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Excavations on iron-age site completed

SHARJAH - The six-year excavations of a significant iron-age site in Muweileh in Sharjah had been recently completed with the discovery of more findings that shed light on the great historic significance of this site which housed the first-ever evidence on the use of the Arabic script in the middle of the first millennium BC.

The excavations had been carried out by a joint Australian/American team of experts chaired by Dr Peter Magae and a local archaeological team headed by Dr Sabah Jassim of the Antiquities Directorate of the Sharjah Department of Culture and Information.
The joint teams had excavated for two months this season, marking the end of the six-year excavation plan at this site. During this period, experts unearthed more structural features and artefacts of great significance dating back to the iron age.

Dr Jassim attributed the importance of the site which had witnessed regular excavations over the past six years, to its unique geographic location and its proximity to the western coast of the Arab Gulf, in addition to its width and the important findings uncovered from it, such as the evidence of the Arab script and the evidence on the existing of domesticated camels and their common use back then.

Meanwhile, a Spanish team from the Madrid University arrived last week in Sharjah to resume joint excavations at Al Thaqiba site located in Al Madam Plain of the Central Region of Sharjah Emirate. The spanish experts, headed by Dr Kwaquin Qurduba, will carry the excavations jointly with the local expedition. The previous excavations in the past years revealed the existence of an important human settlement dating back to the first millennium BC.

According to Dr Jassim, this site was distinguished with the numerous layers of the settlement built at different ages and times. The settlement includes remains of houses of which some two-metre walls were still standing, besides the water wells, fences and alleys, which were among the interesting features of the settlement.

"Besides digging for more houses within the settlement this season, the joint expedition will also complete its excavation of a Falaj (an old water spring) that was discovered last year," Dr Jassim said.

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