New portal on inscriptions a treasure trove of Arabic history

A new portal has been unveiled featuring high-resolution images of more than 150 important Arabic rock inscriptions that unite the region despite its diversity of customs and culture.

Scattered across the archaeological sites, valleys and foothills of the mountains, the inscriptions showcase the region as a large open museum of ancient writing and expression. It documents and narrates the history of nations and people.

The portal, a database of different scripts, explanations, inscription date, rock type, writings and more, will serve as a treasure trove of information for experts, researchers, scholars, students and community members.

Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, launched the ‘Arabic Inscriptions Portal’ aip.ae during a ceremony held at the Abu Dhabi Youth Hub. He underlined the new portal as a significant initiative in linking the Arabs with their heritage.

“On this occasion, I remember the directives of the founding father of our nation, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who used to always tell us that lack of interest in history leads to a lack of interest in the future, and that a successful future depends on our creative connection with the origins and extended roots of the homeland and the nation, that is the basis for the progress of a society.”

Sheikh Nahyan noted the inscriptions highlight the importance of the region in the development of civilisations throughout human history.

ashwani@khaleejtimes.com

Ashwani Kumar

I am a newspaperman from the emirate of Abu Dhabi. A journalist at heart. I get my stories from the streets. A south Indian born in the Hindi heartland, I easily connect with people from different nationalities and cultures. I am calm like a monk, sensitive and very patient reporter. On the ground, I cover a range of topics related to community, health, embassy, tourism, transport, business and sports. I will go out on a leg to do what’s right and stand by what I believe in.