[gallery td_select_gallery_slide="slide" ids="53662,53661,53669,53668,53667,53664,53663,53666,53665"] K.T. ABDURABB DO you want to know more about the region's rich archaeological heritage history! Then you just need to drive to Mleiha, which is 55 kms to the east of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. Mleiha will tell you many million-year-old stories. The 125,000-hectare area of Mleiha displays evidence of findings from the late Iron Age, the Hellenistic and post-Hellenistic periods. One will find the ancient ruins and burial sites that date back to BC. According to archaeologists, Mleiha was an essential part of trade routes. It was in contact with other civilizations in the Mediterranean, South Asia and Mesopotamia, the southern, northern and eastern parts of the Arabian Peninsula, as well as Eastern Arabia. This novel-type eco-tourism and archaeological attraction offers safari-type excursions, rare flora and wildlife and adventure sports. Its natural beauty definitely is enchanting. Enjoy guided tours to Umm an-Nar Tomb, the Valley of the Caves, the Mleiha Fort, a historic graveyard for horses and camels and the pre-Islamic Mleiha Palace. Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) has invested AED250 million in the Mleiha Archaeological and Eco-tourism Project and since then, the area has fast become an attractive spot. Hundreds of heritage lovers and historians visit this place to know about the settlers in the region during the Palaeolithic, Neolithic, Bronze, Iron and pre-Islamic periods. "Mleiha Archaeological and Eco-tourism Project reflects the keenness of our leadership to protect our heritage and preserve the Emirati identity," said Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Shurooq's chairwoman. "The project is implemented under the directives of the Ruler of Sharjah and provides a new focal point in Shurooq's strategy to attract investment to the central and eastern regions of Sharjah. The project aims to highlight the tourist and historical attractions, to introduce the region's rich cultural legacy and archaeological heritage and to attract visitors, particularly nature and heritage lovers to the emirate of Sharjah," said Marwan Bin Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO of Shurooq. "We have now completed the first phase and the Mleiha Archaeological Center has been designed to allow visitors to gain a deeper insight into the region's history in a fun and interactive manner," Al Sarkal added. Mleiha Archaeological Center is built around one of the circular, mid-Bronze Age (known as Umm an-Nar) tombs. Constructed in about 2,300BC, the burial site was used for about 200 years. Measuring 13.9 meters in diameter, the tomb is the second largest in the UAE from the Umm an-Nar period. The findings suggest the people buried here during this period had connections to Mesopotamia and the whole Gulf region. More than 120 human burial chambers have been found at Mleiha. The most impressive is known as MLH-8, which dates back to the time between the 1st and the mid-3rd centuries BC. The site was first excavated in 1986. Excavation over the last 20 years has revealed significant evidence from the Bronze Age in the Inland Basin of the Mleiha region. "Some findings date back to more than a million years and the pre-Islamic times," according to Dr. Sabah Jassim, director of the Sharjah Directorate of Antiquities, who is overseeing the excavations. "There have been many significant relics found in the burial sites that are the remains of daily life including some pottery and iron tools," added Dr. Sabah. And if you drive along the main road towards the Jebel Faya site, you will discover a complex of three Bronze Age tombs. Named FAY-NE 20, 21 and 22, these sites were excavated in 2005 by the expert team at the Sharjah Directorate of Antiquities. Jebel Faya is also home to a number of Stone-Age sites, including FAY-NE 1, 9, 11, 10 and 15. "We have started the second phase of the project," said Marwan Bin Jassim Al Sarkal. The second phase will involve the construction of Mleiha National Desert Park over an area of 450 sq. kms. The park will serve as a wildlife reserve that will see the release of a range of animals such as the oryx, gazelles and the mountain deer, in collaboration with the Sharjah Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA). It will also include the setting up of the night camping park, which will be fully equipped to cater to the needs of campers, in addition to a motel for overnight stays. Development work is underway to renovate old buildings at the site to serve as a motel within the project. The expansion will also see the establishment of an astronomy observatory, allowing for enthusiasts to enjoy the stars and sky from the center of Mleiha. Telescopes will be installed to get a glimpse of the stars and the wonders of space from Mleiha's location. "The project includes a variety of natural terrain, such as the mountains and the desert, and there is also a considerable diversity of rare plants in the region," Al Sarkal added. "There will be various sporting activities and guided walks on camel trails to see the paths ancient civilizations took to cross the desert. Tourists will have the opportunity to camp out and undertake off-road activities in 4x4 cars," explained Al Sarkal. Currently, UNESCO has nominated the area as a World Heritage Site.
