and hyenas. Ungulates such as giraffes and various types of bovid and gazelle roamed the savanna-like grasslands between the ancient river courses. Hippos, crocodiles, turtles and catfish occupied the flowing waters of the rivers. Dr Beech discussed in his lecture the history of previous work carried out on fossils in Abu Dhabi, as well as highlighting the current work being carried out by ADACH. Discussions are currently underway between ADACH and Yale University, USA, to undertake a five year long joint investigation of Late Miocene fossil sites in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi.

• From the Palaeolithic to the Iron Age - an overview of the Prehistory of Abu Dhabi and the UAE. Recent archaeological surveys in both Abu Dhabi and Sharjah emirate have revealed traces of Palaeolithic artefacts. These are characteristic stone tools which indicate human presence in the region from at least tens of thousands of years ago. The beginning of the Neolithic period around 9000 years ago witnessed a dramatic change in the environment of the Gulf region. The so-called "Holocene Climatic Optimum" meant that there was a dramatically higher amount of rainfall than at the present time. This lasted up until around 6000 years ago. Dr Beech discussed the results of earlier excavations of settlement sites on the islands of Dalma and Marawah, in which he was personally involved, as well as the recent fieldwork carried out by ADACH at Umm az-Zamul. Here several thousand flint artefacts have been collected from a remote site deep in Abu Dhabi's part of the Empty Quarter (Rub al-Khali). These artefacts represent the traces of ancient nomadic communities who travelled, probably on a seasonal basis, to this area in order to provide pasture and water for their domestic animals. Dr Beech also provided an overview of the Bronze Age which saw the beginnings of oasis farming in the region, as well as the exploitation of copper from the Hajar mountains. He outlined how archaeologists working in the U.A.E. divide this time period into the Hafit period (3200-2600 BC), Umm Al-Nar period (2600-2000 BC), Wadi Suq period (2000-1600 BC) and Late Bronze age (1600-1250 BC). Changes were highlighted in the material culture of these sites by showing how pottery and metalwork changed through time. The Iron Age (1250-300 BC) witnessed two important phenomena in terms of the development of early societies in the UAE, namely the domestication of the camel, and secondly, the invention of the falaj (underground water channel system). This had a dramatic effect on population size, and on the number of sites present throughout the country, as new routes and trading centres were established.

• Pre-Islamic Arabia, the arrival of Islam and Islamic trade in the Gulf region. One of the most important Pre-Islamic sites in south-eastern Arabia is the church and monastery on Sir Bani Yas island, Excavations carried out in the mid-1990' revealed a that a Nestorian Christian community was living there. A church and number of associated buildings were investigated. This whole complex appears to have operated during the 6-7th centuries AD. Subsequent to this the Christian community disappears. This is because Islam sweeps through the Arabian Peninsula and the community inhabiting the monastery either converts or is posted elsewhere. Small quantities of Islamic pottery have been discovered at many sites in the Abu Dhabi desert. Whilst some of this reflects the dispersal of local pottery produced in Ras Al-Khaimah in the northern Emirates, traces of imported pottery such as Chinese celadon demonstrates the wide reaching impact of Indian Ocean trade. The importance of pearling to the pre-oil era communities of the UAE is paramount, as witnessed by the recent successful exhibition organised by ADACH in the Cultural Foundation in Abu Dhabi. Some of the most visible traces of recent history are the numerous forts and towers located in Al Ain and Liwa. A program documenting and recording these is currently underway by a team from ADACH. This includes an extensive restoration program and plan to restore the Qasr Al-Hosn fort in Abu Dhabi to become a museum.