Archaeological marvels in Umm Al Quwain illuminate UAE’s historical significance
▶ Coins among artefacts unearthed by experts at ancient site of Tell Abraq
Archaeologists working in Umm Al Quwain have made a series of striking discoveries during this season’s dig, further highlighting the emirate’s significance to the UAE’s development.
Experts at the ancient site of Tell Abraq have unearthed imitation Roman gold coins dating back to the first century AD, as well as what is thought to be a pre-Islamic shrine and openair altar, and a stone slab with an inscription in Aramaic.
Original Roman coins were minted in Lyon in France and were widely circulated in several cities and countries, such as India, which was part of the extensive Roman trade network.
Copies were often made of these and those found in Umm Al Quwain bear the image of Roman emperor Tiberius.
It is not yet clear if the coins found in Umm Al Quwain were minted locally, regionally or in India but they point to a major phase of globalisation that occurred about 2,000 years ago amid a surge of interconnected trade across the Indian Ocean.
The discovery also sheds further light on the rich history of Umm Al Quwain following the unearthing of an ancient pearling village and a Christian monastery over the past several years.
The emirate’s department of Tourism and Archaeology said this season’s discovery marked a “significant departure” from previous work.
“These coins are among the most important archaeological discoveries of the season,” said Rania Hussein Kannouma, acting director of archaeology and heritage at the UAQ Department of Tourism and Archaeology.
“They are tangible material evidence of the qualitative economic leaps achieved by the Tell Abraq archaeological site.”
This season’s work, which concluded in December, was undertaken in conjunction with the Italian Mission in Umm Al Quwain.
Dr Michele Degli Esposti, its co-director, said the discovery reflected the religious, economic and commercial significance of the site.
“The discovery adds new perspectives, enriches our understanding of the country’s history and underlines the inclusion of UAQ and the UAE in a story that is not only local but integrated into the whole Gulf,” Dr Degli Esposti told The National.
“It extends to Iran, India, Central Asia, the Romanised Levant and Arabia,” he said. “It gives us a better idea of the continuity of life in Umm Al Quwain and, in particular, around its lagoon.”
Four coins were found in the ground at Tell Abraq and one on the surface a short distance away.
Turning to the other discoveries, it is thought the shrine was sheltered while the openair altar could have been used by pilgrims.
The Aramaic inscription is currently being studied and this might yield some clues as to the shrine’s dedication but it is not known what any ceremony would have been like.
Previous finds at the site included stone statues, bronze and clay figurines and incense burners.
The coins were found inside a small pottery bowl with another set of locally minted bronze coins and these could have been used for a religious offering.
“These are not common finds,” Dr Degli Esposti said. “[Now] the whole picture starts to be coherent.”
It is thought the shrine was placed at Tell Abraq because it is an elevated site. Even in aerial photos it appears as a white spot in a field of dunes and it was built using material from the sabkha flats such as gypsum and carbonate.
Tell Abraq has evidence of occupation there from the third millennium BC to about 200AD.
This season’s finds date back to the first century AD and shows the different periods the site was occupied.
Dr Degli Esposti said it was hard to say conclusively what happened over the years. “It was flourishing at one point with people living in barasti huts and they were plugged into wider trade networks,” he said.
Then there were moments of expansion and contraction, and by the new millennium a shrine remained but the population had departed.
“We don’t know why exactly,” he said.
“It might have to do with no access to [the] water table. But people lived in and around the lagoon for more than 7,000 years.”
A few kilometres north from Tell Abraq lies the remains of the ancient settlement of Ed Dur, one of the most significant sites in the UAE.
Ed Dur starts around the late first century BC and peaks around the first and second century AD.
In its prime, it was a hugely significant coastal city and is now listed on Unesco’s tentative World Heritage List. A temple has also been uncovered at Ed Dur.
The site is the temple of Shamash, the pre-Islamic sun deity.
The discoveries underline Umm Al Quwain’s rich archaeological history.
They follow the unearthing there last year of what was then believed to be the oldest pearling town in the Arabian Gulf.
Digs at the site yielded evidence of a thriving settlement that dates back as far as the rise of Islam – with hundreds of houses and several thousand people.
The landmark discovery was made on Al Sinniyah Island, close to the ancient monastery found in 2022.
The Aramaic inscription is currently being studied and this might yield some clues as to the shrine’s dedication