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The Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah has an impressive archaeological heritage and a very rich history. The area has always attracted settlers reason is its unique landscapes comprising of four different components; the fertile plains, the mountainous region, coastal areas and the desert environment. Archaeological excavations and finds have proved that the history of Ras Al Khaimah dates back to 5'000 BC. |
The hisorty of Ras Al Khaimah can be divided into periods the first of which is the Ubaid Period (5'500 - 3'800 BC).
Ubaid Period is the oldest era known so far in the history of Ras Al Khaimah. Not far from Al Jazeerah Al Hamra, huge ruins of structures and external roofs have been discovered. These ruins are indicative of the early human activities in this area. Moreover some pottery remains, beads, nets and stone implements were also found from the same area. They are a good evidence of the early existence of the Bedouin desert inhabitants who used to live on the coast in the winter. In the area of Khatt, excavators have also discovered historical sites that contained granite implements which belonged to the same era.
The Haffet Period (3'200 - 2'600 BC) era was known for its ruins of graves and burial grounds which were built on high mountains. They were made of local stone and shaped like beehives. Each grave consisted of one or two small rooms. These were discovered in the areas of Khatt, Wadi al-Bih as well as in Wadi al-Qarw.
The Umm al- Nar Civilization existed in the middle of the third millennium BC. It was arguably the most important period in the development of a civilization in the UAE. Evidence suggests that trade between Mesopotamia and the Valley of Indus (south-east of Iran) flourished during the period. The period is well known for its round graves whose external walls were built of smooth engraved and polished stones.
Archaeologists were able to discover the remains of more than one hundred bodies in these graves. The largest grave was found in the Shamal area. Wadi Suq Culture Period (2'000 - 1'600 BC), the most remarkable archaeological finds of this era are the 15 huge graves in the area of Shamal, comprising the biggest cemetery in the prehistoric era.
The second half of the second millennium BC, the late Bronze Age, is known from a settlement in the Shamal area, which has been partly excavated by a German Mission of the University of Goettingen. Built at the foot of the rising mountains, it showed traces of 'arish' style housing, typical of the United Arab Emirates until as recently as 50 years ago. The Iron Age here is best known from finds from the southern part of Ras Al Khaimah where a number of graves were discovered. Some of them were oblong with four rooms, others were shaped like a horseshoe and some others were circular in shape. Archaeologists have discovered painted pans and large number of stone engraved decorated pots made of chlorite from them.
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The Hellenic and Parthian Era (300 BC -300 AD) The later pre-Islamic time, the Hellenic and Parthian Period, is also evident in the northern parts. Survey projects launched by the Antiquities and Museums Department have led to the discovery of some historical sites in the northern and southern districts of Ras Al Khaimah. |
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These sites include individual tombs and reused old graves found in Shamal, Asimah and in Wa'ab / Wadi Muna'i.
The Sasanian Occupation Era (300 AD - 632 AD)
The Sasanian occupation of Ras Al Khaimah is now becoming increasingly evident. A team of archaeologists have founded a small site on the island of Hulaylah that was occupied during the Sasanian Period. Recently two other sites were found in Khatt. The most significant discovery of this era during the three-phase exploration campaign was a Sasanian citadel. It was built mainly to have full control over the fertile plains in the north of Ras Al Khaimah. This monument was evacuated when Islam was adopted in the UAE area.
The Abbasids Era (750 - 1'250 AD)
This period of history featured the great unified Islamic Empire and the huge expansion of trade with East Asia. This era was embodied in small areas in the Arabian Gulf. The presence of two of these areas in Ras Al Khaimah helped it to play a great role as a bustling trade route in the early Islamic Era. One of these places was Al Khoush which was a castle abandoned by the Sassans during the Islamic expansion in this area. It was reoccupied by people who lived in it for the next seven centuries. The second place is situated in the Island of Hulaylah. It was a structure made of palm leaves. Its ruins are few and vague, however they are considered to be of great historical importance. Both the sites were known as a part of Julfar, which was an old town well known to Muslim travellers and geographers. Some Abbasid pottery and Chinese porcelain pots imported from Iraq and elsewhere were found in these two areas. The antiquities show us how far people of Julfar were deeply interested and involved in trade at that time.
The Later Islamic Era (14th - 19th century)
In the middle of the fourteenth century, Kush and the Island of Hulaylah were deserted. People began to settle on sandy beaches near the coast. This area was called Julfar. It was discovered by the famous archaeologist Piatris in 1968. Many archaeological expeditions were delegated to the area by France, Britain, Japan and Germany. They all showed that Julfar was a vast populated area from the fourteenth up to the seventeenth century. The town was built of baked mud bricks and protected by a mud wall, 2.5 meters thick and 4 meters high. It was a main center of trade in the lower part of the Arabian Gulf. Julfar was famous for its vast and flourishing trade with distant areas. The finds of porcelain and pottery from here were imported from Arab and European countries. It was the hometown of the famous Arab navigator, Ahmad Ibn Majid who was called "The Lion of Seas". Julfar was famous for its quality pottery made in Shamal and the Valley of Haqeel which were among the main centers for making and distributing pottery pots throughout the Gulf countries. The pottery industry prevailed for more than 500 years. The last abandoned pottery oven was in the Valley of Haqeel, 30 years ago.
After British occupation (18 December 1819 - July 1821), Sheikh Sultan ibn Saqr al-Qasimi signed in 1822 the General Maritime Treaty with Britain, accepting a protectorate keeping the Ottoman Turks out. Like Ajman, Dubai, Umm al-Qaiwain and Sharjah, its position on the route to India made it important enough to be recognized as a salute state (be it of the lowest class: only 3 guns). In 1869 Ras al-Khaimah became fully independent from Sharjah. However from September 1900 to 7 July 1921 it was re-incorporated into Sharjah, its neighbour; the last governor became its next independent ruler.
By: Lamiya Sami
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Source: www.raktourism.com
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