The Fujairah government – in cooperation with an international team of researchers from the emirate’s Department of Tourism and Antiquities, the University of Jena in Germany, and Oxford Brookes University in the United Kingdom – announced the discovery of new evidence indicating an ancient human presence dating back to prehistoric times in the Emirate of Fujairah.
She pointed out that the new results prove that mobile human groups took the rocky shelter in Mount Cave Al-Dur, located in the Habhab region, as their home repeatedly from about 13,000 to 7,500 years ago, as it was previously believed that the southeastern Arabian Peninsula region was uninhabited for about 38,000 years ago when dry climatic conditions prevailed, until its climate became more humid about 7,000 years ago.
These new findings contribute to expanding the scope of historical knowledge about the nature of human presence in the emirate, filling the gaps in the archaeological record of this region, and denying old assumptions about the timing of human settlement there.
Director of the Department of Tourism and Antiquities in Fujairah, Saeed Al-Samahi, stressed the department’s keenness to translate the directives of the Fujairah government, by doubling interest in the field of antiquities and heritage and conducting archaeological surveys in accordance with scientific foundations and international standards, in cooperation with international foreign missions specialized in this field, noting that previous archaeological discoveries indicated that The presence of human settlement and tools dating back to the BC period.
He added that the department sought to provide all logistical and scientific services for the specialized archaeological mission, and that the results showed the history of the emirate in the prehistoric era and beyond, and the chronology that passed through it, which indicates the stability and continuity of human presence there, according to the study and analysis of the Al-Dur Cave site in the Habhab region. .
For his part, the Director General of the Fujairah Natural Resources Foundation, Engineer Ali Qasim, expressed pride in this important geological discovery that rewrites the history of human existence in the Emirate of Fujairah. He said that this cooperation, which brought together international experts and prestigious research institutions, resulted in unprecedented results that highlighted the richness and The emirate’s geological and archaeological heritage.
He added: “This discovery confirms the importance of the efforts made by the Fujairah government under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Fujairah, and the interest and follow-up of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, to protect and document geological and archaeological sites in the emirate, and the Foundation’s commitment.” “By enhancing awareness of the importance of these valuable resources through educational programs and research projects, to ensure their sustainability and preservation for future generations.”
He explained that these discoveries not only enhance understanding of the history of our region, but also place Fujairah at the forefront of the main sites for archaeological and geological research, which opens new horizons for scientific cooperation and cultural tourism in the emirate, praising the efforts of all partners and researchers that contributed to achieving this historical achievement.
For his part, the archaeologist from the German University of Jena, who supervised the excavations at the site, Dr. Knut Bretzke, said: “The recent archaeological discoveries in the rock shelter of Mount Al-Dur Cave play an important role in our understanding of the history of human presence in Fujairah.”
He pointed out that the evidence revealed by the international team of researchers returns the timeline of human presence in the region to about 13 thousand years ago, which changes prevailing beliefs about the patterns of human presence in southeastern Arabia.
In turn, Professor Adrian Parker, a researcher in the Ancient Environments Project, said in a study by Oxford Brookes University in the United Kingdom: “These results are considered particularly important given the dry conditions that prevailed in the region during that period, which were previously thought to have made it uninhabitable until The emergence of wetter climatic conditions about 9,000 years ago, stressing the importance of this research in highlighting the rich historical heritage of Fujairah, and confirming the flexibility of human groups in that era, and their ability to adapt to various climatic conditions, while these discoveries confirm the importance of continuing efforts to protect and study these archaeological sites. “Precious.”
The Fujairah government had launched an initiative to identify and protect important geological sites in the emirate. In its context, and in cooperation with international experts, the Fujairah Natural Resources Foundation identified more than 30 sites that possess important geological characteristics, a project that resulted in the discovery of archaeological sites that provided additional evidence of human activities in this region during prehistoric times.
Experimental archaeological excavations in the rock shelter in Mount Al-Dur Cave revealed three layers containing stone tools, animal bones, and stoves. Radiocarbon dating of the charcoal taken from these stoves indicated that the site was inhabited several times about 13,000 to 7,500 years ago, which makes this shelter Al-Sakhri is the oldest archaeological site in the emirate.
This discovery covers a crucial period in human history, marking the transition from hunting and gathering to animal husbandry and food production.
The discovery of sites dating back to that time period is also rare in the southeastern Arabian Peninsula, which explains the importance of discovering the archaeological sequence in the rock shelter of Mount Kaf al-Dour.
Researchers believe that mobile groups in prehistoric times took shelter in the rock shelter in Mount Cave Al-Dur due to the richness of limestone, the abundance that the mountain enjoys in terms of high-quality stone raw materials, and the protection that the shelter provides, in addition to providing access to a variety of natural areas. The surrounding area, including the interior plain, the western slopes of the Hajar Mountains, and the valley channels.
In an important step to support archaeological research efforts, the Office of the Crown Prince of Fujairah approved a project proposal aimed at conducting more excavations at the archaeological site of Jabal Cave Al Dur, and carrying out additional surveys in the area adjacent to the site.
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