Fujairah burial chamber gives up secrets of the Bronze Age
German archaeologists are finding historical riches while digging at Dibba burial sites, writes John Dennehy
Archaeologists are moving a step closer to unlocking the secrets of a Bronze Age burial chamber that has been discovered in Fujairah.
Experts have known about the ancient crypt in Dibba for more than two decades, but a new partnership with German archaeologists is helping to reveal why more than 200 people were buried together in the twin U-shaped tombs.
So far, the historians have uncovered more than 500 items of historical significance that could help to piece together remnants of life in this corner of the UAE from as early as 1500BC.
Four sites have been excavated but focus in recent weeks has been trained on Dibba Murabah where a network of burial chambers has been unearthed.
Axe heads, swords, arrowheads and spearheads are just some of the weapons that have been found so far.
As archaeologists dig deeper using the latest mapping and exploration technology, more bounty is expected to paint a detailed picture of what life was like in the Bronze and Iron Age settlement.
The work is being led by the Orient department of the prestigious German Archaeological Institute, with project manager Kristina Pfeiffer working on the dig in partnership with the Fujairah Tourism and Antiquities Authority.
“It is a lot more than we expected. We are drowning in finds,” Ms Pfieffer said.
The area is rich in historical significance, with rock paintings and petroglyphs of human and animal figures proving the existence of human communities as far back as 6000BC.
Weapons, pottery and jewellery are just some of the rare Bronze Age discoveries unearthed by archaeologists at an ancient burial ground in Dibba.
Over the past two weeks, more than 500 artefacts have been found at the site in Fujairah, including swords, daggers, axe heads, arrowheads, spearheads, pottery and gold jewellery.
Two U-shaped tombs from as early as 1500BC are being excavated with more than 100 people thought to have been buried in each.
It has been a good week for Kristina Pfeiffer, who is working on the dig in partnership with the Fujairah Tourism and Antiquities Authority.
“It is a lot more than we expected. We are drowning in finds,” Ms Pfeiffer says. “I just told my mum I’ve excavated the first sword of my life.”
The National was recently given a tour of two sites in Dibba being excavated by the German archaeologists. Also there was Goetz Lingenthal, the German ambassador to the UAE.
Dibba Murabah is where Ms Pfeiffer found the sword. A second site, Dibba 76, was excavated by the team last year. Both are burial grounds from the Bronze Age and early Iron Age.
Four sites have been investigated since then and work is being led by the Orient department of the prestigious German Archaeological Institute.
The focus this season is Dibba Murabah. In the late 1990s, a municipality bulldozer cut into a cluster of pottery fragments, stumbling on what was a treasure trove from a network of Bronze Age burial chambers.
These sites have been studied before but the German teams are going deeper, using the latest mapping and analysis techniques.
Thousands of bone fragments have been found over the past few weeks at Dibba Murabah.
“It’s not possible to determine where people lived at this time but we do know where they are buried,” says Ms Pfeiffer, the mission’s project manager.
“These sites occur like a chain on the coast, from Fujairah down to Oman, and that’s a phenomenon not explained yet because the settlements are missing.”
The arrowheads are still sharp and some have unique markings in the shape of lines, stars or a cross, which could indicate the producer or type of arrowhead.
“The people from the Bronze Age are normally underestimated,” Ms Pfeiffer says. “They were like you and me and looked like you and me. They were highly sophisticated manufacturers.
“They knew how to cast, smith, how to make fine pottery and decorations. They were highly specialist people.”
The archaeologists are here for a month, until March
14, working 18-hour days, supported by trained workers from the Fujairah Tourism and Antiquities Authority. Every single piece must be recorded: photographed, weighed, measured, sketched and entered into a database.
Ms Pfeiffer’s team includes the pottery expert Mechthild Ladurner and surveyor Silvio Reichmuth.
Much of this work is done in the flats in which they are staying. The technique of photogrammetry is used to make a 3D picture of the site while the age of the pieces is determined with C14 radiocarbon dating.
At both sites, there was no separation of people in the burial chambers. Old and young, men and women were buried together.
“This is a fascinating part of pre-historic Fujairah culture that I really like,” Ms Pfeiffer says. “No separation. I would say in world archaeology it’s unusual.”
Fujairah is undergoing rapid economic change, with a huge increase in building putting these sites at risk.
“Fujairah cares about culture a lot,” Ms Pfeiffer says. “The cultural heritage is very rich in the Emirates, especially in Fujairah.
“But proper work started only at the end of the 1980s. We have many questions.”
A protective roof was placed over Dibba 76 a few years ago.
“We’ll prepare some sites for visitors,” says Salah Hassan, the head archaeologist at the authority. “We are very happy with the work right now.”
Mr Lingenthal is impressed that the German archaeologists and the authorities in Fujairah have built such a good relationship.
“For me, it is interesting to see the cultural heritage of this region,” he says. “I am also impressed by what modern technology can do to analyse the sites.”
The German team will return in the autumn to process the finds. Results will be published in the months after.