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Remains of historic city found in Al Ain
posted on 03/05/2011: 110 views
The remains of two Abbasid houses have just been found in Al Ain, along with several pots and artefacts. The archaeological discovery has been made on the land belonging to the President, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan in the city's Ud Al Tawbah region, while excavating for laying the foundation for a new mosque.
"We are going to redesign the project to be integrated with this historic discovery. All the components of the mosque will be in architectural harmony with the discoveries, combining past and present in one place,” said Mubarak bin Saad Al Ahbabi, chairman of the President's Private Department.
The archaeological discovery is a big news for the UAE as it is the first proof so far of monuments from the Islamic period existing in Al Ain.
The two houses were built from mud and clay, each with one-metre high walls with semi-circular props used in strengthening and decorating them.
The use of props is one the characteristics of Islamic architecture in the Umayyad and Abbasid eras.
Apart from the two houses, it is believed that a mosque, a water channel and other features also exist, still buried underground, and they may all be part of the historic city of Tuwam that did not have any physical evidence, ?but it is mentioned in history books. In pre and post Islamic times the area was known as Tuwam.
The Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) is now working with the President's Private Department to preserve the archaeological findings. Mohammed Al Neyadi, director of Historical Environment at ADACH, explained that several earthenware items have also been discovered within the ruins of the two houses, which also date back to the same Islamic period.
Some of this pottery is glazed in green, blue or grey, which is a typical glaze of the Abbasid times. – Khaleej Times
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