Watch: 3,000-year-old Iron Age burial site discovered in Al Ain

A major archaeological discovery has been made in the Al Ain Region — a 3,000-year-old necropolis believed to be the first significant Iron Age cemetery ever found in the UAE.

The discovery was announced on Monday by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and was uncovered by their Historic Environment Department’s Archaeology Section.

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The ancient burial site, which likely contains over 100 tombs, offers valuable insight into a little-known period of the UAE’s history. Though many of the tombs were looted centuries ago, archaeologists still found human remains and a range of grave goods, including jewellery, pottery, weapons, and personal items.

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These discoveries in Al Ain provide a glimpse into the lives, beliefs, craftsmanship, as well as social and cultural dynamic of people who lived in the region thousands of years ago.

Iron Age cemetery tombs

The cemetery’s tombs, according DCT, were built by first digging a shaft about two metres deep and then digging sideways to create an oval burial chamber. After the body and grave goods were placed in the chamber, the entrance was sealed with mudbricks or stones and the shaft was filled in — making it difficult to detect from the surface. The lack of grave markers on the surface explains why Iron Age tombs had gone undiscovered in the area until now.

Excavation process

To ensure respectful treatment of the human remains, a team of forensic experts — including an osteoarchaeologist — joined the excavation. The remains are fragile, but laboratory tests will help determine the age, gender, and health of the deceased. DNA analysis may even reveal family ties and migration patterns.

Watch the video below as shared by the DCT:

Although the tombs were looted centuries ago, some small gold jewellery pieces survived, hinting at what the tombs might once have held.

More remarkably, researchers found beautifully crafted items such as decorated pottery, soft-stone vessels, copper-alloy weapons, and personal belongings like bead necklaces, rings, razors, and shell cosmetic containers. Some weapons still had traces of wooden shafts and quivers.

Jaber Saleh Al Merri, director of the Historic Environment Department at DCT Abu Dhabi, called the discovery a breakthrough in understanding the ancient UAE. "For years, the Iron Age burial traditions remained a mystery, but now we have tangible evidence that brings us closer to the people who lived here 3,000 years ago," he said. "It reinforces our efforts to preserve, promote, and protect Abu Dhabi’s heritage for future generations."

This discovery is part of DCT Abu Dhabi’s ongoing efforts to explore and protect the region’s rich heritage. As one of the best-preserved Iron Age cemeteries found so far, the site sheds new light on social, cultural, and economic life during a crucial stage of regional development.

A transformative time for Al Ain

The Iron Age was a transformative time for Al Ain, especially with the invention of the falaj, an underground water system that enabled the growth of oasis agriculture. This advancement helped shape the landscape we see today.

Over the past 65 years, archaeologists have uncovered Iron Age villages, forts, temples, falaj, and ancient gardens in Al Ain. However, the burial sites and customs of that period remained largely unknown — until now.

"We know how people in the Bronze Age and Late Pre-Islamic period buried their dead, but the Iron Age has always been a missing part of the puzzle. We are now in a position to understand the evolution of burial customs over time and learn what these changes might say about the beliefs and traditions of the people who lived here," Tatiana Valente, Field Archaeologist at DCT Abu Dhabi, said.

The discovery was made as part of the Funerary Landscapes of Al Ain Project, set up in 2024 to investigate the growing number of prehistoric tombs found during archaeological monitoring of construction work.

It also supports DCT Abu Dhabi’s mission to preserve and study Al Ain, which was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011 for its cultural and historical significance.