Louvre Abu Dhabi takes you down the Roads of Arabia, past to present
Ancient sculptures, gold funeral masks, colossal statues and a door to the Kaaba.
Louvre Abu Dhabi’s new exhibition opening today will display the rich and untold history of the Arabian Peninsula, from the dawn of civilisation to modernity.
The critically acclaimed Roads of Arabia takes people on a journey around a region so often mistaken for empty desert. Visitors will get the chance to learn about some of the earliest inhabitants of Arabia.
For the first time, the show includes pieces from the UAE. Many of the artefacts were unearthed only in the past few decades and are gradually drawing back the curtain on a glittering past.
It is also the first outing for the exhibition in the Arabian Peninsula outside Saudi Arabia, and marks Louvre Abu Dhabi’s one-year anniversary.
“This exhibition is a privilege for all visitors,” Souraya Noujaim, scientific, curatorial and collection management director at Louvre Abu Dhabi, told The National. “The history of the region has yet to be told expansively and this exhibition contributes to telling the story,” Ms Noujaim said.
The expanded version of Roads of Arabia includes a priceless pearl found in Umm Al Quwain and a 5,000-yearold stone decorated with a wild camel, on loan from the Al Ain Museum. Artefacts from the Saruq Al Hadid site in Dubai that provide evidence for the first gold production centre in the region are also on display.
“We feel very proud. It is a privilege to show such rare, historic objects from the UAE in an Abu Dhabi institution,” Ms Noujaim said. “The archaeological pieces from the UAE are hugely important. We anticipate [them] being exciting discoveries for visitors to the museum.”
Roads of Arabia is among Saudi Arabia’s most famous shows. Jointly developed by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage and the Louvre in Paris in 2010, it has shown at some of the world’s top museums, drawing more than five million visitors.
“Although the exhibition focuses on Saudi Arabia’s civilisations, it also highlights civilisations of the Arabian Peninsula including major hubs along the ancient trade routes, which were important links in the cultural and historical narrative of this highly strategic region,” said Jamal Omar, vice president of the antiquities and museums department at the Saudi commission.
Mr Omar told The National it was important to educate Saudis about the country’s cultural heritage and Louvre Abu Dhabi’s exhibition would support that aim. He said more important discoveries will be announced soon.
“We are not in a hurry to announce them until all the work is completed.”
He said a lot of work is being done to promote cultural heritage and Saudi Arabia as a destination for international tourists.
Louvre Abu Dhabi is hosting a three-day musical celebration beginning today to mark the opening of the exhibition. A multicultural music, dance and poetry extravaganza featuring 80 artists from across the region is planned. It will be accompanied by a calligraphic performance by Tunisian artist Koom. The cultural programme supporting the exhibition includes workshops, talks, while artist Hind Mezaina will curate a selection of films.
“The Arabian Peninsula has been a place of exchange, culture and civilisation since earliest antiquity,” said Manuel Rabate, director of Louvre Abu Dhabi.
Roads of Arabia: Archaeological Treasures of Saudi Arabia is at Louvre Abu Dhabi from today until February 16. Admission is included in the price of a museum ticket. For more information visit www.louvreabudhabi.ae