DCT says that Umm an-Nar is known for its monumental Bronze Age cemeteries
Recent excavations on Sas Al Nakhl Island in Abu Dhabi, also known as Umm an-Nar, have revealed the existence of a clay-lined storage pit and bitumen that was used to waterproof pottery. According to a press statement by the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) Abu Dhabi, the bitumen was matched to sources in ancient Mesopotamia, or modern-day Iraq. One fragment has the impression of wood and two pieces of rope and was likely part of a Bronze Age boat.
The Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) Abu Dhabi says that these discoveries underscore the emirate’s contribution to regional and international trade as well as inventiveness of local Bronze Age societies, nearly 65 years after the first archaeological excavations in Abu Dhabi.
DCT says that Umm an-Nar is known for its monumental Bronze Age cemeteries. With trade with Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley, these new findings also imply that it was a thriving port of great international importance between 2800 and 2200 BCE.
The statement adds that 30,000 exceptionally well-preserved bones reveal new insights into a Bronze Age diet of fish, seabirds and dugongs or sea cows. Bones of large animals found concentrated around a large, circular fireplace suggest communal or ceremonial activities. Some of the bones have been worked into objects such as a spatula and spindles.
Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak
“Our Founding Father Sheikh Zayed was instrumental in driving understanding of Abu Dhabi’s history through his passion for the land and people of the United Arab Emirates. DCT Abu Dhabi’s ambitious archaeology programme is a commitment to perpetuate that legacy to discover, preserve, and educate about our country’s past,” says Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi.
The statement adds that there are currently seven live excavation sites across Abu Dhabi including Al Ain, Sas Al Nakhl, Ghagha Island and Delma Island, where sites from more than 8,500 years ago are being explored. Many findings will be seen in the forthcoming Zayed National Museum.
