We did the trip almost 4 months back. I did not make detail noting of the trip. Therefore, it is bit difficult for me construct day by day narratives. Further, there are many places which we had visited for more than one time. So, day by day narration would have some element of repetition.
Therefore, I would construct this narrative on the basis of places visited by us. The broad classification is as follows:
- Dubai;
- Bur Dubai;
- Deira;
- Al Ain; and
- Fujairah.
In the subsequent posts, I will narrate various attractions of those places which were visited by us.
Dubai
Whenever we hear Dubai, we instantaneously visualize an ultra-modern city backed up by superb infrastructure. It enjoys an impeccable reputation as a trade and financial nerve centre of the entire globe. Dubai, as perceived by us, is an out an out futuristic city.
But Dubai does have a history and that too is almost 5000 years old.
Dubai’s history can be dated back to 3000 BC. Archeological excavations at Hatta, Al Quasis and Jumeirah reveal that there was a high degree of civilization in the Dubai area around 3000 BC as well as in the early and middle Islamic period. An Italian explorer in 1580 described Dubai as a prosperous community when people of Dubai were engaged in pearl diving.
Occupation dating to the third millennium BC (Early Bronze Age) has been found not only in Dubai but also throughout the emirates, as evidenced by the settlement along the western coast of Arabian Gulf and in the interior oasis and mountain wadis. In Dubai, bronze age settlements have been found at two sites – Matta and Al-Safoh. This civilization, contemporary with other major civilisations in Mesopotamia and Indus valley, flourished in the Emirates. As per the archeologists, this civilization was known in Mesopotamian texts as Magan, one of the Mesopotamia’s major copper supplier.
The geographical location of Hatta and Al-Safoh contributed their playing an important role in trade and transportation of copper from the mountains for export, consolidating their position and status with the other the then ancient civilizations. The populations of these areas were dependent upon agriculture, grazing, fishing, pearling and manufacturing of bronze and ceramics for their livelihood. Hatta and Umm Suqeim are the oldest human settlements discovered in the Emirate of Dubai till date.
The settlement at Al-Safoh is dated 2500-2000 BC. Located close to the main settlement, is a circular stone built communal grave, over six and half meters diameter, the largest tomb yet found in Dubai. The outer walls of the tomb are built of carefully cut and shaped blocks of beach stone up to 90 cm of length, 55 cm in height and 10 cm in thickness, which fit together create a smooth, convex exterior face. Internally, the tomb is divided into two apparently unconnected halves which are approached by two opposite doorways of 50 cm in width. Further, internal walls divide each half of the tomb in three separate chambers, all accessible via a narrow passage next to the external wall. Contained in these chambers were the skeletal remains of many men, women and children, distributed with no apparent chamber specialization according to age and sex. Funerary gifts included ceramic vessels, bronze daggers and rings as well as many beads, necklaces all dating to the second half of third millennium (2500-2000 B.C.), an era locally knowns as Umm Annar period.
Many tombs of similar structure and content have been excavated throughout Emirates providing the evidence of widespread and flourishing culture that existed in the region at that time.
An archeological site of importance in this regard is Al Quasis. It represents a centre of civilization and contains the remains of a small human settlement which dates back to the third millennium BC. Discoveries included the remains of a small temple, which probably was used to worship snakes, and fields of graves of different shapes; rectangular graves (second millennium B.C.); oval shaped graves (second half of second millennium B.C.) and shoe shaped graves (first millennium B.C.). Some of these graves contained skeleton which were almost intact. One of the most interesting discoveries was that of grave with two intertwined skeletons, most probably of a husband and wife.
The wife was facing the South, which was the direction of the human settlements, an indication of regular daily requirements, while the male was facing the sea, the source of making a living through fishing and sailing. This shows a civilized society with a religion with belief in life after death. The dead were provided with funeral gifts including pottery, stone vessels, bronze items which were used as weapons, beads and shells. Al Quasis site referred to a superior civiisation which resulted from commercial relation, geographical location and local manufacturing.
Al Quasis is located 15 kms east of Deira.
With the rise of Islam, the Emirate became part of the Arab-Islamic civilization. Archeological evidences of early Islamic era, the Umayyad and Abbasid era have been discovered at Al Jumeirah. This site, admeasuring approximately around 20 hectres, has the remains of many houses, large buildings and commercial shops built of stone and covered with plaster.
The architecture of Al Jumeirah is characterized by the use of arches, columns and towers, as well as ornamentation and engravings as facades, doors and windows. Glass and Pottery similar to those found in Al Jumeirah, have also been found in Mesopotamia indicating the existence of connection between Emirates and Mesopotamia and importance of Emirates as a commercial centre and caravan station en route to Mesopotamia and perhaps other parts of Arabian Peninsula.
The relics of Islamic Jumeirah are located along Jumeirah beach. It includes remains of big buildings, a mosque, a number of shops and separate houses. Those remains date back to pre-Islamic era and the rise of Arabic-Islamic civilization. The archeological discovery shows that the city of Dubai reached its zenith during Abbasid era (ninth century AD). The sophistication of this civilization is reflected in its architecture which included the use of arches, towers and different stucco decorations. The ancient city flourished due its location as a trade station between Oman, the heart of Arabian Peninsula and Mesopotamia. This made the population rich and allowed them to lead a developed and advanced lifestyle,
One excavated building in Jumeirah shows the development of architecture in the Emirates from the pre-Islamic eras up to the end of second Abbasid era (5th-12th century A.D.)
The building is rectangular and was constructed in an rea of approximately 347 square meters. It includes eighteen rooms of different sizes and shapes. It was built in two stages. The old part is made of eight rectangular rooms (5th-6th century A.D.). The other part is an addition which was made during the Umayyad and Abbasid eras and includes ten rooms built around an open court yard. The entrance of the building is on eastern side and has two quadrant towers. On the four corners of the building there are circular towers, while semi circular towers are present on the remaining walls of the buildings. Rooms, internal and external walls and floors were plastered with pure gypsum.
Dubai first became an independent political entity in 1833, when 800 men of the Bu Flasa tribe, under the leadership of Maktoum Bin Butti, settled in the area. Most of the population settled in Bur Dubai, which was surrounded by a defensive wall. But Deira was not populated in large numbers until 1841, followed by Al Shindagha.
Dubai’s economy prospered after 1894 when Sheikh Makhtoum Bin Hasher Al Makhtoum gave tax exemption to foreign traders. At that time, the city’s exports were pearl, dried fish
